The scientific complex of Russia is now going through a difficult period. Since the era of perestroika, its structures have been continuously reorganized, abolished, reformed, optimized - depending on the current problems in the country and society and the competence of those leaders who are called upon to solve these problems.
Russian science and the specifics of its development
The modern scientific sphere, like any socially oriented system, is full of collisions and structural contradictions. At the same time, the economic policy implemented by the Government has a significant impact on the development of the scientific potential of the state. According to some analysts, the systemic crisis, which has unsettled many, including highly developed countries, is rebounding on Russia's scientific complex. But there is reason for optimism - thanks to the powerful internal potential, our country has always overcome periods of crisis, including in progressive directions.
The development of science in Russia was carried out spasmodically,after all, the country either repelled the invasion of "intruders", then hastily restored after wars and destruction, then experienced internal upheavals - revolutions, reforms. The Russian Academy of Sciences has always built its work in a special way, depending on the “imbalance” of forces and capabilities that existed in the country, which should be eliminated. Looking back, we can see that the problems of the Russian scientific complex did not arise today, but we need to solve them - systematically and together.
The country's scientific complex: structure and functions
The key functions of science are the forecasting of progressive directions, the examination of the results of work and the development of fundamental and applied research as the main course in the activities of the scientific community.
The scientific complex includes all organizations that, to one degree or another, work for the future and "for the good of their native country." The scientific complex of Russia is an integral entity, consisting of various areas that create new technologies and produce new knowledge. Half of all research organizations are concentrated in the territory of the Central region of our country, up to 70% of the staff works (researchers - people with higher education, candidates and doctors of sciences) and up to 75% of internal costs for the implementation of scientific research.
The normal and efficient functioning of scientific industries is impossible without a constant increase in scientific and technical potential, the progress of which depends on the volumefinancing from the budgets of all levels - this is evidenced by world practice. The problems of science are closely connected with the problems of economics. According to the director of the Institute of Economic Strategies B. N. Kuzyk, the knowledge economy is now becoming a pivotal one in the development strategies of the leading countries of the world, and for our country this is a challenge of the time.
Scientific potential of modern Russia: development of new research areas
The main task facing the "leading minds" is the development of science in Russia, the creation and rational conduct of program-targeted planning, which is the scientific basis for managing the development of all systems included in the scientific complex of Russia.
Thanks to long-term scientific and technical forecasts, as well as the results of comprehensive monitoring of the country's scientific and technical potential (assessment of the capabilities of individual scientific organizations to solve the problems posed), a special list of priority areas of scientific and innovative development was developed and the mechanisms for their implementation were spelled out in detail.
The latest scientific fields include breakthrough technological areas: nano- and biotechnologies, information and communication technologies, the production of new materials, as well as the scientific and industrial complex, which allow synthesizing basic technologies and achievements in these areas. Thanks to the development of new technological paradigms, our country can significantly succeed in the transition to a new level of development, because global radical changes in the economic and social spheres are planned by 2020-2025
Scientific and technical complex: priority areas of activity
The scientific and technical complex is based on forecasts regarding the future development of science and technology in the interests of defense, security and the effective development of industrial technologies in Russia. In its activities, this complex carries out rational work planning and reasonable management of the accumulated scientific, technical and production and technological potentials of all types of industry.
Applied tasks of the scientific and technical sphere of activity, which now - in a difficult period of the formation of a multipolar world - are at the forefront, are:
- formation of the concept of military-technical policy, scientific and socio-economic substantiation of the prospects for the global development of modern weapons (for 10-25 years);
- analysis of basic and critical military technologies of foreign countries and the formation of a list of tasks to improve the capabilities of their own military equipment;
- carrying out systems design of weapons systems in the interests of ensuring their balanced development;
- creation of projects of the state armament program and the formation of a state defense order corresponding to the new economic conditions for the prospective period;
- systematic implementation in the period up to 2020 of the qualitative rearmament of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other branches of the armed forces, military formations and bodies (based on the potential of nuclear deterrence and generaldestination).
Scientific and technological complex and problems of its work
The scientific and technological complex is based on high technology and is closely interconnected with the economic industry. Due to the fact that in the 21st century the demand for knowledge generation, the effectiveness of innovations and high-precision developments, which pay off from the economy, are increasing, the efforts of scientists and engineers are aimed at overcoming the fragmentation and isolation of the already created innovation infrastructure:
- practical implementation of state policy plans in the field of scientific and applied (scientific, technical and innovation) activities; solving the problems of technological modernization of the economy sector;
- achieving outpacing growth in the production of science-intensive and highly processed products;
- development of innovation infrastructure (creation and support of innovation and technology parks, technology parks, technology transfer centers and laboratory complexes);
- creation of integrated dual-use structures that are able to adapt to the needs of the market for both military and civilian products; effective use of previously developed dual-use technologies and the creation of new ones.
Traditionally, the “strengths” of the scientific and technological complex of Russia are nuclear and laser technologies; Our scientists have made significant progress in the development and application of technologies for new materials and propulsion systems. Requires a significant investment of effort andmeans to achieve world-class micro-, nano-, radio- and optoelectronic, computer technologies, is largely outdated and requires modern replacement of industrial equipment. The mentioned priority technological developments receive support from interested parties - for the most part, of course, the state (the so-called FTP - federal targeted programs).
Scientific and educational complex: reforms and collisions
Currently, the concept of "scientific and educational complex" refers to a set of organizations of higher education that are engaged in multidirectional activities: the actual educational, research, scientific and technical and innovation. This also includes network communities of partner universities, research and educational centers, academic institutions.
The country's scientific and educational complex is a "forge of personnel", now considered as a component of a market economy, a "subject of market relations", a manufacturer and supplier of scientific, educational, innovative products, goods and services. The modern economic course of the country, accordingly, requires it to respond in a timely manner and train “narrow” specialists of a “broad profile”, that is, people who are not burdened with “knowledge, abilities, skills”, but who have “competences” and are “powerful sources of innovative ideas, technologies, projects.”
Unfortunately, the demands placed on the education system, as well as the processes caused by the incompetent reform process,cause nothing but regret. The level of training of specialists (who, however, subsequently do not go to work in their speci alty) is extremely low. Of course, such a state was not formed in one year, but was created systematically. Already from school, unprepared applicants come to the university (but with the highest score in the Unified State Examination!), And with such a “launched” option, it is difficult to “give out” something innovative.
What needs to be done to ensure that the country's scientific and educational personnel are well prepared? Education is the most important element in building the foundation of an innovative economy. At the present stage, it is necessary to pay due attention to the training of realistically thinking, qualified specialists who understand the peculiarities of the socio-economic situation of civil servants. It must be admitted that the work of "effective managers" has nothing to do with reality, that they should be replaced by specialists who know the peculiarities of work in their field at all levels, and this should be done at the state level. It is also necessary to pay attention to the system of continuous education, including postgraduate education and advanced training, the appropriate provision of educational literature and the organization of access to information sources for students at all levels.
Scientific and industrial complex: priorities and prospects
The scientific and industrial complex of the country as a set of economic activities of the national economy is closely connected with the activities of individual production complexes, divided in accordance with the criteria of the sectoralaccessories:
- agro-industrial;
- military-industrial;
- aerospace;
- nuclear, fuel and energy;
- high-tech industries of chemical-pharmaceutical, microbiological and chemical industries; scientific instrumentation, complex medical equipment manufacturing;
- construction and production, machine-building complexes, etc.
The optimal outcome of sustainable development is the integration of complexes of scientific organizations and industrial enterprises using the potential of scientific and technical segmentation. Such a structure makes it possible to gradually move on to changing the mechanisms of scientific research and advanced engineering and technical creativity, to make them maximally adapted to the needs of existing industrial enterprises. Clusters of scientific organizations created according to this type (such as the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute") and industrial enterprises (nuclear energy cluster), according to the criterion of innovation, are able to ensure the choice of optimal parameters and cycles for the modernization of the country's scientific and industrial complex.
The spread of modern information and communication technologies will expand the scope of high-tech services to humanitarian areas - he althcare, education, the financial sector.
Scientific research complex: high matter and the earth's interior
Research complex brings together organizations that conduct experimental work to obtain new knowledge, its application and practical usewhen creating a new product - products or technologies.
As a rule, such organizations are called "research institute", but the complex also includes archives, various scientific and information centers, territorial experimental expeditions, industry departments, sections and services, research and production associations and laboratories, as well as observatories, botanical gardens, veterinary stations, individual experimental samples (for example, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor).
Scientific work, approbation, tests in these organizations are carried out on special equipment. So, for example, the research fleet of Russia, as the most important part of the system for ensuring the national security of the state in the field of studying, developing and using the mineral resources of the World Ocean, uses appropriate vessels for its work, equipped with the necessary equipment and instruments.
Reforming the Russian Academy of Sciences
The creation of the Academy of Sciences is a direct evidence of the reform activities of Peter I and Catherine I (1725), aimed at strengthening the economic and political independence of Russia. The emperor highly appreciated the potential of scientific thought, the importance of high-quality education and culture for the prosperity of the state. The Academy being created initially combined the functions of a research and educational institution (university and gymnasium). In the future - for almost three centuries - the scientific work of the Academy served the cause of multiplyingcountry's potential. Suffice it to mention the names of such famous scientists who worked within its walls as L. Euler, M. V. Lomonosov, S. P. Pallas, K. G. Razumovsky.
“Failures” in the activities of the RAS began at the end of the 18th century, when they began to criticize it for being too enthusiastic about theoretical developments, self-isolation, isolation from the pressing problems of the country and, in general, “uselessness”. And in the 1870-80s. The Academy attracted the attention of the public in connection with the refusal to award outstanding scientists I. Mechnikov, I. Sechenov and D. Mendeleev with academic prizes. There were accusations of the "anti-Russian" orientation of the activities of this scientific structure.
After the Revolution, the USSR Academy of Sciences concentrated its efforts on engineering and applied research - all the achievements of the national economy were created under its leadership. However, since the 1990s of the last century and to the present, the Russian Academy of Sciences is in a state of permanent crisis. Its structures either expand and begin to work, then suddenly abolish.
Since 2013, the time has come for deep reforms and reorganization of the RAS. The essence of the ongoing reform, according to D. A. Medvedev, is “to enable scientists to engage primarily in science and research and save them from the unusual functions of managing property and utilities.” However, the scientific community has sharply condemned the mechanisms proposed by the Government, because they are "imposed in a radical and destructive form." Thus, a reorganization is proposed, but in reality - an unreasonable merger of various structures of the RAS, which, inas a result, the scientific complex of Russia as a "self-organizing" system will collapse.
In an open letter to V. V. Putin, Academician Zh. Alferov notes the outstanding achievements that have appeared in our country thanks to the Russian Academy of Sciences: “the creation of a nuclear shield; nuclear energy and nuclear fleet; space exploration and the Northern Sea Route; Siberia and the Far East with the organization of new scientific centers there; radar and semiconductor "revolution" and many others. Effective reform is needed, but only with the assistance of leading scientists and transparent decision-making within the structure - this is the main idea of the protest that originated in July 2013
Problem areas in the life of modern Russian science and education
The main task of the scientific community is to provide full expert support to the state in priority areas. The obvious problems that stand out against the background of the modern development of the Russian scientific complex are:
- economic miscalculations, penetration of unscrupulous "effective managers" into management circles, corruption in newly created organizations (for example, the Skolkovo Foundation);
- destructive mechanisms of reforming science and education, in particular the proposed reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the prospects for the destruction of the scientific potential of the institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the country as a whole;
- corporate-administrative lobbying of scientific developments and total commercialization;
- along with the misuse of funds, there is a lack of fundinghigh-tech research.
Thus, solving the problems of science is not only a matter for scientists, but also for analysts, economists, government officials.
