PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF ARMENIA CONCERNED OVER ‘FINANCIAL’ FUTURE OF ARMENIAN SCIENCE

ArmInfo
2009-11-04 16:28:00

ArmInfo. Science Development Strategy in Armenia for 2020 will be
discussed at the National Academy of Science (NAS) on December 4.

NAS President Radik Martirosyan said in a press conference at
the National Press Club on Wednesday that the Strategy suggests
increasing the share of science in GDP to 2% instead of the present
0.2%. The share of science in the budgetary expenditure is less than
1%, NAS president said. He highlighted that financing of science in
Armenia is far behind not only developed states (France and Sweden
where share of science in GDP is 4%) but also neighboring Georgia and
Azerbaijan where this figure is 0.5% of GDP. In Europe the government
provides over 100,000 euros per every scientist whereas in Armenia
this financing makes up just 3,000. Whether the country will reach
the indicators set forth in the Science Development Strategy in 11
is not clear even for the NAS President. "Such documents are often
declarative," he admitted. Despite little financing, science keeps on
stability developing in the country, R. Martirosyan said. The most
significant results have been registered in physics, astrophysics
and biology. R. Martirosyan highlighted that scientists are actively
establishing contacts with their foreign colleagues. For instance, an
agreement has been recently achieved with France for provision of 10
grants and establishment of 3 joint labs for research in the sphere of
physics, geology and ethnography. A total of 52 international programs
were implemented in Armenia in 2008 and a total of $5 million grants
were provided for 2005-2008.

The state budget allocated 8.3 billion drams (over $27 million)
for science in Armenia in 2009.