Russia needs new science policy
Mar 02, 2004
A joint sitting of the Security Council and State Council [Presidium] was taking place in Moscow to discuss the problem of innovation policy. President Vladimir Putin says Russia needs fundamentally new relations between science, business and the state.
[Putin, addressing the meeting]:
"Out-of-date economic and legal relations still exist in a significant part of state-funded science. But useless science means the inefficient use of budget funds. This represents a real threat to Russia's national security, the threat that Russia could end up on the sidelines of technological developments in the world, with the status of raw materials donor for developed countries.
You know, the world's developed economies develop today precisely because services and technologies are constantly improving. Suffice it to say that over a half of GDP growth in countries like the USA, Japan and the Federal Republic of Germany is thanks to new technological solutions. Such economies have sounder foundations and long-term competitive advantages. They are diversified, which means they are more promising and stable. Only an economy of this type will enable us to win a worthy place on the global market.
An innovation breakthrough for modern Russia would be a genuine component of speedy modernization. It is the path towards improving quality of life and the competitiveness of the economy. Innovation policy should be one of our top priority national projects and, therefore, as with any project, it should be well developed before it is launched."
[Putin, addressing the meeting]:
"Out-of-date economic and legal relations still exist in a significant part of state-funded science. But useless science means the inefficient use of budget funds. This represents a real threat to Russia's national security, the threat that Russia could end up on the sidelines of technological developments in the world, with the status of raw materials donor for developed countries.
You know, the world's developed economies develop today precisely because services and technologies are constantly improving. Suffice it to say that over a half of GDP growth in countries like the USA, Japan and the Federal Republic of Germany is thanks to new technological solutions. Such economies have sounder foundations and long-term competitive advantages. They are diversified, which means they are more promising and stable. Only an economy of this type will enable us to win a worthy place on the global market.
An innovation breakthrough for modern Russia would be a genuine component of speedy modernization. It is the path towards improving quality of life and the competitiveness of the economy. Innovation policy should be one of our top priority national projects and, therefore, as with any project, it should be well developed before it is launched."