MINSK, 7 April (BelTA) – Scientific accomplishments fail to provide the full effect for the national economy. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement in his speech during the government conference held in the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on 7 April to discuss problems and prospects of developing Belarusian science, BelTA has learned.
The head of state underlined that a lot of problems had been accumulated in Belarusian science and had to be addressed. In particular, he pointed out the inertia and cumbersomeness of the structure of Belarusian science, including the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. He also said the academy plays an insufficient role in the strategic planning and administration of the entire science. Apart from that, the head of state drew attention to the low knowledge content in the gross domestic product. There are also problems with the uneven distribution of money from the national centralized innovation fund. The problems raised by Alexander Lukashenko during the conference included the lack of significant, major government contracts on buying R&D and innovative products.
The head of state mentioned problems in scientific research and development projects and problems with assimilating R&D products into the production sector and the social sphere.
Alexander Lukashenko said he believes that the number of cutting-edge R&D products is insufficient. He drew attention to the frequently formalistic attitudes to compiling scientific research and R&D programs. Alexander Lukashenko also mentioned the lack of balance in the financing of state scientific and technical programs. The head of state also believes that the operation of scientific institutions of the social and humanitarian kind is ineffective.
Among other problems the president touched upon problems with the innovative development of the national economy. Alexander Lukashenko mentioned the low level of innovation-driven development of the production sector, the low effectiveness of government programs on innovative development. Alexander Lukashenko also spoke at length about the need to rejuvenate Belarusian science.
“Scientific accomplishments fail to provide the full effect for the production sector and the social sphere. They don't represent the key factor in the country's economic growth,” concluded the head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko explained that he had pointed out the problems in Belarusian science in order to steer the discussion away from self-glorification towards what needs to be fixed. In particular, it is necessary to work out concrete proposals to develop the scientific sphere starting with the personnel training system and ending with the assimilation of R&D results into the economy and the social sphere.
