Game of contests

When Andrei Fursenko came to the ministry, he almost immediately tried to realize the idea that many then seemed very attractive. Why smear money with a thin layer? Let's allocate serious funds, but at the exit we will demand a serious result, and not a report dusting on a shelf. In October 2003, answering a correspondent's question about the prospects for improving the situation of Russia in the world market of new technologies and high -tech products as acting Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, Andrei Fursenko expressed optimism1: “My sincere sensation - we began to move forward. Due to my official position, I see these results, but after a year everyone will see them. There are already real examples of success that they had only dreamed of before. But, perhaps, the most important thing is that system steps are taken for the formation of the environment where an innovative economy should develop and venture enterprises are created ... In six federal districts, transfer technologies have been created. They inform me: there are many interesting innovative proposals. This was not there before, Apathy reigned before. I have the feeling that Russia wakes up for innovative and venture activities. In 2004, the creation of implementing zones will begin in various regions. ”

With the allocation of large funds, it turned out, and quite good; In particular, financing of projects within the framework of the FCP was sharply increased. But with significant results, it did not go as expected. Officials, representatives of the scientific and managerial elite, and experts involved in the decision-making process, naturally could not refuse to tempt issues about the allocation of multimillion-dollar funds for mutual pleasure. The process of servicing the needs of the control bodies in analytical materials, monitoring, information support, etc. It turned into a bureaucratic market with billions and became a real feeding system for officials and privileged organizations. What real responsibility for the result can be discussed when all “involved” are to one degree or another involved in the “cut” process? It is not customary to throw stones in a glass house ...

Until recently, the system of grant financing of scientific research through the leading scientific funds of Russia remained somewhat away from this kind of new trends. But everything changes ...

Competition "Officials" of the Russian Federation as the first step

The first step in the implementation of “New Standards of Competitions” in the leading scientific funds of Russia was made by the chairman of the Council of the RFF in 2008, a protege of the leadership of the Kurchatov Institute Vladislav Panchenko. In early 2009, a competition of oriented fundamental studies was announced on relevant interdisciplinary themes (“Officials”). Unlike the usual competitions of the RFFI, in the framework of the Official contests, a fairly narrow topic is set by the leading body of the Fund, and the wording is that such that experts can often guess who and under whom this topic is formulated. It was understood that such studies should be funded much better than “ordinary”: they say that the annual financing of the project is several million rubles.

The above, of course, does not mean that all those involved in the formation of the subjects of competitions joyfully format everything for themselves: decent people and strong scientists can well try to do everything in their minds, to establish a normal examination. Probably, this happened in some topics-departments2. Nevertheless, what is usually the formulation of narrow topics at a fairly high level of financing in our conditions is spilled out, everyone knows well. An indirect confirmation of the validity of such suspicions is the fact that the list of winners of the Officials contest in 2009, as far as I know, has not yet been published, which is sharply different from the standard practice of the Russian Aff.

In 2011, the competition "Officials" was also announced. May 4 expired the deadline for applications. This year’s tops can be found on the website of the RFFI3. Getting acquainted with the abstracts of some topics, you even wonder with what touching frankness it is written, to whom the money should go. Here is the topic "20. Fundamental to the convergent technologies ”, its annotation is read as a song: “ Convergence, interpenetration of na-, bio-information and cognitive sciences and technologies is the most important condition for the formation of a fundamentally new technological base of civilization, based on the reproduction of systems and living processes in the form of technical systems and technological processes. The creation of convergent nano, bio-, information, cognitive technologies-NBIC-technologies-in the future will allow you to turn the technological sphere of mankind into an organic part of the natural environment ... The Russian Federation today occupies advanced positions in this area. As part of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, the world's first large-scale center of convergent sciences and technologies was created-the Kurchatov NBIK Center, which is the prototype of the scientific and production enterprise of the future. ”

Is it necessary to remind that the singer of convergent NBIC-technologies, for the world leadership in the development of which the foundation for decades has been laid down in the Kurchatov Institute, is the director of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, member of the Bureau of the Council of the Russian Federation Mikhail Kovalchuk?!

New broom in the RGNF

Due to the closeness of the results of the Official contest, the RFF RFFSI can only be guessed by the names of topics and the headings who and under whom the subjects were lobbied, as well as the amounts allocated for the implementation of projects. However, we have a unique opportunity to study the decision -making mechanism in such competitions on the example of targeted competitions conducted by the “younger brother” of the RFFF, the Russian Humanitarian Scientific Fund (RGNF).

In May 2010, the former Deputy Minister of Education and Science Vladimir Fridlyanov was appointed chairman of the Council of RGNF. With his arrival, the RGNF began to adopt and creatively process the “progressive” experience of conducting interdisciplinary competitions of the RFFI. At a meeting of the RGNF Council on September 24, 2010, the composition of the Bureau of the Council of the RGNF Foundation was approved and a decision was made to declare targeted competitions of the RGNF 2011: “Russia in the conditions of modernization: socio-humanitarian aspects”, “Russia in the polycentric world: the image of the country”, “Russia in the Asia-Pacific region: economics, politics, history, culture”. "Energy and geopolitics" 4. The same decision approved the Regulation on competitions5 (the decision of the Bureau of the Council of the RGNF, approving the Regulation, dates from October 18, 2010, but perhaps there is a common mistake and should be September 18, 2010), and the Bureau of the Fund was instructed to create expert commissions for competitions.

This provision is a very curious document: the amounts allocated to each of these areas are called there. “The fund holds 4 targeted competitions, each 1 grant size of 30,000 thousand rubles.” - It is said there. What is supposed to be done for a million dollars? Naturally, we are talking about interdisciplinary and complex studies. The provision states: “Targeted contests (projects) for the preparation and publication of books (type of competition (project)-“ A ”) 2011 are conducted with the aim of supporting interdisciplinary research, the result of which should become books consisting of 5-10 sections (reports) (volume up to 30-40 p.) Based on complex interdisciplinary studies in the main areas of humanitarian sciences and humanitarian sciences and humanitarian sciences and humanitarian sciences and humanitarian sciences and humanitarian science and humanitarian sciences formulating holistic programs of priority and long -term events and specific proposals in these areas. The volume of applications to the reports is not limited. The results of targeted competitions should be the publication of labor in each direction of the target competition (project). ”

So, for this money, a book of up to 400 pages should be prepared and published (possibly with applications of much larger volume). In what time? We turn to the position again: “The heads of all supported projects are obliged to submit to the fund scientific reports (the manuscript ready for publication) and the financial reports of the first stage of the project in established forms until September 15, 2011, the expert council for targeted competitions considers the submitted reports on the projects and develops recommendations for their publication ... The manuscript should be published during the grant during 2011. less than 800 copies. ”

That is, a million dollars is given for a full cycle of preparation and publication of a book with a volume of up to 400 pages with a total circulation of at least 800 (eight hundred) copies during 2011, a curtain.

Upon more careful consideration, it can be found that each of the 5-10 sections of the declaudes that consists of the book will be prepared by an author's team consisting of a leader and no more than nine performers. Thus, we are actually a “grant package” with a size of 3-6 million rubles. Each issued under the guise of work on the creation of a book. Accordingly, the analogy with the “Officials” contest of the RFF (the theme and the rubricer inside it) is even more complete than at first glance, just the RGNF competition is another step towards normal granting competitions to large ministerial lots. You can compare these contests with the notorious lots for scientific and technical forecasting issued by the Ministry of Education and Science in 2007, when the result of the work for 150 million rubles. became the “long-term forecast of the scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation (until 2025)” with a volume of more than 600 pages, the draft version of which was shocked by the public6. The only difference is that a slightly larger (by the number of pages) the volume of work will be performed for somewhat smaller (especially taking into account inflation) money.

The winners are not judged

On March 3, 2011, the RGNF Council decided to approve the results of the 2011 competitions and project financing7. The list included not four, but five winners, and the total amount exceeded the initially planned 120 million rubles. (according to the information I have, it is not known how the fifth grant was allocated 14 million rubles.). For comparison: 158 million rubles were allocated for financing 395 ongoing research projects in 2010, and 248 million rubles were allocated for 571 approved research project. That is, the average size of the usual grant amounted to 420 thousand rubles, which is an order of magnitude smaller than the average target grant “in the package” (one section of the book).

The hypothesis that the composition of the winners of the “interdisciplinary competitions” is determined by the composition of the leading bodies of the fund (in this case, who made the decision of the bureau) can be verified by comparing the composition of the Bureau of the Council of the RGNF with the list of winners.

Here is a list of members of the Bureau of the Council of the RGNF8:

• Fridlyanov Vladimir Nikolaevich - chairman of the council;

• Vorotnikov Yuri Leonidovich - Deputy Chairman of the Council;

• Pyunkin Alexander Aleksandrovich - director of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

• Zhukov Vasily Ivanovich - rector of the Russian State Social University;

• Ivanov Vladimir Viktorovich - Deputy Chief Scientist Secretary of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

• Kudelin Alexander Borisovich - Director of the Institute of World Literature named after A.M. Gorky wounds;

• Tishkov Valery Aleksandrovich - Director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology named after N.N. Miklukho-Maclaya RAS;

But the list of winners with projects and places of their implementation 9:

• N.Ya. Petrakov, “Socio-Humanitarian Potential of the Modernization of Russia”, the Institute of RAS Market Problems;

• N.I. Ivanova, “Russia in the Polycentric World”, the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

• V.I. Kurilov, Russia in the Asia-Pacific region, Far Eastern Federal University;

• V.V. Kostyuk (chief scientific secretary of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences), "Energy and Geopolitics", the Institute for the Problems of the Development of Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences;

• Yu.P. Zinchenko, “Tolerance as a factor in opposition to xenophobia”, Interdepartmental analytical center for social innovations of the Federal Agency for Health.

In two cases, the direct connection between the members of the Bureau of the Council of the RGNF and the leaders of the winning project, as they say, is visible to the naked eye. Perhaps a specialist in the field of social and humanities would immediately indicate other connections, but they are not so obvious to the amateur. However, you can try to find possible connections, understand what a single or another decision can be due to, and this will go further.

But first, let's draw attention to the fact that in three cases, project managers are specialized specialists, and therefore the fact that Russia is not in surprise, the fact that financing for the Russia in the Polycentric World, receives the fact that financing for the Russia in the Polycentric World. Everything would be fine if the institute received money for such a study through the RAS program, and not according to the competition of “RGNF megagrators” with a previously known result. However, in two cases, project managers are not specialized specialists, it is these cases, obviously, are of greatest interest.

Our main wealth is people

So, the grant “Russia in the Asia-Pacific region” was received by V. I. Kurilov from the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU). Vladimir Ivanovich Kurilov - a lawyer in a specialty, he is a vice -rector for educational and educational work of the Far Eastern Federal University10. He is engaged in educational and educational work; In particular, it was he who signed order No. 9 dated 04/28/2011 regarding the holding of the Pervomaisky festive demonstration in Vladivostok, which is given on this page . The order establishing the standards for the festive demonstration from various FEFU divisions, including, including prescribing that academic councils of united universities should march in the Pervomaisian columns in full force.

A lawyer and vice-rector for educational and educational work, even from the Far East, is a somewhat strange choice for the head of the “mega-grant of the RGNF” on the above topics, isn't it? But it must be borne in mind that Vladimir Ivanovich is not any lawyer and vice -rector: he was the rector of the Far Eastern State University (DVSU) for 20 years - from 1990 to 2010. The full list of his regalia can be found by reference10, it does not make sense to give it here, it is enough to indicate that Vladimir Kurilov is a member of the United Russia General Council, as well as a member of the Presidium of the Far Eastern Railways and at the same time, the chairman of the Primorsky branch of the Petrovsky Academy of Sciences and Arts. The same Petrovsky Academy, which recently turned to the President of Russia with the appeal of the St. Petersburg businessman, Viktor Petrik’s “Russian Leonardo”, where she noted “the currently observed catastrophic disorganization in the Russian Academy of Sciences, the flagship of Russian science” 11.

Vladimir Kurilov ensured that DVGU received the status of a federal university, FEFU was indeed created by joining Far Eastern State University of several universities. However, the rector of the Federal University, by order of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of October 8, 2010, was appointed Vladimir Miklushevsky, who had previously worked as Deputy Minister of Education and Science, like Vladimir Fridlyanov. Let me remind you that the theme of the grant won by the FEFU was approved by the RGNF council just two weeks before; Then people close to the leadership of the Ministry of Education and Science were undoubtedly already aware of the upcoming scatters. In such a context, it cannot be excluded that receiving the former rector of the DVSU Megagran RGNF is a kind of comforting prize. Or - a “gift” immediately to the former rector and the former deputy minister. Otherwise, it is quite difficult to understand why the grant did not go to a specialist, but a lawyer.

In an amazing way, the fifth grant “Tolerance as a factor in opposition from xenophobia” was surprisingly received by Yu.P. Zinchenko. Yuri Petrovich Zinchenko - Dean of the Psychological Faculty of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov. On the faculty’s website you can find information about its scientific interests12: “The methodology of psychology, science, psychoanalysis, cultural and historical approach to studying the normal and abnormal development of the human psyche, and psychology of sexuality. The theme of the doctoral dissertation: “Psychology of functional sexual disorders”. The main publications given on this page are also devoted to human sexuality.

But on the topics of tolerance, the scientific director of the interagency analytical center of social innovations of the Federal Agency for Health (institutions that will carry out grant work under the leadership of Yuri Zinchenko), professor Alexander Asmolov worked intensively. На сайте Межведомственного аналитического центра социальных инноваций сказано про Асмолова следующее13: «Под его руководством утверждена Правительством РФ Федеральная целевая программа «Формирование установок толерантного сознания и профилактика экстремизма в российском обществе» на 2001-2005 гг., в рамках которой Центром социальных инноваций успешно проведены научно-исследовательские работы по темам…».

О больших успехах структур, связанных с Александром Асмоловым, в деле получения лотов Рособразования рассказано в моей статье «Кормление как система», опубликованной в ТрВ-Наука № 35 от 18 августа 2009 г.14 Александр Асмолов по стечению обстоятельств — заведующий кафедрой психологии личности психологического факультета МГУ, деканом которого, напомню, является Юрий Зинченко.

Конечно, Александр Асмолов имеет связи в министерствах, но есть еще один интересный факт: член бюро совета РГНФ Валерий Тишков имеет ряд публикаций, связанных с проблематикой толерантности, в том числе изданных в период действия программы ФЦП «Формирование установок толерантного сознания и профилактика экстремизма в российском обществе». Александр Асмолов и Валерий Тишков участвовали в конференциях, проводимых в рамках этой ФЦП, например во всероссийской конференции «Социальное конструирование гражданского общества: от парадигмы конфликта — к парадигме толерантности», прошедшей 8-10 февраля 2003 г. в подмосковном пансионате РАН «Звенигородский». В сообщении о конференции15, в частности, отмечается, что дискуссию на круглом столе «Центры толерантности — ресурсы формирования социальных норм в российском обществе», прошедшем во второй день конференции, «вели А.Г. Асмолов, Л.М. Дробижева и В.А. Тишков».

Таким образом, и в случае загадочного пятого гранта, выданного специалисту по человеческой сексуальности Юрию Зинченко, можно проследить имеющиеся связи между членами бюро совета РГНФ и получателями средств. Безусловно, нельзя утверждать, что именно эти связи стали причиной выдачи гранта, но вне плана полмиллиона долларов случайно кому-то в руки у нас не падают…

Деньги, деньги, дребеденьги

Итак, последние бастионы хотя бы более-менее нормального конкурсного распределения, похоже, поддаются общей тенденции дележа больших средств «по понятиям». Ну, а может, и неважно, что там написано в техническом задании лота или в изданной за счет мегагранта книге? Главное, что научные коллективы получили деньги и могут продолжать работать.

Наверное, можно было бы иногда рассуждать так и не обращать внимания на тот или иной случай распределения «по понятиям», если бы такая практика не становилась нормой. Если главное — добыть деньги, а правила и результаты не важны, то и содержательная сторона — собственно научная работа — неизбежно отходит на второй план, а на первый выходит «бизнес» по вытягиванию из государства бюджетных средств. Наибольших успехов в получении денег по таким правилам неизбежно добиваются наименее щепетильные и наиболее настырные, что мы и наблюдаем на ярком примере руководства Курчатовского института16. Успешные менеджеры такого типа занимают руководящие позиции и начинают задавать тон, делая нормой атмосферу безответственности, лжи и цинизма; они тянут за собой наверх команды столь же или даже еще более «содержательных» людей. Ученые же со своими проблемами оказываются чужими на этом празднике жизни, поскольку научная проблематика формирующейся «менеджерской» элите не близка, а затрудняющие научную работу бюрократические препоны нисколько не мешают «успешным управленцам» совершенно официально получать зарплаты, в десятки раз превышающие зарплаты рядовых сотрудников.

Если не переломить эту тенденцию, то дальнейшая судьба нормальной науки в России незавидна. Последствия увлечения раздачей сладких пряников своим людям начинают сказываться уже сейчас. Так, мне в конце марта пришлось общаться с чиновницей из Минфина, и я старался доказать ей необходимость повышения финансирования ведущих научных фондов. Одним из аргументов против этого было следующее: «А вы знаете, что ваш РФФИ вместо того, чтобы раздавать гранты, половину бюджета выделяет на издание книг?». Я тогда не понял, откуда взялось это абсурдное утверждение, сейчас же вижу, что чиновница попросту перепутала РФФИ и РГНФ. И очевидно, что на взгляд человека со стороны издание книги тиражом 800 экземпляров за миллион долларов — неприкрытый распил, а те люди, которые выступают в поддержку ведущих научных фондов, его покрывают и заинтересованы в нем.

Поэтому у работающих ученых, получающих гранты РФФИ и РГНФ, есть серьезные основания сказать «большое человеческое спасибо» руководителям этих фондов за их безответственную позицию.

1 http://stra.teg.ru/lenta/innovation/958/print

2 http://trv-science.ru/2011/02/15/ot-spiskov-shterna-k-karte-rossijskoj-nauki/

3 www.rfbr.ru/rffi/ru/n502/o29897

4 www.rfh.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=458&Itemid=114

5 www.rfh.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=462&Itemid=253

6 www.scientific.ru/journal/news/2009/0209/lotor2.html

7 www.rfh.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=489&Itemid=114

8 www.rfh.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=115

9 www.rfh.ru/downloads/Board/032011/Annex31.pdf

10 old.dvgu.ru/info/staff/kurilov/

11 www.петрани.рф/index.php/ component/content/article/1-latest-news/144-prezidentu.html

12 www.psy.msu.ru/people/ zinchenko_yp.html

13 www.macsi.ru/p-about.shtml

14 http://trv-science.ru/2009/08/18/ kormlenie-kak-sistema/

15 www.tolz.ru/library/?id=428

16 http://trv-science.ru/2010/04/13/ tanki-gryazi-ne-boyatsya/