Comments on “Nature’s” journalism about Ukrainian science
Comments on “Nature’s” journalism about Ukrainian science
28 February 2019
28 February 2019
On February 11, 2019 one of the most known science journals “Nature” published an article “Ukraine’s science revolution stumbles five years on” (doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-00512-3) authored by Quirin Schiermeier.
On February 11, 2019 one of the most known science journals “Nature” published an article “Ukraine’s science revolution stumbles five years on” (doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-00512-3) authored by Quirin Schiermeier.
I was surprised to see such incomplete and to some extent inadequate picture of the state of Ukrainian science and science reforms presented to the “Nature’s” readers.
I was surprised to see such incomplete and to some extent inadequate picture of the state of Ukrainian science and science reforms presented to the “Nature’s” readers.
So, this a response to “Nature” in a form of comments to most important on my opinion quotations from the Quirin Schiermeier’s article.
So, this a response to “Nature” in a form of comments to most important on my opinion quotations from the Quirin Schiermeier’s article.
But first questions: Was a demonstration pictured on the beginning of the article staged for foreigners? Why the posters are in English?
But first questions: Was a demonstration pictured on the beginning of the article staged for foreigners? Why the posters are in English?
Quotation 1: “Ukraine’s science revolution stumbles five years on”
Quotation 1: “Ukraine’s science revolution stumbles five years on”
Comment: There was no science revolution in Ukraine. There was more like science evolution in a form of a new law "On Scientific and Scientific-Technological Activities" adopted in 2015. More about it was in previous issue (https://www.naukovinovyny.com/archive/2019/volume-1-issue-1). And there are no signs of stumbling at the moment. Just the implementation of the law is going slowly due to sluggish Ukrainian bureaucracy.
Comment: There was no science revolution in Ukraine. There was more like science evolution in a form of a new law "On Scientific and Scientific-Technological Activities" adopted in 2015. More about it was in previous issue (https://www.naukovinovyny.com/archive/2019/volume-1-issue-1). And there are no signs of stumbling at the moment. Just the implementation of the law is going slowly due to sluggish Ukrainian bureaucracy.
Briefly about the new law. It brought to existence government science advisory body National Rada of Ukraine for Science and Technology Development, half of which (Scientific Committee) is composed of ones of the best scientists of Ukraine selected by international experts. New law also legislatively created National Research Fund (NRF) which is on the final stages of formation now and it will be overlooked by Scientific Committee, which also has a function of identification (selection) committee for the governing body of the NRF. NRF according to the new law is supposed to transparently allocate funds for research on a competitive basis.
Briefly about the new law. It brought to existence government science advisory body National Rada of Ukraine for Science and Technology Development, half of which (Scientific Committee) is composed of ones of the best scientists of Ukraine selected by international experts. New law also legislatively created National Research Fund (NRF) which is on the final stages of formation now and it will be overlooked by Scientific Committee, which also has a function of identification (selection) committee for the governing body of the NRF. NRF according to the new law is supposed to transparently allocate funds for research on a competitive basis.
Untransparent and noncompetitive distribution of funds was and still is (because the NRF is not functioning yet) a main problem of Ukrainian science system.
Untransparent and noncompetitive distribution of funds was and still is (because the NRF is not functioning yet) a main problem of Ukrainian science system.
Quotation 2: “The initial aftermath was promising: the new government promised to revamp the country’s obsolete, Soviet-style science system, and to boost research and development expenditure.”
Quotation 2: “The initial aftermath was promising: the new government promised to revamp the country’s obsolete, Soviet-style science system, and to boost research and development expenditure.”
Comment: The Government of Ukraine can not and could not really change the science system. Change of the system required a change of basic legislation which was done by Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) in 2015 (see above). There was no promise to significantly boost science funding before the legislative changes are implemented. And it had no sense before that.
Comment: The Government of Ukraine can not and could not really change the science system. Change of the system required a change of basic legislation which was done by Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) in 2015 (see above). There was no promise to significantly boost science funding before the legislative changes are implemented. And it had no sense before that.
Quotation 3:“... relatively generous pot will not be enough for the academy’s institutes to buy modern research instruments, such as electron microscopes and spectrometry machines, without foreign aid.”
Quotation 3:“... relatively generous pot will not be enough for the academy’s institutes to buy modern research instruments, such as electron microscopes and spectrometry machines, without foreign aid.”
Comment: Low quality science made on modern equipment will not bring much fruit.
Comment: Low quality science made on modern equipment will not bring much fruit.
Quotation 4: “Patience is wearing thin, in particular among the country’s young scientists, who can barely get by on their scant salaries. PhD students in Ukraine get between 3,000 and 4,800 hryvnia a month, and even experienced researchers rarely earn more than 13,500 hryvnia per month.”
Quotation 4: “Patience is wearing thin, in particular among the country’s young scientists, who can barely get by on their scant salaries. PhD students in Ukraine get between 3,000 and 4,800 hryvnia a month, and even experienced researchers rarely earn more than 13,500 hryvnia per month.”
Comment: It is hard to comment on the phrase “patience is wearing thin”. Because the salaries in science in Ukraine are relatively low for the past about 25 years. And a reason for this is not only low funding but also overinflated number of PhD students and permanent positions in research institutions. And it is mentioned furter in the article.
Comment: It is hard to comment on the phrase “patience is wearing thin”. Because the salaries in science in Ukraine are relatively low for the past about 25 years. And a reason for this is not only low funding but also overinflated number of PhD students and permanent positions in research institutions. And it is mentioned furter in the article.
Quotation 5: “... academy launched a 1-million-hryvnia (37,000 USD; 32,250 EUR) programme for young researchers last year to prevent talent from leaving science or pursuing a career abroad.”
Quotation 5: “... academy launched a 1-million-hryvnia (37,000 USD; 32,250 EUR) programme for young researchers last year to prevent talent from leaving science or pursuing a career abroad.”
Comment:National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine is meant here. There are at least 3 more academies in Ukraine. In its statement regarding the Quirin Schiermeier’s article NAS noted the sum is about 27 time more (27 mln UAH or 1 mln USD), although this number could not be verified. But even if it is true, only yearly budget of the NAS governing body (Presidium of NAS) stuffed mostly with elderly people is about 100-million-hryvnia (3.7 mln USD, 3.3 mln EUR), i.e. about 4 times more. And its existence has almost no sense after formation according to a new law of the National Rada of Ukraine for Science and Technology Development. The above mentioned statement also noted that there are other mistakes about reorganization of NAS in the article.
Comment:National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine is meant here. There are at least 3 more academies in Ukraine. In its statement regarding the Quirin Schiermeier’s article NAS noted the sum is about 27 time more (27 mln UAH or 1 mln USD), although this number could not be verified. But even if it is true, only yearly budget of the NAS governing body (Presidium of NAS) stuffed mostly with elderly people is about 100-million-hryvnia (3.7 mln USD, 3.3 mln EUR), i.e. about 4 times more. And its existence has almost no sense after formation according to a new law of the National Rada of Ukraine for Science and Technology Development. The above mentioned statement also noted that there are other mistakes about reorganization of NAS in the article.
And remarks:
And remarks:
First: Writing about science reforms in Ukraine and not talking to current Education and Science minister Lilia Hrynevych, who was and still is one of the main engines of the science reform in this country, is at least not normal.
First: Writing about science reforms in Ukraine and not talking to current Education and Science minister Lilia Hrynevych, who was and still is one of the main engines of the science reform in this country, is at least not normal.
Second: It is Kyiv not Kiev (rusophonic name on the picture ‘Awaiting a science revolution’). It is a capital of Ukraїna. Internationally known anglophonic name Ukraine will most probably be also the thing of the past in the near future. Because Ukraїna belongs neither to England nor to Rossia (Russia is also an anglophonic name).
Second: It is Kyiv not Kiev (rusophonic name on the picture ‘Awaiting a science revolution’). It is a capital of Ukraїna. Internationally known anglophonic name Ukraine will most probably be also the thing of the past in the near future. Because Ukraїna belongs neither to England nor to Rossia (Russia is also an anglophonic name).