The Ukrainian government announced its intention to reform the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine in December 2023 to modernize and improve the efficiency of its activities. However, to date, according to official sources, no significant changes have been implemented in the work of the NAS.
Currently, the highest state scientific organization of Ukraine is in deep stagnation, eating up a large amount of budget funds. Unfortunately, for more than 10 years, Ukraine has practically not been able to boast of significant scientific achievements. The war only accelerated the process of degradation of national science. Scientists, like everyone else, are also forced to fight.
Just yesterday, a prominent engineer from the Institute of Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences, Serhiy Cherednyk, died at the front. This man could probably have brought more benefit to his country in the scientific field. But it's not for the children of deputies and oligarchs to fight, is it?
According to the data at our disposal, in 2023, UAH 4 billion 564 million was allocated for financing from the general fund of the state budget of the NAS, which is UAH 544 million (10.7%) less than the corresponding amount in 2022. Funding for scientific and educational activities was reduced by 10%, and funding under the "Healthcare" section was reduced by 26.8%.
Under the main budget program “Scientific and scientific and technical activities of scientific institutions of the NAS”, funding for the Academy’s statutory activities was reduced by 9.2%, and under the budget program “Support for priority areas of scientific research” – by 19.9%. Under this program, the reduction is due to the fact that no capital expenditures for the purchase of scientific equipment were planned in 2023.
The total basic funding of the Academy's institutions had to be reduced by 9% in 2023. In addition, the moratorium on targeted scientific research programs of the NAS of Ukraine was also extended in 2023.
During 2023, the NAS of Ukraine received 6 billion 25 million UAH from all sources of funding. However, 6 billion did not go to the development of science. 4 billion 586 million UAH was spent on paying salaries (77.3% of all expenses). Another 94.2 million UAH was spent on paying scholarships to postgraduate students, doctoral students, and young scientists. The average monthly salary at the Academy was 11,974.0 UAH. The NAS of Ukraine institutions spent 414.3 million UAH on paying for utilities and energy. Another 180 million UAH was spent on paying for communication services, Internet access, security, etc. A total of 197.1 million UAH was spent on purchasing items, materials, equipment, and inventory. 235.6 million UAH was spent on purchasing instruments and equipment. At the same time, the last two items were mostly taken from the special fund of the NAS, which is formed from foreign aid.
Moreover, as already noted above, the average salary at the NAS turned out to be much lower than in other sectors of the economy and industry in Ukraine. Simply put, no one wants to develop science in the country and work in this area for meager pay.
Thus, the country has a situation where there is a scientific body that annually sucks out 6 billion UAH. But it has not produced any results.
