Procrustees Standard

The Ministry of Education and Science on November 24 sent a set of documents under the professional standards of a scientist and teacher, which is expected to introduce in the near future. At the same time, almost as always, only a week is given for consideration of papers. The package, meanwhile, is quite capacious and serious. And although he was sent only to universities, he looks like a universal standard for everyone engaged in science at the state expense. Undoubtedly, a professional stand -up is a useful thing, although the authors themselves stipulate that science is a fairly specific and difficult to stroke stands in a Procrustean bed, but even in science the standard can sometimes play an important role. You should understand what, and then clearly limit the scope of its applicability: the presented material should have a limited field of action. If it is attached to the entire scientific field, negative consequences can outweigh all conceivable improvements from guidance of some order into financial and logistics aspects of scientific institutions. The standard in the presented form could, say, adjust the activities of the research institute. Elements of the quality management system and standards of the ISO 9000 series must undoubtedly be introduced into document management and the financial rules of scientific institutions and universities, however, for academic science (may they forgive me for the use of a stubborn term) this approach, which was directly attached by the authors - in their own words - among the stock markets and finances, is categorically not suitable. Rather, he will fit as an instrument for an official who wants to manage the field of activity, which is not very versed in, and people whose classes are not very clear to him. And the average level will be completely at ease to determine the professional accuracy or security of a subject, poorly coping with the management of the portfolio of projects and instead of this mysterious formulas. The main goal of the authors of the standard is also clearly spelled out: to maximize the benefits from research projects. If we want to help researchers in their difficult activities, then it would be much more useful to join the European Charter of researchers, which, incidentally, is now in the stage of serious revision, or develop (and steadily execute) the standard for ensuring the workplace of a scientist, including the necessary financing, the availability of information support, mobility, etc.

And within the framework of the submitted standards, some of the auxiliary workers should work, including in an academic scientific institution, especially if the organization is engaged in the implementation of applied work and, say, defense projects. The total introduction of such standards, of course, is able to cause only significant harm to researchers. And in any case, the presented standard is far from the state in which it can be launched-even in the case of the proposed restriction in the field of application and provided that, along with the official-manager at the institute, a sufficiently high level will work at the top of the administrative pyramid to understand the real significance of classes of one or another of his employees.

The proposed project should be sent for serious revision for a period of at least a month and with the provision of the real participation of scientists and teachers in its adjustment.

Photo from the site "League of Schools"