President of the Academy of Sciences: scientists must earn themselves

The Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan in the international ranking rose by 200 points, stated at today's press conference, the president Akif Alizadeh. According to him, this was the result of scientific discoveries in the field of Arts and Sciences in 2014. However, the president did not specify what kind of international rating and what scientific achievements. He noted the need for the training of young staff,  and the solution of social problems of scientists  is  the construction of housing for them and raising their salaries.

He spoke in favor of flexible forms of research funding, signing contracts with business structures, and other forms of extra-budgetary funding. At the same time, Alizadeh gave a strange answer to the question from Turan of how much money  have been allocated for science in the state budget? The academician said that scientists do not have to sit and wait how much money they will be given,  they must earn themselves. "Today, scientists want an innovative development of science,"  he said.

The President could not answer the question of how many articles of Azerbaijani scientists were  published in foreign journals "A" class, how often the employees of the Academy  are quoted in international scientific journals? He did not answer the question of what discoveries by  scientists have found application in industry and other sectors as payback funds invested in science? He did not respond to the question of what achievements  can be a talk under the allocation of 1% of the state budget for science.

Instead, he said that this year for the first time on the basis of seven institutes of the Academy will be a organized an admittance to the  Masters in linguistics, anthropology, theoretical and physical mathematics, geology, chemical genetics, molecular biology, plant selection.)

At the same time, dramatically reduced admission to the doctoral program, and this year the  admittance totaled 100-120. Alizadeh considers it necessary to make every effort to train scientists, ranging from schools and high schools. By convention in the Ministry of Education, in two high schools, starting with 6th grade teaching will lead scientists of the Academy, he said.

Alizadeh has supported reforms in the education system, in which there are significant shortcomings and problems. "In particular, the Bologna system in our country is not fully perceived. In many countries in  constructive changes have been made in the education  system, but we immediately passed from the  Soviet system  to Bologna, which is very difficult," he said.

He further said  that from now  Gold Medal for Achievement in  science will be awarded. " There will  two medals - one  for the Azerbaijani scientists, and the other  for foreign,"  he said.

The work of the Academy  library will be restructured, and new legal collections will be prepared. -03C-