Official and academics discover extra 135 billion grant money

The Director General of the Russian Science Foundation, speaking to academicians on December 27, said that, according to the approved program of the foundation’s activities for 2023-2025, the government plans to allocate 122.6 billion rubles for scientific research (40.2 billion for 2023, 39, 7 for 2024 and 42.7 for 2025).

“Of course, there is a sequester here, compared to what was received earlier from the Russian Science Foundation and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research,” Khlunov made a reservation, citing the fact that “a number of events went to the ministry’s site.”

So, according to the Director General of the Russian Science Foundation, next year the allocated amount – 40.2 billion rubles – will be divided among 10 thousand scientific projects. Who will receive funding? Initiative and scientific groups of young scientists, just individual scientific groups will receive from 1.5 to 7 million rubles with a period of work for several years, leading laboratories – up to 30 million rubles, scientists who have proposed projects for mega-installations available in the country, such as a synchrotron – up to 7 million, laboratories in the field of genetics – up to 32 million…

Taking into account the situation that has changed in the country, due to the fact that, according to Khlunov, “there are more prominent needs” of an industrial nature, a new law was signed that expanded the powers of his foundation. Starting from the new year, the RSF becomes not only a fund for supporting projects in the fundamental field of scientific activity, but also is entitled to the same support in the field of development work (or R&D).

However, despite the fact that there is a whole list of priority areas: microelectronics, medicine, agriculture, genetic resources, climate, and laboratory equipment, the scientific and technical council (STC) in the fund is formed so far only for the needs of microelectronics. And for her, as it turned out, real money has not yet been allocated.

– In principle, the government has a financial resource, it is large, but the performers refuse it, – said Alexander Vitalyevich. – We bypassed the microelectronics enterprises, there are not so many of them, they are based in four places. But the implementation of the work is connected with the mechanisms that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has traditionally used – these are subsidies, returnable subsidies …

In other words, scientists understand that it is a very risky thing to undertake the preparation of experimental design work, with a large financial resource and within a specific timeframe, without R&D (research stage).

In this regard, according to Khlunov, on the basis of the fund, it is still planned to allow scientists to carry out search work before the R & D (something like R & D – research work), which will start with separate grants for 1-2 years. According to the law on science, failure to achieve a result after this preliminary stage will not be “punished”, but starting from OKRs, they will be asked in full.

In principle, as Academician Yevgeny Kablov, a member of the Presidium, noted, such a reasonable system for a smooth transition of developers from R&D to R&D existed under the USSR. And now, it turns out, time forced to “implement” it back.

However, claims arose against Alexander Khlunov. In particular, the Chairman of the Siberian Branch of the RAS Valentin Parmon was dissatisfied with the expert activities of the RSF, which does not take into account the opinions of regional experts from the SB RAS.

To this, Khlunov replied that the regional authorities have money (not so long ago they were given the authority to finance science), so let them conduct their own competitions.

– And Andrei Alexandrovich (Fursenko – Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Science Foundation – author) does not need to write these slanderers, Khlunov added. – He doesn’t understand very clearly what he stands for. If he wants to rely on local scientists, this is one competition, if he needs a federal site, another competition.

Gennady Krasnikov, who considers expert activity to be the most important function of the Academy, asked Khlunov how the Russian Academy of Sciences participates in determining the policy of financing work and forming the scientific and technical council of the foundation?

Here (in this hall) there are members of expert councils, all chairmen of expert councils and all heads of sections – all members of the RAS. And I’m not very …, the very formulation of the question – it is incorrect, – answered Khlunov, allegedly not understanding the true meaning of Krasnikov’s words. – As a rule, expert councils consist of actively working scientists, corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. But of course, we have a board of trustees, this is a kind of fund government, and there is a quota for the vice president … we are ready to see the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences in this quota. This will be the official representation of the academy in the government of the Russian Science Foundation.

– Thank you very much, – Gennady Yakovlevich seemed satisfied, – I only have a request, Alexander Vitalyevich, not to judge whether the question is correct or not, it’s like … not your position .. Let’s applaud Alexander Vitalyevich.

When Khlunov left the podium, Krasnikov clarified his question:

– This is not the first time I have met with such a position – this happened both in the VAK and in other Soviets. They tell me: “You have your own representatives, members of the academy in our council!”. And I answer: “As individuals, or as representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences? Because if an expert acts as a representative of the Academy, he must vote in accordance with the recommendation of our organization, and not as he pleases.

Further, the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences instructed the vice-presidents to develop instructions for such members of the expert council of the scientific foundation, and also asked, together with Khlunov, to consider all the possibilities for closer cooperation between the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Science Foundation. The President of the Academy explained this with logical considerations: if the RAS determines the main headings for funding the Federal Program for Fundamental Research until 2030, then its representative should participate in making similar decisions for the foundation.

The third question turned out to be related to… 135 billion grant money, which Alexander Khlunov mentioned during his report.

– Yesterday, during a meeting of the President’s Council (meaning the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education, which was held on December 26 – author), the Deputy Prime Minister announced the figure for financing the RSF fund – 40 billion, and in general, annual grant funding RF – 175 billion (!), – said Alexander Vitalyevich. – So, another 135 billion grant money diverge through various channels, distributed by the ministry and someone else. This is 3.5 times more money than our foundation spends on financing science.

– Prepare me a certificate about other funds that finance science, – Gennady Krasnikov ordered. – We need to see what other funds are available and how they are building relations with the Russian Academy of Sciences.