Knowledge Hubs of Russia: Bibliometric Mapping of Research Activity

The intensified globalization of science and internationalization of research collaboration ties questions the conventional center-peripheral mode of national knowledge space. The traditional perception of metropolises acting as hubs for the absorption of global knowledge and its subsequent diffusion to provincial towns requires revision and refinement. The present study examines the agglomeration effect on the excellence centers formed around major cities in Russia with a population of over 1 million people. Spatial scientometrics techniques are applied for capturing and evaluating the territorial configuration and specifics of scientific centers around millionaire cities in 50 and 100 km zones. Scopus database is used for sourcing metadata on the key bibliometric indicators that reflect the magnitude of publication activity, the prominence and competitiveness of scholarly output, the integration into national and international research networks and the scientific profiles of cities. Research results suggest that cities with perceptible research activity located within a 50 km limit from a millionaire city are more integrated at the national level and are more competitive as compared to average values. However, the level of demand for their scientific results is often lower. Cities located within the 50-100 km zone to a lesser extent experience the positive influence of agglomeration, being quite isolated, featuring a self-sufficient development trajectory.

Keywords: Excellence center, Knowledge agglomeration, Knowledge geography, Knowledge hub, Spatial scientometrics.