Reforming science in Russia through the eyes of youth

Abstract

The article is devoted to elucidating the spectrum of opinions of young (up to 35 years old) employees of the Scientific Research Institute of Scientific Centers of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk) about the radical reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences, science as a profession, its place and role in the country, and the value of fundamental science. The bulk of the respondents were chairmen and active members of the Councils of young scientists of institutes. The evidence of serious claims presented by scientific youth to the current style of leadership of science by the state is shown, it is shown that with the transfer of control levers to the hands of the Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (FANO), this problem has not lost its relevance, in particular, the results show a high degree of dissatisfaction young people the established practice of budget financing of scientific research, which is characterized primarily by the instability of the receipt of funds. It is shown that for scientific youth the problem of stability, predictability of the situation, the possibility of deep planning of the research horizon is no less important than for senior colleagues. A significant proportion of respondents radically assessed thesituation inside the RAS. Recognizing the undoubted importance of the Academy of Sciences for the development and organization of scientific research, young scientists insisted on the need for academic science to meet the time, timely and adequately responding to all kinds of challenges. It was this Academy of Sciences, in their opinion, that was not enough, which became one of the most important prerequisites for reform. Assessing the criteria and mechanisms for assessing the intensity and effectiveness of scientific work (from science as a whole to a specific institute and an individual scientist), young researchers also expressedwell-grounded claims, emphasizing the dominance of formal scientometric indicators in post-reform Russian science. Assessing the relevance of the task of rejuvenating science, noticeable personnel shifts, many respondents recognized its importance; at the same time, in their opinion, such a task was not in the spotlight. Young employees of academic research institutes did not support the widespread opinion about the sharp activation of scientific emigration among young people in connection with the reform. In general, the scientific youth, when assessing the prospects of both science in Russia as a whole and their own, expressedcautious optimism.