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Scientists agreed to reforms at the Russian Academy of Sciences
It took representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science and the leadership of the Russian Academy of Sciences a little more than nine months to finally agree on full agreement on the issues of reforming scientific institutions. Unexpected and almost incredible news about reconciliation with government officials was announced yesterday by Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valery Kozlov. “Before June 1, together with the relevant ministry, we will submit to the government an agreed draft program for the Modernization of the Academic Sector of Science,” he said. Minister Andrei Fursenko said yesterday that “general agreement has been received.”Apparently, in order to prevent ordinary scientists from becoming suspicious of such an unexpected alliance between the academy and officials, Valery Kozlov nevertheless made a reservation that “there are still a couple of points with which the scientific community does not agree.” In turn, the Minister of Education and Science stated that “even if these controversial issues remain without the approval of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the document will be submitted to the government of the Russian Federation without coordination with the academy.”
The Ministry had to make numerous compromises. In particular, abandon the massive reduction of research institutes. Mr. Fursenko promised that the previously assumed 50% reduction in scientists would not happen. “Approximately a fifth of the scientific staff will simply be transferred to extra-budgetary funding, and the research institute will have sectors - applied, fundamental and later educational.” “In the program, we tried as much as possible to optimize the work of the academy without causing harm to the research staff,” added Minister Valery Kozlov. - There will be no artificial mergers or reductions. The Academy will check the effectiveness of the research institute, after which it will decide to reduce or merge the institutes.”
Mr. Kozlov said that research institute employees currently engaged in applied work and contract work will be transferred to the applied sector. “Their salary will be paid only from extra-budgetary sources, and it will be higher than that of those working in the fundamental research sector,” explained the vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Scientists managed to obtain from the government a significant increase in budget funding for science. “By 2008, 110 billion rubles will be allocated from the state budget for science, which is twice as much as this year, and this money will not be eaten up by inflation,” Andrei Fursenko assured.