December 12, Vice Rector for Research, Honored Scientist of Ukraine, three times winner of the State Prize in Science and Technology of the USSR, the Ukrainian SSR and NAS of Ukraine academician M.U. Ilchenko had an extended meeting with the members of the Council of young scientists at the MES and the Council of Young Scientists NTUU "KPI". It was held the familiarization of researchers with experience in organizing youth science at our university. At the same time, there was the discussion of the topical issues of the science in Ukraine and the participation of young scientists in the development of the scientific sphere of the state. We publish here the report of M.U. Ilchenko.
The experience of the Kyiv Polytechnic
More than 1,100 young scientists, including 5 doctors and 277 candidates of sciences under the age of 35 years in full-time positions in scientific units, are working successfully in our university. They perform relevant research and innovative projects, actively participate in international, Ukrainian, regional, inter-university conferences, exhibitions, where they present the results of their research on actual problems of modern science, and practical developments in the field of technical, educational, economic research innovation.
Pleased to note that of the 40 prizes of the President of Ukraine for Young Scientists 2013 three prizes were awarded to young scientists of our university. Total since 2007, when the KPI was granted the status of a research university, 14 University scientists under the age of 35 years became the winners of this prize. In 2014, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine awarded the best scientific work of 3 of our young scientists and 7 students.
Among the new forms of organization and promotion of youth science in the KPI it should be noted the creation of an innovative environment based on our research park and annual competitions of innovative projects, whose authors are young scientists, students and pupils - members of the Minor Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. This year the winners were 14 projects which authors to create their startups received financial support of business, venture capital funds in the amount of more than 23 million UAH.
Rectorate of the University for eight consecutive years provides support and encouragement of scientific activity of young teachers in the frame of the annual contest in the category of "young teacher-researcher." In 2013 the competition was attended by 44 people under the age of 35 years. The Academic Council defined 25 young teachers as the winners who during 2014 received a 20 percent premium to the basic salary.
Today the rector's office is working to solve problems of increasing the efficiency of post-graduate training, in particular rotation of heads of departments and adding to the leadership of graduate young scientists. We make a proposal to the Ministry to change some of the requirements for the competitive selection of state-funded research topics, in particular a reduction of requirements for the previously obtained results with the authors of the projects so that young scientists as the leaders could win contests. Our young people receive adequate English language and vocational training to enable them to increase the participation in competitions and receive grants of various international programs and projects, in particular the "Horizon 2020".
We moved on to the program-target formation of scientific subjects University within 8 scientific and technical programs of the University, which included research on sustainable development, information technology, energy efficiency, materials science, in the post-treatment, medical engineering, building systems and special dual-use space technology . Youth involvement in the implementation of these programs as the most promising areas of research activities is the key to their success adequate. Just one example. As part of the space program, the youth of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has created the first Ukrainian university nano-satellite, which summarizes the results of the implementation of the 20 master's and 2 PhD theses and 19 June this year, he successfully has been launched into orbit. Results of the study of its operation that we get for the past six months, are used to create these designs nano-satellites, including commercial use.
World experience and problems of Ukraine
International experience shows that about 70% of the most cited publications belong to scientists under the age of 45 years. These publications relate primarily new areas of science and technology, research activity of which is natural. Therefore it is justified the concentration of capacity and resources to support the research work of talented young scientists. In EU countries the share of researchers under the age of 45 years is nearly two-thirds, while in Ukraine - less than half.
On the state of science in Ukraine, on which depends the scientific activities of young people, we must note that in our country since the first years of independence it has been created a situation in which science has been excluded from the state's priorities. This has led, in particular, to the fact that research intensity of gross domestic product in Ukraine has decreased to 0.7%, whereas in developed countries this figure reaches 60-80%. Therefore, because of this, for example, Ukraine buys the production of even the third technological level today in Belarus and the Russian Federation. For a military equipment that is much needed for successful operations in the area of ATO, we are forced to ask the most technologically advanced countries in Europe and the US, in which science has always been a priority in public policy. After all, a new competitive economy can only be built on the basis of scientific innovation.
In Ukraine, the warnings of prominent scientists and policy makers about the importance of science for the development of the state are systematically ignored. The latest example of this would be incompatible with the European experience initiative of the Ministry of Finance to withdraw the allocation of 1.7% of GDP on science, which in practice is equal only 0.3%. And this despite the fact that the amount of taxes to the budgets of various levels of the scientific sphere is comparable to the budget funds for the science of the country. Only 10% of these funds are spent on science in universities - and it is about 300 million UAH. State approach requires to take into account that the reduction of the share of funding for science in the universities will inevitably lead to further destruction of scientific schools of universities, the reduction of academic staff members of the university, the termination of research aimed at increasing the state's defense, the problems of import substitution and formation of a new higher education content. After that we cannot speak about our movement in Europe anymore - their science is concentrated in the universities!
In recent years, scientists, teachers and employers-production workers are also concerned that the formation of a new List of special education training and scientific specialties, developed MES, provides integration engineer, reducing them to only one educational field. Experts believe this initiative unacceptable for Ukraine as a diversified industrial state.
Youth's science
Science in universities has the ability to increase its capacity by attracting talented young people to it. The problem of replenishment of young scientists is one of the most pressing in academic environments.
Preparing a decent scientific youth is the national problem. Of course, understanding that at the state level prompted the introduction of a number of incentives to encourage young scientists. Among them, the annual awards and grants the President of Ukraine for young scientists, encouraging at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. But this is not enough, and many capable young people leaving academic institutions and universities, going abroad, because they do not see any possibility to realize themselves in this field at home. Therefore, in Ukraine should be to establish an effective mechanism of social support for young scientists to address housing issues and decent wages, at least for it at least in the future, even in the current difficult economic conditions must inform the authorities.
It is time to initiate the formation in a new parliament youth scientifically oriented lobby with a view to improving the legislative public policy regarding the role of science and innovation in Ukraine, because today the people in the top echelons of power or ignore science, or talk about it in the negative aspects.
The active life position of young scientists, we are seeing lately, adds optimism. In particular, in our university, it is created a Council of young scientists, which aims to promote research, innovation and creative activities for young scientists, their representation, protection and realization of professional, intellectual property rights, the promotion of young scientists Interuniversity integration. The youth is more interested today live in a safe, just and humane world because begins to plan and build their own future as well as the future of independent Ukraine. This is evidenced, in particular, the constructive proposals of the Council of Young Scientists of the University.
The future of Ukrainian science and the way of Ukraine to the United Europe depends on the extent of involvement of the scientific and organizational activities of the talented youth. These are European approaches to science which must be implemented in our country - this also applies to state support for science and adequate respect for scientists - seeker of new knowledge and practical application of this knowledge as the basis for the formation of a new competitive economy. Implementation of this - the work of primarily new generation of talented young people. Therefore, Ukraine's path towards a united Europe should lay primarily by the intellectual youth. I wish you success in this way, dear young colleagues.