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Basic scientific research funding contains corruption risks: expert
YEREVAN, October 26. / ARKA /. The so-called basic science funding
system applied in Armenia contains huge corruption risks, Harutyun
Karapetyan, the chairman of the National Foundation of Science and
Advanced Technologies, told a news conference today.
Karapetyan explained that at the end of last century funding was
provided to thematic researches, but after the establishment of the
State Committee for Science, the funding shifted to the so-called
basic financing system, which has increased corruption risks
substantially. To ground his words, he cited abuses detected by the
Audit Chamber in the State Committee for Science.
In its annual report for 2011 the Audit Chamber revealed a number of
violations in the field of science financing. In particular, the
report noted that the State Committee of Science in violation of the
law provided financing to private organizations, which actually
duplicated similar researches conducted by government-owned centers.
Karapetyan said under basic financing systems, the funding is provided
to a scientific organization whose leadership decides independently
who to provide funds to, which he said contains corruption risks.
"The only solution is to move to thematic funding, ` he said.
The basic funding of science was introduced in 2005. After its
introduction, 60% of state funds are made available under the basic
funding system and 25% are released for thematic funding. -0-
YEREVAN, October 26. / ARKA /. The so-called basic science funding
system applied in Armenia contains huge corruption risks, Harutyun
Karapetyan, the chairman of the National Foundation of Science and
Advanced Technologies, told a news conference today.
Karapetyan explained that at the end of last century funding was
provided to thematic researches, but after the establishment of the
State Committee for Science, the funding shifted to the so-called
basic financing system, which has increased corruption risks
substantially. To ground his words, he cited abuses detected by the
Audit Chamber in the State Committee for Science.
In its annual report for 2011 the Audit Chamber revealed a number of
violations in the field of science financing. In particular, the
report noted that the State Committee of Science in violation of the
law provided financing to private organizations, which actually
duplicated similar researches conducted by government-owned centers.
Karapetyan said under basic financing systems, the funding is provided
to a scientific organization whose leadership decides independently
who to provide funds to, which he said contains corruption risks.
"The only solution is to move to thematic funding, ` he said.
The basic funding of science was introduced in 2005. After its
introduction, 60% of state funds are made available under the basic
funding system and 25% are released for thematic funding. -0-