Historical excursion. In Russia, the number of scientific and pedagogical workers in 1913 was 11.6 thousand, in the USA in 1910 almost three times more - 33.6 thousand. In Russia there were 414 chemists, almost 15 times less than in the USA, in 8 times less than in Germany and England, 2.5 times less than in France. The lack of scientific personnel in Russia during this period held back scientific and technological progress and became especially intolerable in the conditions of the newest revolution in natural science that had begun.

The high level of Soviet science was confirmed by the assessments of quite a large number results of works that were not carried out abroad or were just started. This, first of all, applied to certain areas of physics (acoustics, optics and quantum electronics, physics solid body) general and technical chemistry ( colloid chemistry and physico-chemical mechanics, chemical physics, including problems of combustion and explosion, electrochemistry, inorganic chemistry, high energy chemistry), physical chemistry and technology of inorganic materials (physical and chemical foundations of metallurgy, new processes for the production and processing of metallic materials, theoretical foundations of chemical technology), energy (the use of superconductivity in energy, nuclear energy), geological sciences, computer science, research in the field of physiological, biochemical and structural foundations human life, etc.

Development of many scientific directions was associated with the country's defense strategy, which was specific to the USSR. The level of engineering and technology in the science-intensive sectors of the defense industry was close to the world level.

Modern scientific, technical and educational potential modern Russia has a certain specificity in comparison with the Soviet period.

In the aftermath of the collapse Soviet Union and the beginning of market reforms in Russia, there was an essentially landslide decline in funding for the scientific sphere, cooperation ties with scientific institutions in other former Soviet republics were largely disrupted. This led to a sharp reduction in both the general front of scientific research and the virtual disappearance of some areas in this area, as well as to a reduction in the scale of research and development work itself and an outflow of qualified scientific personnel from them.

At present, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences, in terms of public spending on R&D per capita ($86) Russia lags behind the leaders by 4-5 times, and in terms of private spending ($40) by 15-20 times. In terms of per capita spending on R&D by the private sector, China is already almost 1.5 times ahead of Russia, where the level of spending per researcher is extremely low. According to this indicator, Russia is 3 times behind the world average.

However, since 1999 the situation has begun to change in a positive direction.

Today, the non-alternative basis for the policy of acquiring a high status for Russia in the world economic community is the management of scientific and technological progress and the creation of a technological environment compatible with developed countries. Of course, we need to continue to develop market mechanisms for managing the economy, to carry out appropriate institutional reforms. But this still does not resolve the issue of a worthy prospect for Russia in the scientific and technical field.

Setting the task of increasing the volume and improving the structure of financing of the scientific and technical sphere should take into account critical threshold indicators national security, and the achievement of these indicators encountered certain difficulties. Thus, in 2009, R&D expenditures amounted to only slightly more than 1% of Russia's GDP (as already noted, by 2020 this figure is planned to increase to 2.5%).

Scientific, technical and educational policy should proceed from a two-stage transition from the current to the innovative model of economic development. At the first stage (medium term), the real goal is to achieve the specified thresholds for the share of science spending in GDP (for comparison: currently in Sweden it is 3.7%, Japan - 3.2%, USA - 2.8 %), the share of appropriations for basic research in total spending on science and the share of spending on innovation in the total volume of industrial output.

The progress achieved will help Russia become more competitive in the world market of science-intensive products and bring its share in it to at least 2% against 0.3% in 2002. To solve this problem, it is necessary to overcome the crisis in Russian fundamental and applied science.

Russian science has a unique potential. In terms of the number of research scientists (410 thousand people, or less than 8% of their global number), it is ahead of most developed countries, except for the USA and Japan. And although, according to the World Economic Forum, Russia consistently ranks third in this indicator, in 2006 it was in 32nd place in terms of the level of scientific research, and in 44th place in terms of R&D spending.

The so-called brain drain hinders the development of Russian science. According to expert estimates, more than 30,000 Russian scientists are currently working abroad, including up to 18,000 in the field of fundamental research. There is evidence that from 100,000 to 250,000 scientists have left the country over the past 20 years. This is largely a consequence of the fact that the salary of a Russian scientist of the same qualification is 40-50 times less than in developed countries. According to many forecasts, the brain drain will increase, especially in the field of information technology (in developed countries, only at the beginning of the 21st century, there were not enough 850,000 such specialists).

Another reason for the crisis of Russian science is that the domestic economy is not able to adopt modern developments. International trade technologies in Russia is clearly non-equivalent: under the agreements signed, technologies imported from abroad are valued much more expensive than technologies created in Russia. On average, the purchase price of technologies is 3.2 times higher than the sale price, and in some cases, almost 80 times. It should also be noted that many foreign technologies are of Russian origin. Thus, according to experts from Rospatent, Russian developments in the field of electronic, laser, fiber-optic equipment, oil and gas processing technologies have been patented in the United States, organic chemistry, medical and environmental technology. Only in 1992-2000. more than 1,000 patents for military and dual-use technologies have been registered in the United States, where the authors are Russian inventors, and the owners of patents and, consequently, exclusive rights - foreign legal entities and individuals.

Thus, Russia participates extremely inefficiently in the international exchange of technologies. Proceeds from the export of scientific research amounted to at the beginning of the XXI century. about 63 million dollars, and patents and licenses - only 1.7 million dollars. At the same time, revenues in the United States only from the sale of licenses amounted to about 40 billion dollars, Japan - more than 10 billion, Great Britain - about 8 billion, Germany - more than 3 billion dollars

A particularly unfavorable situation has developed in the field of the military-industrial complex (DIC), despite the fact that Russia in terms of exports of arms and military equipment (WME) (more than $ 8 billion in 2008) ranks second in the world after the United States. The reduction in the state order forced defense industry enterprises to export the most modern equipment abroad (state order for military equipment began to grow quite dynamically since 2005).

Due to the historically established system of military technology priority in Russia, about 75% of R&D is performed by defense industry enterprises. It follows from this that in the near future, without the modernization of the defense industry, the development of high-tech industries is impossible. Aware of this situation, the management of the defense industry is consolidating assets and financial flows, forming single industry holdings under the control of the state. In the process of reforming it, 700-800 viable enterprises are oriented towards integration within the framework of 40-50 basic holdings with a controlling stake in the state, which will purposefully introduce basic technologies of high-tech production.

At present, venture funds, which are the basis for stimulating innovation processes in developed countries, practically do not work in Russia. Venture Innovation Fund - VIF, created in accordance with the order of the Government of the Russian Federation in March 2000 in order to form organizational structure venture investment systems are still underfunded by the state.

A significant potential for scientific and technological development lies in such a form of innovation infrastructure as science cities. At present, the status of a science city of the Russian Federation has been assigned to the city of Obninsk, Kaluga Region (2000), the cities of Korolev and Dubna, Moscow Region (2001), and the working settlement of Koltsovo Novosibirsk region(2003), Michurinsk, Tambov Region (2003), Reutov and Fryazino, Moscow Region (2003), Peterhof, St. Petersburg (2005), Pushchino, Moscow Region (2005) ). On March 23, 2010, the Russian leadership decided to establish the Center the latest technologies in the city of Skolkovo, Moscow region.

In general, the budgets of the leading Russian research institutes, according to American experts, account for only 3-5% of the material support of similar institutions in the United States.

The amount of funding for science cities is constantly increasing, although it is not enough to overcome the crisis in Russian science and education.

Priority measures to stimulate scientific, technical and innovation activities relate:

■ increase in the share of spending on Scientific research as a percentage of GDP;

■ support for the export of science-intensive products and training of managers for the commercialization of scientific developments and the introduction of intellectual property into economic circulation;

■ state order for the training of highly qualified personnel, as well as economic, primarily tax measures, to stimulate the training of personnel at the expense of their own industries and activities;

■ improving the efficiency of using the results of fundamental research and R&D and their implementation in industrial production, using the existing scientific, technical and intellectual potential and introducing intellectual property into economic circulation;

■ prioritization of knowledge-intensive industries and technologies, given that the restoration of their entire range is economically unsustainable and irrational even in developed countries;

■ restructuring of the scientific and technological complex in accordance with the established priorities;

■ increasing innovative activity through the development of small business in the scientific and technical sphere and the formation of a new infrastructure innovation process, which should include innovation and consulting firms, innovation and technology centers and technology parks;

■ development and use of an economic mechanism that stimulates the introduction of innovations in production (including: differentiation of tax cuts on profits from the production and sale of products manufactured using certified intellectual property objects, improvement of the pricing mechanism for science-intensive products, provision of government interest-free loans to enterprises for the purchase and the development of certified innovative innovations, the provision of free licenses to enterprises for the industrial development of intellectual property created at the expense of budgetary funds and owned by the state).

According to S. M. Rogov, director of the Institute for the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia's emergence as a leader in global scientific and technological development requires the accelerated implementation of the state strategy for supporting R&D and innovation. Taking into account world experience and features state of the art economy of Russia, such a strategy should include, he believes, two complementary components. First, it is necessary to increase budget funding for priority areas of fundamental research, as well as (in the defense sphere) applied R&D. Secondly, a well-thought-out tax policy to stimulate private sector spending on R&D (“tax spending”) and an effective public science policy are required.

At the first stage, the task is to bring R&D spending to at least 2% of GDP in the coming years (1% through public funding and 1% through private spending). In 2012, Russia can and should reach the level of 50% of the leaders in spending per researcher - about $50 billion per year in 2010 prices.

At the second stage (until 2020), R&D spending should reach 3% of GDP - 75% of the leader in spending per researcher, in order to reach the average level of $70-80 billion per year at constant prices.

At the third stage (mid-21st century), Russia's R&D spending should be increased to 4-5% of GDP ($100-120 billion per year at constant prices), which will allow it to enter the group of world leaders in spending per researcher.

Prospects for the place and role of Russia in the world scientific and technological development depend on how focused and consistent the policy will be Russian state to provide the necessary conditions for supporting and implementing the powerful scientific, technical, and intellectual potential that our country has in the scientific and educational fields.

Doctrine of the development of Russian science

Presented at the "Academic Community and Elections" meeting of scientists and politicians, held on November 1, 1995.

Doctrine of the development of Russian science- a system of views on the role and importance of science in ensuring the independence and prosperity of Russia, as well as the principles that determine the mechanism of state regulation of scientific activity, which, taking into account the specific socio-economic situation, guide federal, regional and local authorities, scientists, research organizations , scientific and technical societies and associations.

I. Science is the most important national resource of the renewing Russia

1. Russian science over its long history has made a huge contribution to the development of the country and the world community. Russia owes much of its position as a great world power to the achievements of domestic scientists.

In modern conditions, the practical use of natural science, humanitarian and scientific and technical knowledge is increasingly becoming a source of ensuring the life of society, its spiritual and physical health.

The level of development of science largely determines the effectiveness economic activity, defense capability, the state of the spiritual and political culture of the country, the security of the individual and society in relation to adverse natural and anthropogenic factors.

2. An important condition for the formation of domestic science was the desire to cover all areas of research. An extensive network of research organizations of both fundamental and applied nature has been formed in the country. In many areas, domestic science occupied leading positions in the world. This was achieved due to the high qualification of the leading scientific schools, the prestige of the work of a scientist and the involvement of a large number of researchers in science, as well as a significant level of budget funding. However, the administrative-command mechanism in the economy, the high degree of closeness and militarization of the scientific and technical sphere, unjustified restrictions on intellectual property rights reduced the efficiency of using the country's scientific potential.

At present, when opportunities for freedom of scientific creativity, open exchange of information and international cooperation are expanding, the position of Russian science could change qualitatively. However, the systemic crisis that accompanies the period of socio-political reorganization of the Russian Federation has led to the fact that domestic science has faced new serious difficulties: extremely insufficient budget funding for research and development work does not ensure timely renewal of the material and technical base of science, the creation of normal conditions life and work of scientists, complicates effective state regulation in the scientific field. The prestige of the profession of a scientist in society has fallen to an unacceptably low level; science has ceased to be attractive to talented young people. Clearly, there was a need for a radical reorganization of the sphere of science in order to adapt it to new conditions, to attract additional ones. The problem of more efficient use of the results of scientific research in the national economy is still acute.

3. New trends in the development of the world community have become the expansion of cooperation and cooperation of states in solving global problems associated with the preservation of the environment, ensuring a decent spiritual and physical standard of living for people, maintaining human health. The efforts of scientists and engineers from developed countries are being combined in the search for and use of new energy sources, space exploration, and the creation of an open information environment. The new strategy for the development of science gives priority to research that is significant for the very prospects for the existence of the world community, for its sustainable and safe development.

4. Modern tendencies cross-country integration does not mean, however, the disappearance of national interests, including in the field of science. Moreover, the national scientific potential will largely determine the country's place in the world community, prospects for competition in the foreign market, and opportunities for solving its internal problems.

The scale and pace of development of domestic science should ensure that Russia's potential corresponds to the level of world scientific and technological progress. Priority areas of scientific research are also determined by the economic and geopolitical position of Russia, global value its reserves natural resources, the needs of the spiritual development of our society, the humanistic traditions of Russian science. The global trends in the transformation of human civilization at the turn of the millennium continue to have a significant impact on the choice of priorities.

5. For a real transformation of the life of Russia as a whole, the development of science in the regions, contributing to their progress, taking into account economic, resource, environmental and cultural characteristics, is of exceptional importance.

II. Development of the scientific potential of Russia

1. The state considers science as a national asset that determines the future of our country and considers the support of science a priority. The most important principles of the state science policy are:

Reliance on domestic potential in the development of Russian society;

Freedom of scientific creativity, consistent democratization of the scientific sphere, ensuring openness and transparency in the formation and implementation of scientific policy;

Stimulating the development of fundamental scientific research;

Preservation and development of leading domestic scientific schools;

Creation of conditions for healthy competition and entrepreneurship in the field of science and technology, stimulation and support of innovative activity;

Integration of science and education, development of an integral system for training qualified scientific personnel at all levels;

Protection of the intellectual property rights of researchers, organizations and the state for the results scientific activity;

Ensuring unhindered access to open information and the right to freely exchange it;

Development of research and development organizations of various forms of ownership, support for small innovative businesses;

Formation of economic conditions for the wide use of scientific achievements, promotion of the dissemination of key scientific and technical innovations for the Russian technological order;

Increasing prestige scientific work, creation of decent living and working conditions for scientists and specialists;

Propaganda of modern achievements of science, its significance for the future of Russia;

Protection of the rights and interests of Russian scientists abroad.

2. The key element of reforming the science management system is the improvement of the mechanisms for its financing, organization and tax policy, namely:

Allocation in the federal budget of appropriations for financing research and development work for civilian purposes in the amount of at least 3 percent of its expenditure part with an annual increase as the economy stabilizes to the level characteristic of highly developed countries;

Ensuring sustainable public funding of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, state scientific centers and organizations working in priority areas of science and technology, state universities and other leading higher educational institutions, scientific libraries, museums and information centers;

Ensuring multiple sources of funding for research and development work, for which we actively support the work of target state funds, including the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the Russian Humanitarian scientific fund, a fund for promoting the development of small forms of enterprises in the scientific and technical field;

Creation of favorable conditions for investing in science funds from industry, banks, international organizations and individuals;

Development of competitive principles in the distribution of funds through scientific programs, projects, state funds, with the openness of decisions made and the involvement of the scientific community in monitoring the use of funds;

Phased introduction of the federal contract system in the field of scientific and technical and experimental design developments;

Introduction of tax and customs benefits to stimulate and support scientific activity;

Creation of conditions and provision of necessary resources for the participation of Russian scientists in international scientific projects;

Creation of favorable conditions for the work of public scientific associations, academies and scientific societies.

The state, taking on the above obligations, expresses confidence that the Russian scientific community will provide the necessary scientific and technical prerequisites for transforming Russia into a state of law with a socially oriented market economy, a high level of spiritual and material culture, environmental and military security.

The destroyed scientific and technological potential, the one that our country had in the days of the USSR, cannot be restored, and it is not necessary. The main task today is to create a new, powerful scientific and technological potential in Russia at an accelerated pace, and for this it is necessary to know exactly the true state of affairs in science and higher education. Only then will decisions on the management, support and financing of this area be made on a scientific basis and will give real results- says Anatoly Ilyich Rakitov, chief researcher of the Institute of Scientific Information in Social Sciences (INION) RAS, head of the Center for Informatization, Social-Technological Research and Science Analysis (ISTINA Center) of the Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education. From 1991 to 1996, he was an adviser to the President of Russia on issues of scientific and technological policy and informatization, and headed the Information and Analytical Center of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. Per last years under the leadership of A. I. Rakitov and with his participation, several projects were carried out devoted to the analysis of the development of science, technology and education in Russia.

SIMPLE TRUTH AND SOME PARADOXES

All over the world, at least, so the majority thinks, science is done by young people. Our scientific staff is rapidly aging. In 2000 average age academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences was more than 70 years old. It can also be understood great experience and great achievements in science are not given immediately. But the fact that the average age of PhDs is 61 and candidates 52 is alarming. If the situation does not change, then by about 2016 the average age of researchers will reach 59 years. For Russian men, this is not only the last year of pre-retirement life, but also its average duration. Such a picture is emerging in the system of the Academy of Sciences. In universities and branch research institutes on a nationwide scale, the age of doctors of science is 57-59 years, and candidates - 51-52 years. So in 10-15 years science may disappear from us.

Thanks to the highest performance, supercomputers are able to solve the most complex problems. The most powerful computers of this class with a performance of up to 12 teraflops (1 teraflop - 1 trillion operations per second) are produced in the USA and Japan. In August of this year, Russian scientists announced the creation of a supercomputer with a capacity of 1 teraflop. The photo shows frames from TV reports dedicated to this event.

But here's what's interesting. According to official data, over the past 10 years, university competitions have grown (2001 was a record year in this sense), and postgraduate and doctoral studies have been "baking" young scientists of the highest qualification at an unprecedented rate. If we take the number of students studying at universities in 1991/92 academic year, for 100%, then in 1998/99 they became 21.2% more. The number of graduate students of scientific research institutes has increased during this time by almost a third (1,577 people), and graduate students of universities - by 2.5 times (82,584 people). Admission to graduate school tripled (28,940 people), and the output was: in 1992 - 9532 people (23.2% of them with a dissertation defense), and in 1998 - 14,832 people (27.1% - with a dissertation defense). dissertations).

What is happening in our country with scientific personnel? What is actually their real scientific potential? Why do they age? Painting in in general terms is. Firstly, after graduating from universities, not all students are eager to go to graduate school, many go there to avoid the army or live freely for three years. Secondly, the defended candidates and doctors of science, as a rule, can find a salary worthy of their title not in state research institutes, design bureaus, GIPRs and universities, but in commercial structures. And they go there, leaving their titled supervisors the opportunity to quietly grow old.

Leading universities provide students with the opportunity to use modern computer technology.

Employees of the Center for Informatization, Socio-Technological Research and Scientific Analysis (Truth Center) studied about a thousand websites of firms and recruiting organizations with job offers. The result was as follows: university graduates are offered an average salary of about $300 (today it is almost 9 thousand rubles), economists, accountants, managers and marketers - $400-500, programmers, highly qualified banking specialists and financiers - from $350 to $550, qualified managers - $ 1,500 or more, but this is already rare. Meanwhile, among all the proposals there is not even a mention of scientists, researchers, etc. This means that a young candidate or doctor of science is doomed either to work at an average university or research institute for a salary equivalent to 30-60 dollars, and at the same time constantly rush to looking for third-party earnings, part-time jobs, private lessons, etc., or get a job in a commercial company not in their specialty, where neither a candidate's degree nor a doctoral degree is useful to him, except perhaps for prestige.

But there are other important reasons why young people leave the scientific field. Man does not live by bread alone. He still needs the opportunity to improve, to realize himself, to establish himself in life. He wants to see the future and feel at least on the same level with foreign colleagues. In our Russian conditions it is almost impossible. And that's why. First, science and the high-tech developments based on it are in very little demand in our country. Secondly, the experimental base, educational and research equipment, devices and devices in educational institutions are physically and morally obsolete by 20-30 years, and in the best, most advanced universities and research institutes - by 8-11 years. If we take into account that in developed countries technologies in science-intensive industries replace each other every 6 months - 2 years, such a lag may become irreversible. Thirdly, the system of organization, management, support of science and research and, most importantly, information support remained, at best, at the level of the 1980s. Therefore, almost every really capable, and even more so talented young scientist, if he does not want to degenerate, seeks to go into a commercial structure or go abroad.

According to official statistics, in 2000, 890.1 thousand people were employed in science (in 1990, in 2 once again more - 1943.3 thousand people). If we evaluate the potential of science not by the number of employees, but by results, that is, by the number of patents registered, especially abroad, sold, including abroad, licenses and publications in prestigious international publications, then it turns out that we are inferior to the most developed countries by tens or even hundreds of times. In the USA, for example, in 1998, 12.5 million people were employed in science, of which 505,000 were doctors of science. Natives of the CIS countries among them are no more than 5%, and many grew up, studied and received degrees there, not here. Thus, it would be wrong to say that the West lives at the expense of our scientific and intellectual potential, but it is worth assessing its real state and prospects.

SCIENTIFIC-INTELLECTUAL AND SCIENTIFIC-TECHNOLOGICAL POTENTIAL

There is an opinion that, despite all the difficulties and losses, aging and outflow of personnel from science, we still retain the scientific and intellectual potential that allows Russia to remain among the leading powers of the world, and our scientific and technological developments are still attractive to foreign and domestic investors, however, investments are scanty.

In fact, in order for our products to win the domestic and foreign markets, they must qualitatively surpass the products of competitors. But the quality of products directly depends on technology, and modern, especially high technologies (they are the most profitable) - on the level of scientific research and technological development. In turn, their quality is the higher, the higher the qualifications of scientists and engineers, and its level depends on the entire education system, especially higher education.

If we talk about the scientific and technological potential, then this concept includes not only scientists. Its components are also the instrumentation and experimental park, access to information and its completeness, the system for managing and supporting science, as well as the entire infrastructure that ensures the advanced development of science and the information sector. Without them, neither technology nor the economy simply can work.

Highly important question- training of specialists in universities. Let's try to figure out how they are prepared using the example of the fastest growing sectors modern science, which include biomedical research, research in the field of information technology and the creation of new materials. According to the latest "Science and engineering indicators" handbook published in the USA in 2000, in 1998 spending on these areas alone was comparable to defense spending and exceeded spending on space research. In total, 220.6 billion dollars were spent on the development of science in the United States, of which two-thirds (167 billion dollars) - at the expense of the corporate and private sectors. A significant part of these gigantic funds went to biomedical and especially biotechnological research. Hence, they were highly cost-effective, since money in the corporate and private sectors is spent only on what makes a profit. Thanks to the implementation of the results of these studies, health care, the state of environment, increased productivity Agriculture.

In 2000, the specialists of the Tomsk state university Together with scientists from the ISTINA Center and several leading universities in Russia, they studied the quality of training of biologists in Russian universities. Scientists came to the conclusion that traditional biological disciplines are taught in classical universities. Botany, zoology, human and animal physiology are available in 100% of universities, plant physiology - in 72%, and subjects such as biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, soil science - only in 55% of universities, ecology - in 45% of universities. At the same time, modern disciplines: plant biotechnology, physical and chemical biology, electron microscopy - are taught only in 9% of universities. Thus, for the most important and promising areas biological science students are trained in less than 10% of classical universities. There are, of course, exceptions. For example, Moscow State University. Lomonosov and especially Pushchino State University, which operates on the basis of the campus, graduate only masters, postgraduates and doctoral students, and the ratio of students and supervisors in it is approximately 1:1.

Such exceptions emphasize that biology students can receive professional training at the level of the beginning of the 21st century only in a few universities, and even then they are not perfect. Why? Let me explain with an example. To solve the problems of genetic engineering, the use of transgene technology in animal husbandry and crop production, and the synthesis of new drugs, modern supercomputers are needed. In the USA, Japan, and EU countries, they are powerful computers with a performance of at least 1 teraflop (1 trillion operations per second). At St. Louis University, students had access to a 3.8 teraflop supercomputer two years ago. Today, the performance of the most powerful supercomputers has reached 12 teraflops, and in 2004 they are going to release a supercomputer with a capacity of 100 teraflops. In Russia, there are no such machines, our best supercomputer centers operate on computers of much lower power. True, this summer Russian specialists announced the creation of a domestic supercomputer with a capacity of 1 teraflop.

Our backwardness in information technology is directly related to the training of future intellectual personnel in Russia, including biologists, since computer synthesis, for example, of molecules, genes, decoding of the human, animal and plant genomes can give a real effect only on the basis of the most powerful computing systems.

Finally, one more interesting fact. Tomsk researchers randomly interviewed professors of biological departments of universities and found that only 9% of them more or less regularly use the Internet. With a chronic shortage of scientific information received in the traditional form, not having access to the Internet or not being able to use its resources means only one thing - a growing backlog in biological, biotechnological, genetic engineering and other research and the absence of international relations absolutely necessary in science.

Current students, even at the most advanced biological faculties receive training at the level of the 70-80s of the last century, although they enter into life already in the 21st century. As far as research institutes are concerned, only about 35 biological research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences have more or less modern equipment, and therefore only there research is carried out at an advanced level. Only a few students of several universities can participate in them and educational center RAS (established within the framework of the program "Integration of science and education" and has the status of a university), receiving training on the basis of academic research institutes.

Another example. The first place among high technologies is occupied by the aerospace industry. Everything is involved in it: computers, modern systems control, precision instrumentation, engine and rocket building, etc. Although Russia occupies a fairly strong position in this industry, the lag is noticeable here too. It concerns to a large extent the aviation universities of the country. The specialists of the MAI Technological University who participated in our research named some of the most painful problems associated with the training of personnel for the aerospace industry. In their opinion, the level of training of teachers of applied departments (design, engineering, calculation) in the field of modern information technologies is still low. This is largely due to the lack of an influx of young teaching staff. The aging teaching staff is not able to intensively master the constantly improving software products, not only because of gaps in computer training, but also because of the lack of modern technical means and software and information systems and, which is far from unimportant, due to the lack of material incentives. .

Another important industry is the chemical industry. Today, chemistry is unthinkable without scientific research and high-tech production systems. Indeed, chemistry is new Construction Materials, medicines, fertilizers, varnishes and paints, the synthesis of materials with desired properties, superhard materials, films and abrasives for instrumentation and mechanical engineering, energy processing, the creation of drilling units, etc.

What is the situation in the chemical industry and especially in the field of applied experimental studies? For which industries do we train specialists - chemists? Where and how will they "chemize"?

Scientists of Yaroslavl technological university, who studied this issue together with specialists from the ISTINA Center, cite the following information: today the share of the entire Russian chemical industry accounts for about 2% of the world production of chemical products. This is only 10% of the volume chemical production USA and no more than 50-75% of the volume of chemical production in countries such as France, Great Britain or Italy. As for applied and experimental research, especially in universities, the picture is as follows: by 2000, only 11 research projects had been completed in Russia, and the number of experimental developments had fallen to almost zero with a complete lack of funding. The technologies used in the chemical industry are outdated compared to the technologies of developed industrial countries, where they are updated every 7-8 years. Even large plants, such as those producing fertilizers, which have received a large share of investments, operate without modernization for an average of 18 years, while in the industry as a whole, equipment and technologies are updated after 13-26 years. By comparison, the average age of US chemical plants is six years.

PLACE AND ROLE OF BASIC RESEARCH

The main generator of fundamental research in our country is the Russian Academy of Sciences, but its more or less tolerably equipped institutes employ only about 90,000 employees (together with service personnel), the rest (more than 650,000 people) work in research institutes and universities. Basic research is also being carried out there. According to the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, in 1999, about 5,000 of them were completed in 317 universities. The average budget cost for one fundamental research is 34,214 rubles. If we take into account that this includes the purchase of equipment and objects of research, the cost of electricity, overhead, etc., then only 30 to 40% remains on the salary. It is easy to calculate that if at least 2-3 researchers or teachers participate in fundamental research, then they can count on an increase in wages, at best, 400-500 rubles per month.

As for the interest of students in scientific research, it rests more on enthusiasm than on material interest, and there are very few enthusiasts these days. At the same time, the subject of university research is very traditional and far from current problems. In 1999, universities conducted 561 studies in physics, and only 8 in biotechnology. That was thirty years ago, but it shouldn't be today. In addition, fundamental research costs millions, and even tens of millions of dollars - with the help of wires, cans and other home-made devices, they have not been carried out for a long time.

Of course, there are additional sources of funding. In 1999, 56% of scientific research in universities was funded by self-supporting work, but they were not fundamental and could not radically solve the problem of forming a new personnel potential. The leaders of the most prestigious universities that receive orders for research work from commercial clients or foreign firms, realizing how much “fresh blood” is needed in science, have begun in recent years to pay extra to those graduate and doctoral students whom they would like to keep at the university for research or teaching work, to purchase new equipment. But only very few universities have such opportunities.

BET ON CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES

The concept of "critical technologies" first appeared in America. This was the name of the list of technological areas and developments that were primarily supported by the US government in the interests of economic and military superiority. They were selected on the basis of an extremely thorough, complex and multi-stage procedure, which included the examination of each item on the list by financiers and professional scientists, politicians, businessmen, analysts, representatives of the Pentagon and the CIA, congressmen and senators. Critical technologies were carefully studied by specialists in the field of science, science and technometry.

A few years ago, the Russian government also approved a list of critical technologies prepared by the Ministry of Science and Technical Policy (in 2000 it was renamed the Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology) of more than 70 main headings, each of which included several specific technologies. Them total number exceeded 250. This is much more than, for example, in England - a country with a very high scientific potential. Neither in terms of funds, nor in terms of personnel, nor in terms of equipment, Russia could create and implement such a number of technologies. Three years ago, the same ministry prepared a new list of critical technologies, including 52 headings (still, by the way, not approved by the government), but we cannot afford it either.

To present the true state of affairs, here are some results of the analysis performed by the TRUE Center of two critical technologies from the last list. These are immunocorrection (in the West they use the term "immunotherapy" or "immunomodulation") and the synthesis of superhard materials. Both technologies are based on serious fundamental research and are aimed at industrial implementation. The first is important for maintaining human health, the second - for the radical modernization of many industrial productions, including defense, civil instrumentation and engineering, drilling rigs, etc.

Immunocorrection involves, first of all, the creation of new drugs. This also includes technologies for the production of immunostimulants to fight allergies, cancer, a number of colds and viral infections, etc. It turned out that, despite the general similarity of the structure, the studies conducted in Russia are clearly lagging behind. For example, in the United States, in the most important area - immunotherapy with dendritic cells, which is successfully used in the treatment of oncological diseases, the number of publications has increased by more than 6 times over 10 years, and we had no publications on this topic. I admit that research is underway, but if they are not recorded in publications, patents and licenses, then they are unlikely to be of great importance.

Over the past decade, the Pharmacological Committee of Russia has registered 17 domestic immunomodulating drugs, 8 of them belong to the class of peptides, which are now almost not in demand on the international market. As for domestic immunoglobulins, their low quality makes it necessary to meet demand with foreign-made drugs.

And here are some results related to another critical technology - the synthesis of superhard materials. Research by the well-known science expert Yu. V. Granovsky showed that there is an "introduction effect" here: the results obtained by Russian scientists are implemented in specific products (abrasives, films, etc.) produced by domestic enterprises. However, even here the situation is far from favorable.

The situation with the patenting of scientific discoveries and inventions in this area is especially alarming. Some patents of the Institute for High Pressure Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, issued in 2000, were claimed as early as 1964, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1975. Of course, it is not scientists who are to blame for this, but systems of examination and patenting. A paradoxical picture has emerged: on the one hand, the results of scientific research are recognized as original, and on the other hand, they are obviously useless, since they are based on technological developments long gone. These discoveries are hopelessly outdated, and it is unlikely that licenses for them will be in demand.

This is the state of our scientific and technological potential, if you delve into its structure not from amateurish, but from scientific positions. But we are talking about the most important, from the point of view of the state, critical technologies.

SCIENCE SHOULD BE FAVORABLE TO THOSE WHO CREATE IT

Back in the 17th century, the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote that people are driven by profit. 200 years later, Karl Marx, developing this idea, argued that history is nothing but the activity of people pursuing their own goals. If this or that activity is not profitable (in this case we are talking about science, scientists, developers modern technologies), then there is nothing to expect that the most talented, first-class trained young scientists will go into science, who will move it forward almost for nothing and in the absence of a proper infrastructure.

Today, scientists say that it is unprofitable for them to patent the results of their research in Russia. They turn out to be the property of research institutes and, more broadly, of the state. But the state, as you know, has almost no funds for their implementation. If new developments do reach the stage industrial production, then their authors, at best, receive a prize of 500 rubles, or even nothing at all. It is much more profitable to put the documentation and prototypes in a briefcase and fly to some highly developed country where the work of scientists is valued differently. “If ours,” one foreign businessman told me, “we would pay 250-300 thousand dollars for a certain scientific work, then we will pay yours 25 thousand dollars for it. Agree that this is better than 500 rubles.”

Until intellectual property belongs to the one who creates it, until scientists begin to receive direct benefits from it, until they make radical changes on this issue to our imperfect legislation, to the progress of science and technology, to the development of scientific and technological potential, and therefore , and it is pointless to hope for an economic recovery in our country. If the situation does not change, the state may be left without modern technologies, and therefore without competitive products. So in a market economy, profit is not a disgrace, but the most important incentive for public and economic development.

BREAKING TO THE FUTURE IS STILL POSSIBLE

What can and should be done so that science, which is still preserved in our country, begins to develop and becomes a powerful factor in economic growth and improvement of the social sphere?

First, it is necessary, without postponing for a year, or even for half a year, to radically improve the quality of training for at least that part of students, graduate students and doctoral students who are ready to remain in domestic science.

Secondly, to concentrate the extremely limited financial resources allocated for the development of science and education on several priority areas and critical technologies focused exclusively on boosting the domestic economy, social sphere and state needs.

Thirdly, in state research institutes and universities, to direct the main financial, personnel, information and technical resources to those projects that can give really new results, and not to scatter funds on many thousands of pseudo-fundamental scientific topics.

Fourthly, it is time to create on the basis of the best higher educational institutions federal research universities that meet the highest international standards in the field of scientific infrastructure (information, experimental equipment, modern network communications and Information Technology). They will prepare first-class young specialists for work in the domestic academic and industrial science and higher education.

Fifth, it is time to make a decision at the state level to create scientific, technological and educational consortiums that will unite research universities, advanced research institutes and industrial enterprises. Their activities should be focused on scientific research, innovation and radical technological modernization. This will allow us to produce high-quality, constantly updated, competitive products.

Sixth, in the shortest possible time, by a government decision, it is necessary to entrust the Ministry of Industry and Science, the Ministry of Education, other ministries, departments and administrations of regions where there is state universities and research institutes, start developing legislative initiatives on intellectual property issues, improving patenting processes, scientific marketing, and scientific and educational management. It is necessary to legislate the possibility of a sharp (stage-by-stage) increase in the salaries of scientists, starting primarily with state scientific academies (RAS, RAMS, RAAS), state scientific and technical centers and research universities.

Finally, seventh, it is urgent to adopt a new list of critical technologies. It should contain no more than 12-15 main positions focused primarily on the interests of society. It is they that the state should formulate, involving in this work, for example, the Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Russian Academy of Sciences and state industry academies.

Naturally, the ideas about critical technologies developed in this way, on the one hand, should be based on the fundamental achievements of modern science, and on the other hand, take into account the specifics of the country. For example, for the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein, which has a network of first-class roads and a highly developed transport service, transport technologies have not been critical for a long time. As for Russia, a country with a huge territory, scattered settlements and difficult climatic conditions, then for it the creation of the latest transport technologies (air, land and water) is really a decisive issue from the economic, social, defense, environmental and even geopolitical points of view, because our country can connect Europe and the Pacific region with the main highway.

Taking into account the achievements of science, the specifics of Russia and the limitations of its financial and other resources, we can offer a very short list of truly critical technologies that will give a quick and tangible result and ensure sustainable development and growth in people's well-being.

Critical ones include:

* energy technologies: nuclear energy, including the processing of radioactive waste, and the deep modernization of traditional heat and power resources. Without this, the country may freeze out, and industry, agriculture and cities may be left without electricity;
* transport technologies. For Russia, modern cheap, reliable, ergonomic vehicles are the most important condition for social and economic development;
* Information Technology. Without modern means of informatization and communication, management, development of production, science and education, even simple human communication will simply be impossible;
* biotechnological research and technology. Only their rapid development will make it possible to create a modern profitable agriculture, competitive food industries, to raise pharmacology, medicine and healthcare to the level of the requirements of the 21st century;
* environmental technologies. This is especially true for the urban economy, since up to 80% of the population lives in cities today;
* rational nature management and geological exploration. If these technologies are not modernized, the country will be left without raw materials;
* mechanical engineering and instrument making as the basis of industry and agriculture;
* a whole range of technologies for light industry and the production of household goods, as well as for housing and road construction. Without them, it is completely meaningless to talk about the well-being and social well-being of the population.

If such recommendations are accepted and we start financing not priority areas and critical technologies in general, but only those that are really needed by society, then we will not only solve Russia’s current problems, but also build a springboard for jumping into the future.

EIGHT CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN BOOST THE ECONOMY AND WELFARE OF RUSSIANS:

3. 4.

5. Rational nature management and exploration. 6.

Academician of the Russian Academy natural sciences A. RAKITOV.

Literature

Alferov Zh., acad. RAN. Physics on the threshold of the XXI century. - No. 3, 2000

Alferov Zh., acad. RAN. Russia cannot do without its own electronics. - No. 4, 2001

Belokoneva O. Technology of the XXI century in Russia. To be or not to be. - No. 1, 2001

Voevodin V. Supercomputers: yesterday, today, tomorrow. - No. 5, 2000

Gleba Yu., acad. NASU. Once again about biotechnology, but more about how we get out into the world. - No. 4, 2000

Paton B., President of NASU, acad. RAN. Welding and related technologies in the XXI century. - No. 6, 2000

January 25, 2006 in Arkhangelsk at the Pomor State University. M.V. Lomonosov, a round table "Resources for the development of Russian science in the 21st century" was held, organized by the Pomor branch of the National Committee "Intellectual Resources of Russia", the Arkhangelsk regional branch of the Russian Union of Young Scientists, Pomor State University. M.V. Lomonosov and the Pomor branch of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences.

The round table was attended by Oleg Kuznetsov, Co-Chairman of the National Committee "Intellectual Resources of Russia", President of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Vyacheslav Panov, Executive Secretary of the National Committee "Intellectual Resources of Russia", Mikhail Sitkin, Deputy Head of the Administration of the Arkhangelsk Region for Social Affairs, Rector of Pomor State University them. M.V. Lomonosov Vladimir Bulatov, deputies of the Arkhangelsk Regional Assembly of Deputies, representatives of the scientific community of the Arkhangelsk Region and members of the Arkhangelsk Regional Branch of the Russian Union of Young Scientists.

The participants of the round table presented their vision of the directions and prospects for the development of Russian science, made specific proposals on reforming the education system, developing the scientific and innovative potential, emphasized the importance of working with young scientists, creating conditions for their normal scientific activity and a decent life, and preventing the "leakage of brains."

Sergey Sorokin, Chairman of the Arkhangelsk regional branch of the Russian Union of Young Scientists, made a presentation "Problems of young scientists and the role public associations in their solution", in which he divided the problems of young scientists into two groups: the first, in his opinion, includes social problems (low wages, the impossibility of acquiring housing, etc.), and the second is associated with scientific work, with the social status of a young scientist, the demand for his work.

Touching upon the problem of "brain drain", Sergei Sorokin noted that one should talk not only about the desire of young scientists to go abroad, but also about the constant migration from the peripheral regions of Russia to its central regions, as well as the departure of young people from science to other areas of activity. .

The Chairman of the Arkhangelsk regional branch of the Russian Union of Young Scientists appealed to the heads of enterprises so that they approach the developments of young scientists more carefully and contribute to their implementation in practice. According to Sergei Sorokin, the preservation of young people in science, the increase in the effectiveness of their work, will be facilitated by the coordinated activities of the state, on which the legal and financial support of universities with a scientific base and public associations of young scientists depends.

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