In December 2023, the Ukrainian government announced its intention to reform the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine in order to modernize and increase the efficiency of its activities. However, to date, according to official sources, no significant changes have been implemented in the work of the National Academy of Sciences.
Currently, the highest state scientific organization of Ukraine is in deep stagnation, consuming a large amount of budget funds. Unfortunately, for more than 10 years, Ukraine practically cannot boast of significant scientific achievements. The war only accelerated the process of degradation of national science. Scientists, like the rest, are also forced to fight.
Only yesterday, Serhiy Cherednyk, an outstanding engineer of the Institute of Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, died at the front. Probably, this person could bring more benefit to his country in the scientific field. But the children of deputies and oligarchs should not fight, right?
According to the data at our disposal, in 2023, 4 billion 564 million UAH were allocated for financing from the general fund of the NAS state budget, which is 544 million UAH (10.7%) less than the corresponding amount in 2022. Financing of scientific and educational activities was reduced by 10%, and financing under the section "Health care" - by 26.8%.
According to the main budget program "Scientific and scientific and technical activities of scientific institutions of the NAS", the funding of the statutory activities of the Academy was reduced by 9.2%, and according to the budget program "Support of priority areas of scientific research" - by 19.9%. According to this program, the reduction is due to the fact that in 2023, capital expenditures for the purchase of scientific equipment were not planned.
The total basic funding of Academy institutions in 2023 had to be reduced by 9%. In addition, the moratorium on target scientific research programs of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was also extended in 2023.
During 2023, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine received 6 billion 25 million UAH from all sources of funding. However, 6 billion went far beyond the development of science. UAH 4 billion 586 million (77.3% of all expenditures) were spent on salary payments. Another UAH 94.2 million was allocated to the payment of scholarships to post-graduate students, doctoral students, as well as young scientists. The average monthly salary at the Academy was UAH 11,974.0. 414.3 million hryvnias were spent on the payment of utilities and energy carriers by the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Another UAH 180 million was spent on communication services, Internet access, security, etc. A total of UAH 197.1 million was spent on the purchase of objects, materials, equipment and inventory. UAH 235.6 million was spent on the purchase of devices and equipment. At the same time, the last two items were mostly taken from the special fund of the National Academy of Sciences, which is formed from foreign aid.
Moreover, as already noted above, the average salary at the National Academy of Sciences turned out to be much lower than in other branches of the economy and industry in Ukraine. Simply put, no one wants to develop science in the country and work in this field for a meager salary.
Thus, the country has a situation where there is a scientific body that siphons 6 billion hryvnias each year. But he never gave any results.
