The media learned about a new reform of Russian science
There is information that the Federal Agency of scientific organizations will be liquidated, and its functions will give the newly created Ministry of science.
The Federal Agency for scientific organizations (FANO) will be liquidated and its functions will be transferred to the newly created Ministry of science — this was reported by RIA Novosti source in the state Duma.
According to the interlocutor of the Agency, the existing Ministry would be divided into the Ministry of education and Ministry of science.
The last and move functions FANO after the elimination.
To obtain confirmation of this information at the time of publication failed. Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov, answering weprovide FM, said that at first the Prime Minister shall submit to the President the structure of the new government. While this has not been done, said the representative of it.
Possible elimination of FANO commented first Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on education and science, the member of fraction of the Communist party Oleg Smolin:
Oleg Smolin, first Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on education and science, the member of fraction of the Communist party: “to Participate in the discussions, I do not ever. As I understand it, the Duma, at least officially, information about the structure of the new government is not discussed, not counting the top leadership of the state Duma. With regard to the assessment of the situation first: we were opponents of the law on the reorganization of the Academy of Sciences and he was right. According to the scientific community, a number of papers in science after the appearance of the FANO multiplied, some say even two orders of magnitude.
Scientists became time to do science, they no longer have to do the paperwork, documentation, and similar bureaucratic procedures.
Second. Will the elimination of FANO to improvements in science, this will depend on the position of the new Ministry? Seems to me the right is the structure that existed prior to the adoption of Federal law No. 253, when the science, including academic institutions is driven by non-officials, and scientists.
Certainly scientists make mistakes, but officials changed the meaning and style of this manual. Formal parameters, the report creates a sense instead of scientific results.
Therefore, it is impossible to assess the situation with the improvement of the atmosphere in science after the restoration of the Ministry of science is quite likely, but I hope that, at least, will not be worse”.
That all will depend on the leadership of the new Ministry, according to Director of the joint Institute for high temperatures RAS, former head of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Fortov:
Vladimir Fortov, Director of the joint Institute for high temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences: “This is a step in the right direction, because indeed, the system was very heavy, bureaucratic sub-optimal. The thing is, who is at the head, and how he is pursuing the right policies concerning scientists and science. We had the Ministry, which has long existed and got along with the Academy very well. It then went these things with FANO, games.
In those days, when everything was fine with us, no drama and confrontations, we have the Academy of science is quite well worked with the Ministry.
Maybe it was due to the fact that the head of the Ministry or of the Committee on science and technology standing academic people, that is people who understand what science is and how it functions in an effective manner. So everything will depend on the specific people and how it will be built”.
The Federal Agency for scientific organizations was created in 2013 during the started reform of the state academies of Sciences. In the course of reforms to the “big” Academy of Sciences was annexed by the Russian Academy of medical Sciences and the Russian Academy of agricultural Sciences. Research institutes were placed under the control of FANO. The Academy authorities have repeatedly criticized the Agency for intervention in the management of scientific research.