The circumstances developed in such a way that the scientists of the country have been in the state of extensive research during the last month. Scientific research, of course; moreover…
The youth, seeking to manifest themselves in science, have been active these days. Uzbekistan has implemented a special “Academic activity” program since the last year aimed at supporting young researchers getting trained as senior fellow students (Doctorate) under the regional higher educational institutions and research establishments. Under the program conditions, they may get a government grant for a period of one year on account of which will be covered internship expenses at the leading laboratories of the capital city.
The only limitation is that the internship should take place at one of the 40 laboratories of research establishments and higher educational institutions designated by the Committee for Coordination of the Development of Science and Technologies. This is the way the development of the most demanded branches of science is being carried out in the country. The list of all laboratories has been published at the Committee’s official site.
“18 applications had been submitted last year, and the authors of each of them found support. More than 300 million soums in total were channeled for financing this program, i.e. depending on their personal expenses every participant received about 15-20 million soums,” commented on head of the Committee department Ashiraf Muhammadiyev. “This year we intend to support three times more young applicants. It would be desirable however, that the young people are more active in their aspirations. We are looking for a competition, which will enable to select and support those researchers, who raise the most relevant scientific topics.”
Two major institutions have taken shape in the course of reforming the national science, which determine its overall efficiency. One of them is a competitive system of financing scientific research activities, while the other one is the Republican Fair of innovative ideas, technologies and projects held on an annual basis, where, as a rule, are supported scientific developments elaborated within the framework of scientific-technical programs.
The competitive system of election assumes that the government sets the main directions along which the society needs some developments through the formation of scientific-technical programs, and invites researchers to take part in the development of those research topics. This year, the committee announced a competition of fundamental, applied, innovative and scientific projects. And today, scientists pore over their projects to get the treasured financial support and thus implement their ideas.
“The projects already submitted and applications for consultations, which the researchers ask for suggest that integration between specialists of different scientific institutions has intensified this year,” Ashiraf Mukhammaduyev says. “They join their efforts in an attempt to tackle the most complex and science-intensive tasks.”
And yet one more reason for concern displayed by our scientists is the fact that the Committee on Coordination the development of science and technologies had started preparation for the jubilee 10th Republican Fair of innovative ideas and technologies, which is planned to be held in spring 2017. The scientists had to present their applications for participation in it with provision of their scientific developments, which they plan to display at the Fair.
“The objective now is to select out the most relevant and promising applications. I can already tell you that only a third of presented developments will be selected for the exhibition,” said Yanvar Khojayev. “We would be pleased to display them all, but the exhibition space is limited, hence only the “hottest developments”, which are currently being defined by the expert group, will get tickets to the Fair. Special attention in forming the exposition will be paid to energy and resource saving technologies, utilization of renewable sources of energy and supporting the endowed youth.”
