Created within the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) almost a year ago, at the end of 2007, the State Committee on Science (Git-pet-kom) was expected to devise and lead long overdue reforms in the areas of science and technology. The Committee was also due to mobilize more attention and resources to scientific research at a Ministry that, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, has been struggling to manage Armenia’s primary and secondary education. Rumors were, and still are, that the Committee would eventually grow into a separate ministry.
Mr. Samvel Haroutunian was appointed as the founding Chairperson of the Committee. In recent weeks, Mr. Haroutunian has suddenly turned into a media star. After a year of silent work, he seems now to be everywhere all the time; multiplying interviews and announcements.
Unlike Minister of Education Mr. Seyranian who desperately tries to look credible and unlike other top MES officers who are career bureaucrats typically infected by Soviet-era mentality, inertia and incompetence, Mr. Haroutunian seems to know what he is doing and is able to deliver!
Mr. Haroutunian looks competent and confident. And unlike his ‘colleagues’ at MES, he doesn’t speak in the bureaucratic mumble-jumble language; he maintains a clear, direct, and sometimes even harsh communication style.
In the past several weeks, various Armenian dailies, news agencies and T.V. channels have covered Mr. Haroutunian. What I thought important to retain follows, I am in []:
On the Committee’s Basic Organization:
Since its foundation almost a year ago, the State Committee on Science has dealt with some basic organizational issues. Many people have been hired and placed. The remaining two open positions will be filled-up by the end of April. The Committee will move to its new location, 22 Orbeli Street, Kentron, Yerevan, in 1-2 months.
On the Committee’s 2008 Activities:
1.
Prepared a comprehensive directory of researchers and research organizations [to read more on this, please click here].
2.
Elaborated a set of principles and benchmarks for assessing the researcher’s performance and evaluating research finds.
3.
Devised a “Program to Combine/Mobilize the Potential of Armenian Scientists” that will be presented to the government for approval. According to the Program, all Armenian scientists based in Armenia and in diaspora will be involved in the upcoming reforms in the area of science. The Program will help the country “to tap into the resources and the capabilities of Armenian scientists who live and work abroad.”
4.
Devised policies concerning the training and development of science personnel, as well as the determination of their rank and status scales. These will be presented to the government for approval.
5.
Established a special program to “rejuvenate science [in Armenia]” composed of various events and a tentative timetable. Some events already took place in 2008 and have been included in the State budget for 2009. “The Committee has systematically prioritized young scientists whenever considering opportunities at various research projects and scientific conferences.”
6.
Conducted and successfully concluded negotiations with the French CNRS thanks to which a comprehensive agreement was signed on 20 January 2009 in Paris [to read more on this, please click here].
7.
Prepared a general framework for facilitating the merger of research labs that have similar activities.
On Armenia’s Aging Scientists:
The average age of Armenian researchers currently stands at 52, and of senior researchers at 62-63. The number of new PhDs in the country is rather big, around 500 per year, but only a small portion of new doctorate holders is attracted to scientific pursuits.
The main reason behind the lack of interest in scientific research is the low level of salary.
On Armenia’s Publishing Record:
“Unfortunately, compared to Soviet period, the number of articles published [by Armenian scientists] in first tier international journals has declined, and it now stands at only 12 percent of total publications.”
On Armenia’s Scientific Activity Ratio:
“There are 9,000 PhD and 4,400 doctoral candidates in Armenia, from who 600 PhDs and 2,700 candidates are actively involved in various scientific projects.”
On Separating from MES:
“Such a decision is up to the political leadership of the country” [that doesn’t seem very well-versed in the topic] but Mr. Haroutunian seems overall in favor of such a scenario.
He believes that the new ministry should combine high technologies, and address issues such as innovation in general, commercialization of science including the financial aspects (venture capital, etc.) and legal aspects (patents, etc.), and development of the ICT sector in Armenia. [This means certain sections will need to be transferred from the Ministry of Economy and several other ministries to the new structure. Also, the National Academy of Sciences will have to revise its Soviet-era mission and role].
On Financing Research:
All payment procedures must be reviewed and revised. There is need to rectify inconsistent and unusual practices:
1.
Clear pay scales need to be established. Currently, in certain research centers senior scientists earn less than junior lab workers.
2.
Certain researchers are members of several research organizations and consequently are compensated (grants, bonuses, etc.) several times.
3.
The financing must be project-based and not, as in the past, according to the number of research staff employed at a research lab. “Project-based financing is considered worldwide the best option. Paying a fixed amount to the individual regardless of his/her effort is the job of the Social Security and not ours.”
From now on a committee of experts will provide a comprehensive assessment (scientific value, financial implications, etc.) of research proposals, and if and when a proposal is approved, based on the required expertise, the research personnel will be assigned.
On the Committee’s 2009 Plan of Action:
1.
Devise methods to evaluate and rate research organizations
2.
Formulate a clear strategy for the development of science and technology in Armenia that will specify the country’s prioritized fields of science
3.
Propose amendments to the ‘Law on Science and Technology’ in accordance with the new strategic orientations (point 2). The mission and the role of the National Academy of Sciences will also be reviewed and revised.
4.
Continue to prioritize the establishment and enhancement of international partnerships as “science in general and natural science in particular evolve and develop openly and on a world scale”.
5.
Establish the numbers and the areas of specialization of state-sponsored PhD places at Armenian universities for the next 5 years.
6.
Implement new hiring and selection procedures of the heads/directors of research labs. The new procedures are more rigorous and competitive than those in the past.
_______________________________
Pictures via Panorma and Aravot: Mr. Samvel Haroutunian.
>
Mr. Samvel Haroutunian was appointed as the founding Chairperson of the Committee. In recent weeks, Mr. Haroutunian has suddenly turned into a media star. After a year of silent work, he seems now to be everywhere all the time; multiplying interviews and announcements.
Unlike Minister of Education Mr. Seyranian who desperately tries to look credible and unlike other top MES officers who are career bureaucrats typically infected by Soviet-era mentality, inertia and incompetence, Mr. Haroutunian seems to know what he is doing and is able to deliver!
Mr. Haroutunian looks competent and confident. And unlike his ‘colleagues’ at MES, he doesn’t speak in the bureaucratic mumble-jumble language; he maintains a clear, direct, and sometimes even harsh communication style.
In the past several weeks, various Armenian dailies, news agencies and T.V. channels have covered Mr. Haroutunian. What I thought important to retain follows, I am in []:
On the Committee’s Basic Organization:Since its foundation almost a year ago, the State Committee on Science has dealt with some basic organizational issues. Many people have been hired and placed. The remaining two open positions will be filled-up by the end of April. The Committee will move to its new location, 22 Orbeli Street, Kentron, Yerevan, in 1-2 months.
On the Committee’s 2008 Activities:
1.
Prepared a comprehensive directory of researchers and research organizations [to read more on this, please click here].
2.
Elaborated a set of principles and benchmarks for assessing the researcher’s performance and evaluating research finds.
3.
Devised a “Program to Combine/Mobilize the Potential of Armenian Scientists” that will be presented to the government for approval. According to the Program, all Armenian scientists based in Armenia and in diaspora will be involved in the upcoming reforms in the area of science. The Program will help the country “to tap into the resources and the capabilities of Armenian scientists who live and work abroad.”
4.
Devised policies concerning the training and development of science personnel, as well as the determination of their rank and status scales. These will be presented to the government for approval.
5.
Established a special program to “rejuvenate science [in Armenia]” composed of various events and a tentative timetable. Some events already took place in 2008 and have been included in the State budget for 2009. “The Committee has systematically prioritized young scientists whenever considering opportunities at various research projects and scientific conferences.”
6.
Conducted and successfully concluded negotiations with the French CNRS thanks to which a comprehensive agreement was signed on 20 January 2009 in Paris [to read more on this, please click here].
7.
Prepared a general framework for facilitating the merger of research labs that have similar activities.
On Armenia’s Aging Scientists:
The average age of Armenian researchers currently stands at 52, and of senior researchers at 62-63. The number of new PhDs in the country is rather big, around 500 per year, but only a small portion of new doctorate holders is attracted to scientific pursuits.
The main reason behind the lack of interest in scientific research is the low level of salary.
On Armenia’s Publishing Record:
“Unfortunately, compared to Soviet period, the number of articles published [by Armenian scientists] in first tier international journals has declined, and it now stands at only 12 percent of total publications.”
On Armenia’s Scientific Activity Ratio:
“There are 9,000 PhD and 4,400 doctoral candidates in Armenia, from who 600 PhDs and 2,700 candidates are actively involved in various scientific projects.”
On Separating from MES:
“Such a decision is up to the political leadership of the country” [that doesn’t seem very well-versed in the topic] but Mr. Haroutunian seems overall in favor of such a scenario.
He believes that the new ministry should combine high technologies, and address issues such as innovation in general, commercialization of science including the financial aspects (venture capital, etc.) and legal aspects (patents, etc.), and development of the ICT sector in Armenia. [This means certain sections will need to be transferred from the Ministry of Economy and several other ministries to the new structure. Also, the National Academy of Sciences will have to revise its Soviet-era mission and role].
On Financing Research:All payment procedures must be reviewed and revised. There is need to rectify inconsistent and unusual practices:
1.
Clear pay scales need to be established. Currently, in certain research centers senior scientists earn less than junior lab workers.
2.
Certain researchers are members of several research organizations and consequently are compensated (grants, bonuses, etc.) several times.
3.
The financing must be project-based and not, as in the past, according to the number of research staff employed at a research lab. “Project-based financing is considered worldwide the best option. Paying a fixed amount to the individual regardless of his/her effort is the job of the Social Security and not ours.”
From now on a committee of experts will provide a comprehensive assessment (scientific value, financial implications, etc.) of research proposals, and if and when a proposal is approved, based on the required expertise, the research personnel will be assigned.
On the Committee’s 2009 Plan of Action:
1.
Devise methods to evaluate and rate research organizations
2.
Formulate a clear strategy for the development of science and technology in Armenia that will specify the country’s prioritized fields of science
3.
Propose amendments to the ‘Law on Science and Technology’ in accordance with the new strategic orientations (point 2). The mission and the role of the National Academy of Sciences will also be reviewed and revised.
4.
Continue to prioritize the establishment and enhancement of international partnerships as “science in general and natural science in particular evolve and develop openly and on a world scale”.
5.
Establish the numbers and the areas of specialization of state-sponsored PhD places at Armenian universities for the next 5 years.
6.
Implement new hiring and selection procedures of the heads/directors of research labs. The new procedures are more rigorous and competitive than those in the past.
_______________________________
Pictures via Panorma and Aravot: Mr. Samvel Haroutunian.
>
