Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko convened a meeting to discuss the development of the science and the activities of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) on 21 November, BelTA has learned.
The event had been announced long ago. The president spoke of the need for such a meeting with the scientific community during a session with the working group to analyze the NASB activities on 5 August. “I am confident that we need to discuss with the scientific community the challenges of science development (and the future of our science). We will do this in the near future, definitely this year,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
In late October, Chairman of the NASB Presidium Vladimir Karanik briefed the head of state on preparations for the meeting. The president stressed that participation should extend beyond the academic community to include representatives of university and sectoral science, along with a wide range of experts. This was primarily due to the need for closer integration of science with production and education.
“This meeting should become a truly landmark event in the development of science in our country,” Vladimir Karanik noted.
In parallel with preparations for the event, work was carried out to address shortcomings in the Academy’s activities previously pointed out by the president.
On 13 November, when receiving a report from Vladimir Karanik, Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined issues concerning the improvement of the Academy’s work. “I have said many times that without science we cannot move forward. That is the nature of our time,” the head of state emphasized.
The president also stressed that the status of scientists and their level of income should primarily depend on the results of their work. “If there are accomplishments, inventions, concrete results, then you will get paid for it. The state should pay for results. And we will help scientists, sparing no expense. But results should be paid for. It is the key thing. It is my solid stance,” the Belarusian leader said.
