Basic Research in Russia: Human Resources and Funding

This paper describes the current status and recent trends of basic research in Russia, measured in resource terms. The extensive growth in the numbers of R&D institutions, researchers and investment until the late 1970s provided the creation of an extremely large R&D base which was greater in scale than most of the industrially developed countries. It firstly concerns substantial highly-qualified human resources which made Russia famous for considerable achievements in basic research and military-oriented technologies. The transition to a market economy has a strong influence on the resources of R&D in Russia. Changes in the objectives of economic, social, and political progress reflect in transforming the institutional structure of the economy, the fast growth of the private sector, the conversion of military industries, and the gradual integration of Russia into the world economy. These processes take place in conditions of economic recession, rapid inflation, a growing deficit of the state budget, a worsening social situation, and political instability. Further progress of basic research in such a critical economic situation faces significant difficulties which should be observed in order to formulate an appropriate policy in this area