On this page, incrEAST provides an overview of the research and technology potential of Belarus.
| Domestic expenditures on R&D | 962,4 bln rubles (307 mln EUR) |
| Domestic expenditures on R&D as % of GDP | 0.75 |
| Number of R&D personnel, thousand | 31.5 |
| Number of R&D personnel/10 thousand population | 32 |
| Number of R&D personnel/10 thousand manpower | 69 |
| Number of researchers, thousand | 18.5 |
| Number of highly qualified workers as % of number of researchers | 21 |
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009.
The total number of R&D personnel is 31.5 thousand (69/10 thous. of employed in the economy and 32/10 thous. of population) including 18.5 thous. researchers of which 8,1 thous. (or 44%) women (2008). The share of the researchers with academic degrees - candidates of sciences (equivalent to PhD in the qualification system used in the USSR), and also doctors of science - in the total number of researchers is 21% (2008).
Distribution of researchers by the areas of economy looks as follows (2006):
In 2008, the highest quantity of research staff of higher qualification is engaged in natural sciences and also in engineering and technology, while the largest share of highly qualified researchers is typical for humanities (56%), medicine (42%), natural and agricultural sciences (38% in each).
Distribution of R&D staff within the country is irregular: the highest concentration is in Minsk City - 131 persons engaged in R&D/1 thous. population, followed by Gomel region – 21 and Minsk region - 13 (2008).
In 2008, research was carried out in 329 organizations of which 88% were state owned and 12% - private. Since 2003, the number of private R&D organizations has increased from 28 to 38.
In Belarus, expenditures on R&D are at the level of 0.75% GDP. The state budget bears the basic burden of R&D financing. Thus, in 2008, its share made 53.1% (0.33% of GDP). In Minsk City and Minsk region it’s even higher – 64.5% and 70.3% accordingly.
SHARE OF REPUBLICAN BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FOR SCIENCE IN GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009
Among the other sources of financing the following key ones could be mentioned: own funds of research organizations – 27.4%, business enterprise sector - 12.8%, foreign sources - 5.5%, and also non-budget funds – 1,1%.
Comparing to 2007, an increase of 0.2% has been demonstrated by the share of budget expenditures for R&D in the total budget expenditures though, in general, over the last decade this index has decreased from 2.8 to 2.2%.
STRUCTURE OF CURRENT DOMESTIC EXPENDITURE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, BY TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009
DOMESTIC EXPENDITURE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, BY SECTOR OF PERFORMANCE
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009
ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, BY SECTIR OF PERFORMANCE
| Number of organizations |
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Total | 295 | 295 | 322 | 338 | 340 | 329 |
| of which | ||||||
| government sector | 122 | 120 | 122 | 139 | 131 | 127 |
| business enterprise sector | 122 | 121 | 144 | 142 | 146 | 140 |
| higher education sector | 51 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 63 | 62 |
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009
In 2008, the R&D was carried out by 329 organizations and companies. Since 2003, there is a tendency towards decrease of the share of research organizations in the total number of organizations engaged in R&D. On the contrary, the share of industrial enterprises carrying out R&D has been doubled.
STRUCTURE OF ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, BY TYPE
A - research organizations
B - design offices
C - design and survey organizations
D - pilot plants
E - higher education institutions
F - industrial organizations
G - other
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Short statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009
The budget for scientific and innovation activities within the state budget, including the budget for international S&T cooperation is formed by the State Committee for Science and Technology (SCS&T) in close cooperation with the National Academy of Sciences and approved by the President. The SCS&T monitors and controls the end use of budget funds.
STRUCTURE OF DOMESTIC EXPENDITURE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, BY FIELD OF SCIENCE
Source: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS – 2008. Short statistical book, State Committee on Science and Technology, Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus, 2009
More statistics on RTI activities in Belarus are available in the annual Statistics Book published by the State Committee on Science and Technology and Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus. Starting from the year of 2003, it is available here (in Russian).
Source: BellSA
Last up-date: 20 July 2010
[PDF - 1.23 MB]
(November 2011, compiled as an annex to the "White Paper on Opportunities and Challenges in View of Enhancing the EU Cooperation with Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Caucasus in Science, Research, and Innovation".) (URL: http://www.increast.eu/_media/Country_Report_Belarus_2011.pdf)
