Lukashenko on scientific research and Sisyphean labour
In the new five-year period, science should be practice-oriented, focused on the same result as the country’s economy, President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko noted during today’s meeting with the working group to analyse the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) activities
The Head of State named a number of problems in the NAS activities, while noting that they apply both to the State Committee for Science and Technology (SCST) and to sectoral ministries. The President rightly asked about the co-ordinating and managing role of the SCST, for which the committee was established, and dwelt on this point, “The analysis of scientific programmes shows that ministries do not actually participate in them. They are practically absent among the customers. And this is a colossal shortcoming of the Government. Do industries have no demand for scientific development? How could it be assumed that the most demanded, most state-funded areas, such as drones, space, digital and biotechnology, are literally given over to the Academy of Sciences? The NAS is its own customer, executor and controller. How can we do in these areas without practitioners who understand exactly what the economy needs? That is why it turns out that there is neither result nor blame.”
“Research for the sake of research, if it does not meet the country’s development objectives, is Sisyphean labour. We have repeatedly approached the question of how to ensure that the scientific sphere produces results that meet the demands of the real sector of the economy. It is time, finally, to work out concrete measures. In the new five-year period, science in all its forms — academic, sectoral, university – should be practice-oriented, focused on the same result as the country’s economy,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised.
The second report of the working group to analyse the NAS activities with proposals to improve its work has been submitted to the Head of State for consideration. The group is a permanent one to analyse every layer in the NAS organisation and activities. The working group consists of specialists from the scientific environment who are able to understand the problems with expertise.
Starting the discussion, the Belarusian leader asked to voice specific proposals, which should be implemented in practice, take into account the current situation in domestic science and prospects for its development, “I emphasise once again that today’s meeting will smoothly flow into an academic meeting with the invitation of members of the Government, SCST and others to make a final decision on how we will continue to live, how we will develop our academic science.”
