Priority areas are extended for a year
The current priority areas for the development of science and technology and the priority areas for innovation have been extended to 2022. Verkhovna Rada approved relevant bill № 6445 last week.
A week earlier, a regular meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Innovation considered the implementation of the laws of Ukraine “On Priorities for Science and Technology” and “On Priority Areas for Innovation in Ukraine” in terms of forming relevant priorities. The above-mentioned bill should resolve the situation resulting from the fact that the Cabinet of Ministers has not yet submitted to Parliament draft laws aimed at updating priority areas that expired in 2021. It should be noted that a year ago the Parliament followed the same path and extended the priority areas to 2021.
As of the end of January 2022, some budget programs could not be financed due to the lack of priority areas for the development of science and technology and innovation approved by the applicable legislation. Serhiy Babak, the Chairman of the Committee, reminded about it. In particular, it is referred to supporting the priority areas of research and scientific and technical (experimental) developments in higher education institutions, as well as the budget program to support the priority areas of research of the National Academy of Sciences. The implementation of grant support for scientific research by the National Research Foundation is also under threat, as the Foundation must also implement this support in the context of the priority areas of science and innovation identified in the legislation.
Serhiy Babak suggested in the Committee’s decision to recommend the Cabinet of Ministers to pay attention to the need to implement Article 20 of the Law of Ukraine “On Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activities” on the work of the National Council for Science and Technology Development because the issue of forming the priorities of the state is its direct obligation.
In addition, the Committee decided to announce the unsatisfactory state of implementation of the laws “On priority areas of science and technology” and “On priority areas of innovation in Ukraine”, which negatively affected the state of national scientific and technological potential, national security and the economy as a whole.
The Cabinet of Ministers is recommended to take urgent measures to organize and prepare priority areas for the development of science and technology, priority areas for innovation and to submit appropriate proposals to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine by March 1, 2022.
In the Council of Presidents of Academies
The Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine hosted the first meeting of the Council of Presidents of the Academies of Sciences of Ukraine this year. Academician Anatoliy Zagorodniy, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, chaired the meeting. This was reported by the Press Service of the Academy.
President of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences Yaroslav Gadzalo, President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, academician Vitaliy Tsymbalyuk, President of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences Vasyl Kremen, President of the National Academy of Legal Sciences Oleksandr Petryshyn, President of the National Academy of Arts Andriy Chebykin, Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences, Executive Secretary of the Council Vyacheslav Bogdanov took part in the meeting.
The meeting participants considered and discussed the draft Law of Ukraine “On the basic principles of formation and implementation of priority areas of scientific, scientific-technical and innovative activities in Ukraine” (№6418). Given the need for significant revision of the bill, as well as the need for existing priorities for science and technology, the Council of Presidents of Academies of Sciences supported the draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Priorities for Science and Technology and Innovation” (№ 6445) in order to extend the validity of priority areas of science and technology development and the priority areas of innovation in Ukraine until the end of 2022.
Vasyl Kremen informed the meeting in detail about the results of the implementation in 2021 of the Program of Joint Activities of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine for 2020-2022. The participants of the meeting praised its results and called for the formation of similar programs of joint activities of the National Academy and national branch academies of sciences of Ukraine.
The meeting also considered the state of readiness of the education system to implement countermeasures and overcome real and potential threats to national security and national interests of Ukraine in the face of external and internal challenges. Taking into account that today the development of science and technology is one of the key factors in ensuring economic, energy, biological and military security of the State, the participants expressed the opinion that it would be worth developing an Action Program to preserve and develop human scientific and technological potential of Ukraine.
Anatoliy Zagorodniy reminded that in accordance with Article 17 of the Law of Ukraine “On Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activity” there is an Interdepartmental Council for Coordination of Basic and Applied Research in Ukraine at the NAS of Ukraine, formed by the NAS of Ukraine together with the Ministry of Education of Ukraine and national branch academies of sciences of Ukraine, which promotes the development of basic research and the effective use of their results in applied research and scientific and technical developments in the priority areas of science and technology. Based on the results of the discussion, a decision was made on the need to prepare and hold the first meeting of the reshaped Council, as well as to provide the national branch academies of sciences of Ukraine with a list of issues to be considered at future meetings of the Interdepartmental Council.
Cooperation between the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine
In the building of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Presidents of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Anatoliy Zagorodniy and the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine Oleksandr Nakonechny signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two Academies.
The event was also attended by Vice President of the NAS of Ukraine, Academician of the NAS of Ukraine Vyacheslav Koshechko, Vice President of the NAS of Ukraine, Academician of the NAS of Ukraine Serhiy Pyrozhkov, First Vice President, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Maksym Strikha, Chief Academic Secretary, Academician Anatoliy Veklych, and Academician of the NAS of Ukraine and honorary academician of the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine Viktor Grinchenko.
Opening the signing ceremony, Anatoliy Zagorodniy stressed that the NAS of Ukraine appreciates the contribution of scientists from the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine (among which there are many academicians and corresponding members of the NAS) to the development of Ukrainian science, social activism of the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Nakonechny said that the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine, founded 30 years ago, now unites more than 400 leading scientists, Doctors of Sciences and professors who represent all fields of knowledge and work in all university centers of the country. The Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine is a co-organizer of numerous international and national conferences. Academician Nakonechny invited Anatoliy Zagorodniy to take part in the traditional XIX Academic readings in memory of the founder of the Academy of Higher Education Sciences V.I. Strikha, which will take place on February 12.
Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Vyacheslav Koshechko stressed the importance of cooperation between the two academies in training scientific youth. Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Serhiy Pyrozhkov stressed the successful cooperation of academic and university scholars, in particular, on the preparation and adoption in 2019 of a new version of the Ukrainian spelling. Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Honorary Academician of the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine Viktor Hrinchenko shared his memories of long-term friendship and scientific discussions with V.I. Strikha, emphasizing that more than ever, today science needs protection.
Maksym Strikha, First Vice-President of the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine, stressed that today the Academy of Higher Education Sciences is an extremely strong scientific community that is not bound by state status, so it can respond quickly and boldly to all events of educational, scientific and public life. Anatoliy Veklych, Chief Academic Secretary of the Academy of Higher Education Sciences of Ukraine, spoke about the cooperation between university and academic scientists, recalling that in the 1990s Anatoliy Zagorodniy read a course in plasma physics at the Department of Physical Electronics of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University.
The signed Memorandum states that the parties will coordinate their actions to develop cooperation in science and higher education, will build their relations on the basis of partnership and creation of a regime of maximum assistance and ensure openness and transparency of their activities.
To increase Ukraine’s defense capabilities
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine have concluded the Agreement on scientific and scientific-technical cooperation on the State’s defense capabilities. The document aims to ensure the practical use in the Armed Forces of Ukraine of the results of defense research and scientific developments of the Academy in the field of technical, natural and socio-humanitarian sciences. This was reported by the Press Service of the NAS.
On behalf of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Agreement was signed by President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Anatoliy Zagorodniy and First Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Volodymyr Horbulin, and on behalf of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – by Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
During the signing of the agreement, Anatoliy Zagorodniy noted that the Academy has never stood aside from issues related to strengthening the State’s defense capabilities and security. In particular, during 2015-2021, more than 130 research works were performed within the framework of targeted scientific and technical programs of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on defense research. The results of a lot of them have already been implemented, others are being implemented or tested.
Anatoliy Zagorodniy stressed that the signed Agreement will help expand cooperation between scientists and the military, and, especially, ensure the implementation of the results of defense research and development of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He noted that it would be advisable to include research defense work, which includes the results of work of scientists of the Academy, in the State Targeted Defense Program for the development of armaments and military equipment until 2026. The President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine stressed that some of the results of research and defense work of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine need to be tested and scientists are counting on the help of relevant units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Prize for popularization of science
The new prize of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine – “For the Promotion of Science” – will be awarded annually to the media and their representatives, scientists and organizers of independent projects for the best material on the achievements of scientists, research institutions and NAS of Ukraine as a whole, and on science promotion and raising the prestige of the scientific profession in Ukraine. The decision to establish the award, according to the Press Service of the Academy, was made at a meeting of the Presidium of the NAS on January 26.
The award will be given in one of the following nominations:
– the best popular science publication (series of publications) on scientific developments and achievements, problems of science development, and (or) publication of periodical printed / electronic media about science (magazines, newspapers, Internet sites registered as media, scientific sections of the media);
– the best program about science (radio and (or) TV projects that were broadcast on radio, television and (or) Internet broadcasting), popular science film;
– the best scientific and educational project of the year (museum, exhibition, festival projects, lectures, research cafes, special (thematic) online projects, projects on social networks, podcasts, bloggers’ projects, projects of other formats involving the general public (adults, children and schoolchildren, students) to the achievements of science through public events).
The winners of the Prize will be awarded the Diploma and the cash prize at the annual session of the General Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
The page was prepared by Dmytro SHULIKIN