Translated material
“Chief, everything is gone - 2”
TrV-Nauka publishes the second letter from A.A. Fursenko to the President of Russia V.V. Putin. The first letter from the Presidential Assistant, dated June 11, 2014, was published in issue No. 158, dated July 15, 2014. The same issue published scientists’ responses to Fursenko’s proposed measures : “Chief, everything is lost!” [ 12] . Let us recall that in the first letter, the former Minister of Education and Science complained about the failure of the integration of Russian science into international science and proposed a number of measures aimed at increasing its competitiveness and independence.
After the publication of the first letter, we heard criticism from some officials that such confidential documents should not be made public. Our newspaper considers it its duty to publish documents that are important for the fate of science in Russia. The scientific community must know its heroes and plans for its reform. Such letters from senior officials are not simple arguments about “how we can reorganize the Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspectorate,” and after the president’s visa they become mandatory for all branches of the executive branch. “The corresponding work can be started by the leadership of FANO Russia immediately” - these words conclude the second letter dated October 1, 2014, and, as far as TrV-Nauka knows, the measures proposed in it have already begun to be implemented.
To the President
Russian Federation
V.V. PUTIN
Pr -2349
Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
The adoption of Federal Law No. 253-FZ of September 27, 2013 “On the Russian Academy of Sciences, the reorganization of state academies of sciences and amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation” began the process of reforming the academic sector of science. In order to ensure the preservation of the structural integrity, property and human resources of academic organizations transferred to the jurisdiction of FANO Russia, you decided to introduce a moratorium on changes for these organizations until 2015.
Currently, certain executive authorities and commercial structures are proposing, after the end of the moratorium, the reorganization of a number of institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences with reassignment to these structures. At the same time, there is a real danger of using the property of these institutes for purposes not related to scientific activities.
On the other hand, the leadership of the Russian Academy of Sciences insists on extending the existing moratorium for another year, which slows down the modernization of institutions within the FANO of Russia.
In accordance with your instructions, the Presidium of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education began preparing a meeting of the Council on the topic “On the progress of transformation in the academic sector of fundamental scientific research” in December of this year. This meeting is expected to review the progress of the reform and the results achieved.
To increase the effectiveness of reform, I propose that the Council consider proposals to change the structure of a number of scientific institutes in areas that provide solutions to the most pressing government problems, subject to support from the leadership of these institutes and their scientific teams.
As pilot projects that meet these requirements, it is proposed to prepare the creation of new structures within the framework of FANO Russia:
- in the direction of “Crop production and genetic plant resources” on the basis of the All-Russia Research Institute of Plant Production named after N.I. Vavilova RAAS;
- in the direction of “Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology” at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS;
- in the direction of “Informatics and software for computing complexes and systems” on the basis of the Institute of Informatics Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
- in the direction of “Industrial biotechnologies, food safety and quality” at the Institute of Biochemistry named after A.N. Bach RAS.
If you agree, the relevant work can be started by the leadership of FANO Russia immediately.
Please support.
Sincerely, A. Fursenko
Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation
October 01, 2014
No. A4-17604Paf
On the document there is a visa: “I agree. V.V. Putin. 01.10.2014"
1. http://trv-science.ru/2014/07/15/dokument-8
2. http://trv-science.ru/2014/07/15/shef-vsjo-propalo
3. About plans for the third pilot project under the leadership of the Scientific Secretary of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician I.A. Sokolov, see the article by M. Gelfand “The First to Go.”