Appeal from scientists to V.V. Putin

24.07.2016

Mr. President!

Russian fundamental science has been experiencing a crisis since the early 1990s, and not only due to the disastrous financial situation. For many years now, it has been subjected to unprecedented pressure from government agencies, which are launching more and more “reforms”, the result of which is its consistent degradation. Among them was the reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN) in 2013, when academic science was dealt an almost fatal blow. Now its new stage has begun, which will directly affect all institutes and all employees. At the government level and on behalf of the Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (FANO), overly zealous “effective managers” have put forward and are implementing completely ridiculous projects to consolidate institutions by integrating them on an “interdisciplinary” basis. Whether this is done out of malice or thoughtlessness is a secondary issue; the important thing is that there is very little left before the “final decision” of the fate of science in Russia. The time of political correctness is over, it’s high time to call a spade a spade.

It has now become completely obvious that the last three years of fundamental science reform in Russia have not brought any positive results. Its clearly negative consequences include: a decline in the authority of science in society, and of Russian science in the world, the complete destruction of the science management system, demotivation and demoralization of actively working scientists, a new wave of scientific emigration, especially among young people, a sharp activation of bureaucrats and scoundrels from science, substitution of scientific evaluation criteria with meaningless formalism, decreasing the share of high-quality domestic publications in world science. As a result, we are on the verge of the final elimination of the competitive scientific industry - one of the traditional pillars of Russian statehood. The situation has become critical and requires urgent measures to be taken by the country's top leadership.

In this regard, we believe that the Federal Assembly and the Government urgently need to make significant adjustments to the scientific reform program. The main ones should be the recognition of fundamental science as an independent and valuable field of activity, the inclusion of its development in the list of state priorities, and the restoration of the unity of the system of scientific institutes and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Without this, it is impossible to create a modern innovative economy in our country.

The first steps along this path could be the following solutions:

1. Reassignment of FANO to the Russian Academy of Sciences, so that this organization becomes its integral part and is responsible only for economic issues and property management, but not for the management of scientific research, approval of their plans, evaluation of the effectiveness of the institutes and their leadership. All rights of the founder of scientific institutes should be returned to the Russian Academy of Sciences.
2. All scientific institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences should be considered an integral part of the Russian Academy of Sciences and conduct research under its scientific and methodological guidance.
3. Immediate cessation of the destructive campaign of senseless restructuring of the system of existing institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences that has developed over many years, carried out without the approval of the scientific community and without a clear understanding of the goals and objectives, as well as the structure of modern science.
4. Withdrawal of academic science from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education and Science. A fundamental revision of the priorities and operating principles of this ministry through the formation of a new Ministry of Education and an independent State Committee for Science and Technology (SCST) as the central body for organizing applied research in the country.
5. Re-establishment of scientific postgraduate studies in the RAS system, aimed at training scientific researchers, transferring control over the Higher Attestation Commission to the RAS.
6. A multiple increase in funding for academic science and a radical revision of the structure of this funding. Instead of the idea of ​​strengthening science by “buying” scientists abroad, creating normal conditions for scientists working in Russia.
7. The real inclusion of actively working scientists who enjoy the trust of the scientific community and world recognition in the system of state management of science, the restoration of academic freedom and democratic self-government of scientific institutions.

All these measures require a significant change in the existing legislative framework in the field of science management, which should be among the priorities of the new composition of the State Duma, the Federation Council and the Government. Correction of the reform of Russian science should be developed and carried out not in spite of, but together with the entire scientific community. Scientific creativity must be free, including from various kinds of target designations of people who know nothing about it. Only scientists can determine what is relevant in science and what is not, what should be done and what should not be done, and how scientific work should be organized. It must be recognized that without basic fundamental science it is impossible to develop applied science and ensure a decent level of higher education, modern industry and the country's defense capability. Time is running out, we are at the last frontier and there is nowhere to retreat further!

Signatures of more than a hundred people:
academicians, corresponding members and professors of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The collection of signatures continues

You can find out that the scientists’ letter exists and is being responded to in higher spheres, for example, here: www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5795f3b59a79476f9d321f0b

Russian President Vladimir Putin familiarized himself with materials in the media about a letter from academicians and professors of the Russian Academy of Sciences against the Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (FANO). This was stated by the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov.

The reason for the requests from professors, academicians and corresponding members was the process of restructuring the institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which started several months ago.

“I can’t tell you if we received the letter. But we have familiarized ourselves with the materials that were published in the press. This appeal was reported to the President. He is aware. We pay great attention to the concerns expressed by corresponding members and professors ,” Peskov said.

He also drew attention to the fact that the Kremlin is “well aware of the existence of alternative points of view” and “the positive side that the reform has brought.”