Law of Ukraine “On scientific and technical activity” (law from December 26, 2015 №848-VIII) recently came into effect. The Parliament, Government and President of Ukraine initiated reforms in scientific sphere.
The document’s preparation was unique for Ukraine. It was mentioned by President of Ukraine during meeting with scientists on the 25th of December 2015. The law was discussed by scientists, representatives of academic and branch institutes, higher educational establishments, experts from Reanimation packet reforms, community and scientific organizations.
During October-November of the last year was created Committee of Supreme Council (Verkhovna Rada) in education and science matters, broadcasted on-line so that everybody could watch discussions.
According to Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Sergiy Kvit, “the scientific sphere of the country will be united” owing to introduction of the principles of new law. Below you’ll find commentaries of Minister concerning Law of Ukraine “On scientific and technical activity” (full version http://mon.gov.ua/usi-novivni/novini/2016/01/20/sergij-kvit-«naukove-pole-krayini-stane-edinim»/).
1. Innovations will be put into operation
National Council in development of science and technologies and National Research Fund will be created to raise prestige and social status of researchers and young scientists, stimulate young researchers, introduce new forms of research infrastructure and grant financing in the context of our science integration into European research space, cooperation of academic and university science.
2. It will be not easy to get a grant
The main aim of creation National Research Fund is a financial support of scientific investigations and development of logistical support of researches, organization of conferences, symposiums, probation periods for scientific workers, science popularization. Fund will give grants – collective, individual and institutional.
The law maintains system of National Academy of Sciences and national branch academies, democratizes procedures of electing heads, and gives the right to vote to academicians, corresponding members and representatives of collective scientific establishments.
3. Bureaucracy will be overcome
A lot of attention will be paid to mechanisms, directed towards maintaining and intensification of remaining in Ukraine scientific potential, and bureaucratic procedures elimination, which prevent science’s development. The law anticipates flexible and distant schedules of working hours in scientific establishments, social protection of scientific workers during their scientific mission, in particular, long-term. Scientific workers may increase qualification and have their probation period both abroad and in Ukraine without loss of length of service and working position.
4. Excessive “stability” harms science
Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine underlined: all these norms can be useful. But there is one condition: scientific community should display activity by offering innovations. We should get used that excessive “stability” harms science. All over the world, there arise new directions of investigations. Those structures that fulfilled their tasks transform into new perspective projects.
The main aim of international cooperation can be found in the principles of the law: integration of Ukraine into European Research Community, participation in programs of the EU in science and innovations.
In the end, Sergiy Kvit mentioned that tendency of reforms in Ukrainian science has begun and the law realization will give opportunity to focus on the most important directions of scientific investigations, create scientific centres, increase competitiveness, develop Ukrainian science for strong, advanced and prosperous Ukraine.
