Dear President, well, save Russian science!
For a month and a half on the site Scientific.ru signatures were collected under a letter to the President of the Russian Federation in connection with the irrationality of state policy in the field of science, as well as problems of competitive financing of science. In addition to the need to change the system of decision–making and decision-making, scientists draw Dmitry Medvedev's attention to two specific issues - the situation of Russia's leading scientific foundations, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation, as well as the inconsistency of the rules for conducting competitions established by the law on public procurement with the specifics of the scientific sphere. A sharp reduction in funding for leading foundations, the most effective mechanisms for competitive support of scientific research, which means a reduction in funding for thousands of working research groups, conducted simultaneously with the establishment of a large grant program designed to create several dozen new groups, according to scientists, shows the lack of logic in the actions of the authorities.
The appeal was signed by more than 2,200 people, including more than 1,000 doctors of sciences, about 60 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, laureates of prestigious international prizes, State prizes of the USSR and the Russian Federation, the Russian President's Prize in Science and Innovation for young scientists for 2008 and 2009, the most highly cited scientists of Russia. Thus, this letter is the most massive appeal of scientists to the President of the Russian Federation among all the signatures collected on the Internet. The authors of the appeal expect that the President of the Russian Federation will get acquainted with it and personally express his position, since the problems raised in the letter clearly go beyond the competence of officials at the ministerial level.
To the President of the Russian Federation
To D.A. Medvedev.
Dear Dmitry Anatolyevich!
You, like other heads of state, have repeatedly spoken about the importance of science for creating a highly developed economy in our country. In recent years, more than once or twice, science has been named among the main state priorities. There are a lot of correct words about the need to increase the efficiency of investing in science, holding open and honest competitions, refusing to "finance signage", etc.
However, the actions of the authorities often have nothing to do with the right words. The most important decisions are made behind closed doors on the basis of coordination of departmental, and sometimes personal interests. The proposals and demands of the scientists themselves are not taken into account, despite the promises from the high tribunes. The claims that the government's plans are open and widely discussed by the scientific and educational community are not true. Proven system mechanisms are replaced by temporary measures. Decisions made earlier are quickly forgotten, without ensuring their normal implementation.
It is necessary to change the system of development and decision-making, otherwise the official imitation of useful activities will finish off Russian science. But some simple and understandable steps in the field of competitive financing of science should be taken right now. These steps do not require the investment of tens of billions of rubles and will not in words, but in fact contribute to improving the effectiveness of scientific research.
One of the acute problems is connected with the position of the leading scientific foundations. The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) and the Russian Humanitarian Scientific Foundation (RGNF) are today the most effective of the state organizations that finance scientific research. The funds allocated by them are used to finance the most effective research groups, regardless of their departmental affiliation. Thousands of scientific groups work with the support of the RFBR and RGNF. However, the budget of the funds has been sharply reduced; the average size of the RFBR and RGNF grants is now unacceptably small. In addition, the current version of the Budget Code of the Russian Federation threatens the normal operation of funds after 2010.
At the same time, without working out the key moment for the success of the case – the details of the organization of competitions and expertise – a new system of distribution of large grants is being established to stimulate the creation of a relatively small number of new research groups in universities. Money is allocated for this, comparable to the total financing of all RFBR projects. Thus, the support of thousands of successfully working scientific groups is less important than the support of groups that have not even been created yet. It is difficult to understand the logic of those who made such a decision.
Another serious problem is the allocation of funds for research and development within the framework of the state order: Federal Law No. 94-FZ of 21.07.2005 practically does not take into account the specifics of the scientific and educational sphere, which has the most negative effect on the effectiveness of measures taken by the state. Because of this, in particular, the Federal Target Program "Scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel of innovative Russia", adopted to solve the most acute personnel issue in the scientific and educational sphere and the high-tech industry, is working less and less efficiently from year to year. The same disadvantages are inherent in the competitions held within the framework of other federal target programs focused on the development of scientific and technical potential of our country. Promises to make the necessary changes to Federal Law No. 94-FZ have not yet been fulfilled, and the amendments to the law being developed by officials will not significantly change the situation for the better.
We hope that you will pay close attention to the degree of elaboration and consistency of decisions made in the field of science and education. The situation will not change for the better until the scientific community has a real influence on the preparation of such decisions. It is necessary, in particular, that during any competitions, actively working scientists, and not officials, play a decisive role in the development of regulations, the development of evaluation criteria and the conduct of expertise.
As a first step, we urge you to give instructions to ensure the normal operation of scientific foundations and to increase their budget at least twice next year, as well as to amend Federal Law No. 94-FZ of 21.07.2005, which would reflect the specifics of the scientific and educational sphere.
Appendix 1. Scientific research and public policy in this area.
Appendix 2. Problems of grant financing of scientific research.
Appendix 3. About the shortcomings of the legislation regulating the placement of the state order.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru09.07.2010