Test for idiocy

Any formal methodology for assessing scientific activity is drawn on an example that demonstrates its idiocy. The Minnouki has developed a methodology for the distribution of budget places in graduate school. Here you don’t have to go far for an example, just check the result of the methodology at the most effective scientific institution. It turns out that the Institute of Theoretical Physics. L. D. Landau of the Russian Academy of Sciences (first place in the Russian Federation for the publication effectiveness of employees, the first category for assessing the effectiveness of Fano in 2018) did not receive a single place in budget graduate school for 2021–2022 in accordance with the “preliminary distribution” in accordance with “Method”, approved by V. N. Falkov on April 3, 2020 ( Order No. 550 ). Below is a brief analysis of the properties of the "technique" that led to this result.

The total result by the number of allocated places (CCP) is determined by the sum of numbers obtained by two “stages” not interconnected.

The first of them (“basic stage”) distributes only 1012 seats (85% of the full number 1191) and is based on comparing the institute’s request for the number of graduate schools and a certain number obtained by “methodology”. This number cannot be determined when submitting an institute’s application, since it depends on the general “hidden parameter” of the methodology for all, which is not publicly announced (designated as ∑ Octzij). ITF named after L.D. Landau requested two places in graduate school. According to the “methodology”, the ITF has a certain number of less than two (it is not known to us-it cannot be calculated, because the value of the hidden parameter is unknown), therefore, in accordance with the “methodology” (see the first two paragraphs on page 78 “Methods”), the number two turns into zero -in other words, the ministry, according to “Methods”, plays with institutes in an point or eagle.

The second stage distributes 178 graduate spaces (or 15% of the full number). The full algorithm for their distribution in the “methodology” is not described, however, the following parameters are “taken into account” when it is implemented:

• extrabudgetary income to an employee (what does it have to do with ITF?) - was actually taken into account in two different points;
• The number of foreigners students (what does it have to do with the ITF?);
• The proportion of defending graduate students in recent years was taken into account only if the number of graduate students exceeded five (in the ITF it is less than five, therefore, the actual - close to 100% - the efficiency of the ITF graduate school was not taken into account at all, instead of it was used “average in the region”);
• The publication rating (according to this parameter, ITF is a leader in Russia with a large margin, but the “weight” of this indicator in the applied “methodology” is very small).

Bottom line: The result of the ITF in the “second stage” is zero.

The same results will lead to the application of the indicated “methodology” to any small in number of employees to the Academic Institute, regardless of the quality of the studies and international ratings conducted in it.

Conclusion: the technique approved by the Ministry was compiled (unknown by persons) in order to destroy the potential for the development of small Russian academic institutions leading high -quality fundamental scientific research; Thus, the technique contributes to the departure of talented scientific youth abroad.

Mikhail Feigelman,
chapters. scientific. sore. ITF named after L.D. Landau, head. Basic Department of MIPT "Problems of Theoretical Physics"