Huge funds insufficient for science reputation, president states
YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. Armenia will not be able to restore the reputation of science by only increasing funding, RA President Serge Sargsyan stated at the annual general meeting of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) last Friday.
He pointed out that, to make progress, Armenia’s scientific sector must be accepted and understood by foreign scientific communities.
“If the authorities try to bind scientists to themselves, they will never have future. The Academy itself must seek the authorities as the authorities must be concerned with scientific development,” Sargsyan said.
The RA President pointed out that the Government will increase the funding of science year by year.
“However, we must be sure that the funds will be effectively used and that we do not play the role of a ministry of social security at scientific establishments,” Sargsyan said.
The president pointed out that the budgetary financing of Armenia’s scientific sector has increased by nearly 18% this year.
The funding of the scientific sector has not decreased even by a cent this year. On the contrary, continuous increase in funding is expected simultaneously with reforms of the scientific sector, Sargsyan said.
The RA president pointed out that the Government managed to double the bonuses for academic degrees and increase the average allocations from the projecting financing fund by 50%.
“I assure you that we will constantly increase the funding of science. However, to enable the Government to resolve the problems of science and technology in the future, the Academy must modernize its system,” Sargsyan said.
The President pointed out the necessity for supervision of scientific programs to dispel pessimistic forecasts that increased funding will not produce essential results.
A total of 6.8bln AMD has been budgeted for Armenia’s scientific sector this year against 5.9bln AMD last year, which is attributed to the increase in salaries and in funding of scientific projects. –0--
