Scientists are not returning
No businessman wants to make investments in any sphere of science in Armenia because the majority of 85 scientific institutes are in a devastating state.
This and other issues were raised today by President of the State Committee on Science Samvel Harutyunyan. According to him, in many countries, the government takes part of the risk of inviting private entrepreneurs and businessmen to make investments in science.
"Unfortunately, that is still not the case in Armenia" said Harutyunyan, reminding that there are only 1,200 scientists in Armenia from the Soviet times.
He mentioned that the state of science changed drastically after the collapse of the Soviet Union because Armenia saw the collapse of all spheres, including the economy.
Harutyunyan believes that science requires a lot of funding and there is no need to expect that it will develop with the same pace when there is no funding. As a result, there is an outflow of brains from Armenia.
Whereas funding for Armenian science made up 450-500 million dollars a year during the Soviet Union, now it is only 27 million dollars.
The strategic plan for development of science in 2010-2020 is under development and will be presented to the government.
The plan raises the issue of youth training due to the decrease of 35-40-year old scientists in Armenia over the past couple of years.
