Russian scientists have written an open to misimpression of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, which sharply criticized the actions of the Federal Agency of scientific organizations (FANO), created to resolve property issues of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), reports the newspaper “Kommersant”. In a paper published on the newspaper’s website, academicians, corresponding members and professors of the wounds indicated that FANO instead to engage in purely economic activity, claim to lead the research and evaluation of the effectiveness of research teams ‘ work. The letter was signed by more than 100 people.
As an example, the implementation of the “excessively zealous “effective managers” FANO “absolutely ridiculous projects,” the authors of the letter bring a wave of associations research institutes in various disciplines in a single scientific centers. According to scientists, FANO forcing Directors to merge, threatening to deny funding. Meanwhile, the Agency “Kommersant” said that all decisions on consolidation of the institutes taking place at the initiative of the RAS and coordinated with her leadership.
“It is now absolutely obvious that the last three years of reform of fundamental science in Russia has not brought any positive results”, – stated in the document addressed to the President. To the negative consequences of the reforms the authors of the letter include: the decline in the authority of science in society and the Russian science in the world, the complete destruction of the system of science management, demotivation and demoralization of scientists, a new wave of scientific emigration, intensification of bureaucrats and “impostors of science”, the substitution of the scientific evaluation criteria meaningless formalism, the decrease in the share of high-quality publications in the world science.
“We are on the verge of final disposition of a competitive scientific field – one of the traditional pillars of Russian statehood. The situation has become critical and requires urgent action by the top leadership of the country”, – stated the scientists.
How scientists propose to save science from the “consistent degradation”
In an open letter of scientists to the President a list of measures by which it is proposed to save the situation. The authors of the Epistle argue for the recognition of fundamental science independent and self-valuable activity, enabling its development into the list of state priorities, the restoration of the unity of the system of scientific institutions and Russian Academy of Sciences. According to scientists, should be subordinate FANO Russian Academy of Sciences, this organization became a part of and are solely responsible for commercial issues and property management.
Representatives of Russian science also vote for “the immediate cessation of the destructive campaign of senseless restructuring developed over many years of the existing institutions of RAS”. According to scientists, all the scientific institutions of the RAS should be seen as an integral part of the Russian Academy of Sciences and to conduct research under her guidance.
Academic science should withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of education and science, scientists say. Among other proposed measures – reconstruction of the Russian Academy of Sciences scientific graduate school focused on training research scientists, transmission of the RAS control HAC fold increase in the funding of academic science and a radical revision of the structure of this financing.
The authors also advocate for real inclusion of actively working scientists you trust the scientific community and global recognition in the system of state management of science”.
In FANO surprised by the claims of scientists
In FANO with the claims of the authors of the letter did not agree, says “Kommersant”. The Agency representatives stressed that “all of the integration projects launched to date, was initiated by the scientific teams.” In a press-service of the Agency to the newspaper, recalled that between FANO and wounds signed special regulations, which defines the procedure of restructuring.
“No project is about combining institutions can not be approved without the consent of the research groups, scientists themselves write to the head of the FANO Russia a letter in which you explain why you need to merge the institutions, what new opportunities in terms of science, they will have”, – said the publication in FANO.
“The initiative research teams discussed at scientific councils of each of the institutions. The integration project is discussed with the Russian Academy of Sciences and branch ministries and departments. After approval by the RAS Presidium project proposed for discussion in the Russian government office, and then the head of the FANO Russia to sign the corresponding order” – reminded the Agency.
Reform in the Academy began three years ago and was accompanied by sharp criticism of the scientific community. Special rejection has caused the creation of FANO. To smooth disputes over the division of assets and personnel of the RAS in the framework of the reform, Russian President Vladimir Putin in October 2013 proposed to introduce a year “moratorium” on the use of property and personnel matters”, which is then repeatedly extended.
In January 2016, the head of the RAS Vladimir Fortov at the meeting of the presidential Council of the Russian Federation on science and education, pointed to the unsatisfactory results of reforms, saying that Russia is significantly behind in the scientific field, down to the level of Iran, and the newly constructed research strategy does not improve the situation.
In June, the RAS invited the President and the government to do business, not the state the main source of financing of science in Russia.
