Prime Minister Vladimir Putin spoke at a general meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN) yesterday. The former president’s appearance was primarily a political step. For he had announced that innovations would be a major priority in Russia’s economic development for the next few years. Historically, Russian science has always been run by RAN, not universities as in the West. Certainly, he wanted to show that innovations were still important to him and made it clear that the academicians’ choice of new members was right.
Putting did not expand upon research itself. What is really important is that it should be related to science. “What I especially like about the RAN Presidium’s statement is that it urges to strengthen ties with the mass media in popularizing scientific achievements and in combating pseudoscience, obscurantism, and extremism,” he said – almost in Lenin’s manner.
Putin spoke much about a more intelligible subject, the money. “Our annual budget expenditure on civilian science keeps on growing. This year it will reach 125 billion rubles. Another 75 billion will come from extrabudgetary sources,” he reassured the participants.
Put also reminded the academicians that the average salary of RAN researchers has been tripled in the last two years (from 6,000 to 20,000 rubles a month). By the end of 2008, it will have been up to 30,000 rubles. In addition, it was decided last week to increase the monthly salaries of RAN fellows to 50,000 rubles and those of corresponding members, to 25,000 rubles. The premier did not forget young scientists either and underscored the importance of new incentives for them, including the provision of land for housing construction.
Speaking of RAN’s role in society, Putin urged the academic community to “actively support innovations and accomplish major tasks necessary to society and business”. In his opinion, RAN’s involvement in setting up a federal university network is among such tasks.
The federal university network project seems very progressive. It is true that universities generate new ideas and discoveries and train young specialists. Besides, federal universities, if managed properly, may help the Russian Academy of Sciences, which has long been an “elders’ club”, to survive.
Alexander Popov
Photo: Dmitry Dukhanov/Kommersant
http://eng.expert.ru
