Vladimir Putin has signed a number of assignments related to science. But if the annual moratorium on property RAS was known in advance, the translation of basic research grants and state assignment for academic scientists raise questions: scientists fear of financial difficulties and external adjustments research topics.
Wednesday evening Vladimir Putin signed instructions following last December 20 the Council for Science, the official website of the president . It is dedicated to the outbreak in July 2013 reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). The Department of Science “Gazety.Ru” presents an analysis of the main provisions of the document.
very first paragraph, with the apparent innocence, makes us think the scientific community: the president instructs the government up to April 1, 2014 “to consider the formation of the state system optimization tasks for execution of works (services) in the fields of science, including formation of the state job on a competitive basis, and to submit proposals ».
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«Now the task for public research institutions, in fact, is their plan of research, which is returned to us from the ministry,” – told “Gazety.Ru” administrator of one of the institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In January 2014 formation goszadaniya started for schools , subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Science.
«This is a very hard and formal document, which covers different sides of academic life, and the impact of such practices on the institutions of the academy can be very serious,” – said the academician, doctor of m. n. Valery Rubakov.
In this innovation
devil, as usual, is in the details, ie in what will be the funding goszadaniya, who, how and by what rules they will formulate and implement contests and, finally, whether it will increase the overall level of funding for research organizations or “optimization” means that science simply sequestered behind other social costs “- says a leading researcher of the Laboratory of Biomechanics Institute of Mechanics, Moscow State University, Co-Chairman of the Company scientists Andrei Tsaturian.
There is another aspect: goszadaniya will be expressed not only in the need to prepare people for some specialties – we can talk about the adjustments, and even change research topics. “The state wants to regulate the scientific process, but scientists doubt the competence of the officials who will be handing out goszadaniya. Exit I see that teams of scientists themselves publicly formulated the basic directions of their research. Such publicity is good medicine from useless and schlock, “- said the head of the Center for History of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, Institute of General History Alexander Shubin.
Especially pay attention to this humanitarian workers RAS institutes, who fear a possible ideological influence on his work.
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frames – the president proposed to extend to the heads of institutions and other institutions within the Russian Academy of Sciences, the rules that now apply to university rectors (it is primarily a question of the age limit). This assumes “if necessary introduction to the scientific organizations of the supervisor positions.” The document does not disclose that it will be within the competence of the supervisor. Two days ago, the Presidium of RAS sounded opinion , which is a kind of “parachute” for influential scientists that age can not hold directorships. One should not exclude the possibility of involvement of these odious position of scientists who would not have the chance to be elected at the general meeting of employees of the Institute. On the other hand, maybe it is about creating a sort of counterweight – a director who is more focused on the administrative work, and scientific director, who oversees the substantive aspects.
lack of specificity is not yet looks strange – May 1, the government should “submit proposals to introduce changes in the Russian legislation,” respectively, the status will be more specific.
Otherwise it can be a cause for conflict between the two “branches” in the framework of a single institution.
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third paragraph of instructions – it government “in order to improve the efficiency of budget allocations from the federal budget for research” offered “primarily” to translate into Russian grants fundamental and exploratory research. Second subparagraph of orders means “cessation of funding for basic and exploratory research at the expense of federal budget allocations for implementation of federal target programs (FTP).” Period of implementation solutions – June 1, 2014.
«This means that the money that now goes to funding basic science through FTP will be transferred somewhere else, such as the newly established Russian Research Fund”, – said Rubakov.
According to him, from the text it is unclear whether it is the reduction of the base funding. “If it is, many institutions will go bankrupt,” – says Rubakov.
However, workers
institutions fear that it could be the start of translation of all research grant on rails. “So begins the struggle for money, which will not only solve scientific factors, but also the administrative resource, and many other external things,” – says the administrator of one of the institutions that are part of the Russian Academy of Sciences. “This will cause a shock and stupor among scientists. It was earlier that government funding is necessary to maintain and increase the grant. It was believed that this is the best way. If you remove the government funding will just collapse, which touches, I’m afraid all the areas of basic science, it is prihlopnet: Applied Science is not touched, because there was always another financing scheme, “- said a leading researcher at the Institute for Nuclear Research, Chief editor of “Trinity option” Boris Stern.
«Even in the summer it was known that in the FTP, which used to be called” Research and Development “, leaving only the R & D, ie application development – told “Gazeta.ru” Andrew Tsaturian. – Then I heard from staff and members of the Board on Science Ministry of Education, and that this, and other FTP, formerly called “Brainpower”, will be transferred to the grant funding. Before they are implemented through a system of opaque and sometimes absurd “lots” that were sharply criticized the scientific community.
fact that this practice will be stopped, can only be welcomed, if it was clear what principles and rules will be spent 11 billion rubles. transferred to the Russian Science Foundation (RNF) , including to perform the tasks that had to be settled FTP “Stills».
There are concerns that the new work RNF will not meet internationally accepted rules and principles of transparent scientific expertise. Otherwise it is difficult to explain why the legislator gave RNF many features of state-owned corporations, not prescribing rules expertise specific to research funds, such as the RFBR and RFH ».
Furthermore, formalized a moratorium on the property and personnel decisions in respect of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as merging with her Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS) and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (RAAS). Recall that in December 2013 began the process of transferring institutions participating in these organizations – institutions, libraries, homes, and other scientists – in keeping with the purpose established property management Academy of the Federal Agency for Science Organization (Fano).
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Due to the fact that the scientific community has repeatedly expressed concerns about the safety of building institutions (in particular, those who are in the most prestigious areas of Moscow), the President proposed to introduce an annual moratorium on any changes of this kind. Moreover, the head of the Academy Vladimir Fortov compiled a list of institutions that RAS would like to keep in his direct supervision, but they January 8 included in the list transmitted Fano. Despite these suggestions of the political leadership of the country at the end of December 2013 the newly established Fano quickly moved into the RAS Presidium building on Leninsky Prospekt, occupying part of the premises located there institutions. Therefore, at a meeting of the Presidium of the Academy its members interested in the possibility of formalizing the moratorium .
«Well, that instant solutions will not be accepted, but still no one knows what will happen in a year” – says Rubakov.
Thus, Putin’s orders relating to the most urgent questions, answers to which the scientific community is not. However, in its current form, these instructions may cause additional speculation – as they are worded very tezisno. “Vladimir Putin Orders pretty logical, but not equally good. It is not clear what they will sprout “- sums up the deputy chairman of the union of Sciences Vyacheslav Vdovin.
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