"A powerful scientific potential is required to ensure Armenia's security and sweeping development. This is possible only through increase of budget allocations to the science sector," Co-Founder and Technical Director at Robomart company Tigran Shahverdyan told a press conference on Monday.
Shahverdyan informed about the initiative "Power of Science" initiative aimed at boosting the development of science in Armenia. In his words, the time has come to make science attractive for youth, which in turn requires increase in salaries in the sector.
Founder of "EarlyOne" and "Limetech" companies Gevorg Safaryan, present at the press conference, nremarked that their demand is to increase the budget allocation for science by 50%. He insisted that the budgetary allocation for science should be fixed at 4% in the draft legislation of "Higher Education and Science" which is under consideration in the parliament.
"The increase in allocations should be implemented in stages. Our suggestion is to direct 2% of budget costs to funding the sphere in 2020 and later increase the amount to 3% in 2023. After this decision, the state should assume a commitment to ensure enough funding for the sphere, clarify and map the available resources in line with the adopted strategy. That is to say, we should understand what are the objectives we want to reach and have an idea about the outcomes. We should build a system and form a methodology for clear development that will enable to raise the efficiency of the funding," Gevorg Safaryan said.
CEO at Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) Raffi Kasarjyan, in turn, informed that previously budget allocations for education and science had been discussed and presented in one package, while for the 2021-2025 programme, they have separated the science sector as an individual strategic direction.
"We want the private sector, the state and scientific institutions work together and outline the problems the solution of which may become a major investment for the country. We believe that 4% of the state budget should be directed to science. The major challenge the sector faces is the lack of human capital. Thus, apart from the financial aspect, we should focus on the issue of human capital. Those students who graduate the university with excellence must be interested in working the science sector," said Raffi Kasarjyan.
