MINSK, 6 December (BelTA) - Belarus has reserves for increasing the science intensity of GDP, Chairman of the Belarusian State Committee for Science and Technology Sergei Shlychkov said at a press conference on 5 December, BelTA has learned.
“Science intensity of Belarus’ GDP amounted to 0.58% in 2023 (0.47% in 2022). What is the reserve for increasing this indicator? These are the industries and types of economic activity that have not yet fully built the model of scientific, scientific-technical and innovation activity. All our industries have at least a few projects. But we see the most developed and tested model in the system of the Industry Ministry. Science intensity by industry is the ratio of expenditures on R&D to the amount of added value created. It amounted to 2.6% in the system of the Industry Ministry in 2023,” Sergei Shlychkov noted.
According to him, this shows that the science, which works for industry, is in constant development; its indicators are improving. “This is evidenced by the share of science-intensive projects. Five years ago the indicator was around 10-15%, now it is 55-65% of projects related to technologies of higher technological paradigms. They generate up to 85% of the volume of shipped products in monetary terms,” he noted.
“As for the industries that have underperformed in this regard, we consider them as a reserve for the growth of science intensity of GDP. We have drawn up our comprehensive forecast of Belarus’ scientific and technological progress for 2026-2030 and for the period up to 2045. They can use it as a source of project ideas. From our point of view, it is the basis for the growth of the science intensity of GDP. But this is not an end in itself, the priority is the growth of economic sectors and types of economic activity,” Sergei Shlychkov сoncluded.
