09:50, 23 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. It is not a secret that the state plays a key role in development and funding of science. The development of science in line with the world is a strategic and agenda issue for Armenia, which is being discussed for years and it is possible to develop the field only through investments.
According to 2023 state budget, the funding of science increased by 155% compared to 2018, and by 21% compared to 2022. It should be mentioned that the science expenses in 2022 amounted to AMD 24 bln and 957 mln. In 2021 more amounts were allocated from the state budget for the re-equipment of scientific equipment centers than in the previous 10 years taken as a whole. Till 2025, it is intended to double, in some cases triple the salaries of more than 3,357 scientists with the introduction of certification systems.
In recent years, mailnly the development of several directions plays a crucial role in the strategy of science development. The directions include: modernization of scientific infrastructures, scientific and scientific and technical theme, creation of centers of excellence for joint use in the field of science within the framework of EU-supported grant programs.
The Chairman of ARMECONOMBANK OJSC Board Saribek Sukiasyan reffered to the role of the state in the field of science development in an interview with lragir.am website in 2022. "This is not an area where we can justify savings." The solutions raised a decade ago are relevant even nowadays.
“As to me, the minimum threshold for science financing, should be at least in the amount of 1% of the GDP,– noted Saribek Sukiasyan and explained that the lower threshold of science funding relative to GDP is a national security issue. The low indicators of financing will definitely be noticeable . "In science, there is an almost elimination of applied science, aging of scientists. The situation can be fixed only with the strong intervention of the state".
Saribek Sukiasyan considered the development of the scientific field to be the result of comprehensive interaction between the public and private sectors "In line with ensuring the specified funding threshold of at least 1% of the GDP, it is desirable that the state discuss the issue with representatives of the private sector and give clear guarantees that private sector investments will be protected by the appropriate legal framework. In such case the private sector will be keenly interested in investing in science”.
At the same time, while presenting his considerations in science, Sukiasyan highlighted the following. “All the scientific programs submitted for funding must undergo international expertise along with local expertise. I consider it necessary to adopt the law “On Scientific Expertise”, which will enable to carry out the appropriate expertise in abroad. With the adoption of this law, the state will guarantee that the expertise is fair."
The Chairman of ARMECONOMBANK OJSC Board also evaluated the efforts of scientists, overcoming difficulties for years and moved a step forward to the international arena “Armenian representatives of exact science, despite the difficult conditions for them, are quite active in the international arena, many of them are published in prestigious international periodicals, – it should be noted that in the recent years, the representation of the Armenian scientific potential on international platforms is also one of the axes of the state policy, because, for example, the publication of scientific monographs was one of the funded directions.
Nevertheless, Sukiasyan pointed out that it is necessary that the state stays focused on some branches of economy bringing them out of isolation. "Many candidate and doctoral theses are defended every year in the fields of economics, but most of those who defend them do not know that there are international periodicals, they do not know on level they are, let's say, international economic thought. According to Saribek Sukiasyan, it is necessary to encourage the integration of our economics into the international scientific flow, establish awards, and create a competitive environment”.