The State Committee on Science (SCS) that functions within the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science (MES) has published a draft document called “Strategy for the Development of Science”. The text will be publicly discussed and debated for a while until it is fine-tuned and sent to the cabinet for approval.
The proposed text includes many points that the Committee’s Chairman, Mr. Samvel Haroutiunian (in picture here), had previously raised on different occasions including in his numerous press conferences. In other words, the text contains few surprises.
7 Objectives
The document outlines major reforms that, according to the State Committee, will guarantee the development of Armenian science in the period 2010-2020. The year 2020 has been designated as the target year by which the country must have created a full-fledged knowledge-driven economy.
The document first identifies 7 main objectives and then elaborates and explains them:
1. Integrate various components/units of science and higher technologies into a well-managed and coordinated whole.
2. Modernize the technical infrastructure and resources of the science sector, including the information networks.
3. Dynamic growth of highly qualified staff working in the fields of science, education and technology.
4. Promote fundamental and applied research and create a coherent infrastructure combining education, science, technology, and innovation.
5. Guarantee the development of Armenian Studies.
6. Expand international partnerships in science and technology.
7. Obtain a leading status worldwide for Armenian science, education and technology.
To reach the above-mentioned objectives, the document lists a wide array of measures that include:
* Rationalizing various research labs/units
* Raising the country’s research budget
* Expanding collaboration between research labs and business
* Restructuring and improving the management of research labs/units
* More effective use by various units of rare and expensive infrastructure
* Foundation of an intranet and e-library
* Foundation of real research universities
* Expanding benefit (non-financial compensation) of young research staff
* Favoring venture capital by appropriate fiscal and other measures
Evaluation
The draft “Strategy for the Development of the Science Sector” contains 3 main positive surprises:
1.
It emphasizes fundamental research as much as applied research. Ignoring fundamental research is what many reform packages elsewhere in the world have been criticized for. Such flawed prioritization usually drives from the absence of immediate and measurable commercial benefits for fundamental research.
2.
It places Armenian Studies as one of the country’s priority research areas.
3.
It views and defines the Armenian research development strategy within the international context and dynamics.
The document omits, however, three essential issues:
1.
It fails to identify and emphasize the necessity of multi-disciplinary research. Its arguments in favor of increased coordination, more coherence within the system, and the creation of a single coordinating body (objective 1) are based solely on cost-cutting and resources rationalization concerns.
2.
The document does not discuss the issue of Social Sciences and Humanities. Armenian Studies are singled out as exception and in an absolute way. Social Sciences and Humanities were and remain underdeveloped in Armenia mainly due to Soviet ideological doctrines. In the current post-Soviet era, as the commercial benefits of research and innovation are systematically put forward, these areas of science might never develop as needed if the authorities do not specifically favor and promote them. This may, in turn, further complicate the innovation process that is increasingly multidisciplinary in nature.
3.
The document is silent on the European Research Area. As the country’s higher education system is integrating with the rest of Europe, including the 27 members of the European Union, (the Bologna Process), it is unclear how and for how long its scientific research system, like those of the other non-EU countries, can stay outside the common European Research Area. Interestingly, the current “Eastern Partnership” initiative by the EU has also failed to address the issue.
To read the proposed text (in Armenian), please click here.
The proposed text includes many points that the Committee’s Chairman, Mr. Samvel Haroutiunian (in picture here), had previously raised on different occasions including in his numerous press conferences. In other words, the text contains few surprises.
7 Objectives
The document outlines major reforms that, according to the State Committee, will guarantee the development of Armenian science in the period 2010-2020. The year 2020 has been designated as the target year by which the country must have created a full-fledged knowledge-driven economy.
The document first identifies 7 main objectives and then elaborates and explains them:
1. Integrate various components/units of science and higher technologies into a well-managed and coordinated whole.
2. Modernize the technical infrastructure and resources of the science sector, including the information networks.
3. Dynamic growth of highly qualified staff working in the fields of science, education and technology.
4. Promote fundamental and applied research and create a coherent infrastructure combining education, science, technology, and innovation.
5. Guarantee the development of Armenian Studies.
6. Expand international partnerships in science and technology.
7. Obtain a leading status worldwide for Armenian science, education and technology.
To reach the above-mentioned objectives, the document lists a wide array of measures that include:
* Rationalizing various research labs/units
* Raising the country’s research budget
* Expanding collaboration between research labs and business
* Restructuring and improving the management of research labs/units
* More effective use by various units of rare and expensive infrastructure
* Foundation of an intranet and e-library
* Foundation of real research universities
* Expanding benefit (non-financial compensation) of young research staff
* Favoring venture capital by appropriate fiscal and other measures
EvaluationThe draft “Strategy for the Development of the Science Sector” contains 3 main positive surprises:
1.
It emphasizes fundamental research as much as applied research. Ignoring fundamental research is what many reform packages elsewhere in the world have been criticized for. Such flawed prioritization usually drives from the absence of immediate and measurable commercial benefits for fundamental research.
2.
It places Armenian Studies as one of the country’s priority research areas.
3.
It views and defines the Armenian research development strategy within the international context and dynamics.
The document omits, however, three essential issues:
1.
It fails to identify and emphasize the necessity of multi-disciplinary research. Its arguments in favor of increased coordination, more coherence within the system, and the creation of a single coordinating body (objective 1) are based solely on cost-cutting and resources rationalization concerns.
2.
The document does not discuss the issue of Social Sciences and Humanities. Armenian Studies are singled out as exception and in an absolute way. Social Sciences and Humanities were and remain underdeveloped in Armenia mainly due to Soviet ideological doctrines. In the current post-Soviet era, as the commercial benefits of research and innovation are systematically put forward, these areas of science might never develop as needed if the authorities do not specifically favor and promote them. This may, in turn, further complicate the innovation process that is increasingly multidisciplinary in nature.
3.
The document is silent on the European Research Area. As the country’s higher education system is integrating with the rest of Europe, including the 27 members of the European Union, (the Bologna Process), it is unclear how and for how long its scientific research system, like those of the other non-EU countries, can stay outside the common European Research Area. Interestingly, the current “Eastern Partnership” initiative by the EU has also failed to address the issue.
To read the proposed text (in Armenian), please click here.
