On this page, incrEAST provides an overview of the research and technology potential of Kazakhstan.
The state scientific and technical policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the long-term and intermediate term perspective is oriented on solving major national problems: providing the country with the foodstuffs, materials, energy, guarantee of national safety, increase of the quality of public health services, preservation of environment, stimulation of the employment of the population, development of transport and communication, increase of the competitiveness of the economy on the basis of the development and application of advanced technologies to the leading branches of science.
On 20.06.2007 the Government has adapted new State Program on Science Development in Kazakhstan for 2007-2012. The aim of Program is to achieve the competitive and balanced system of science provided high level of knowledge relevant for sustainable social economy development of the country. Main goals of the research system included into the Program are as the following:
Research performers
In accordance to data of the Kazakh Statistic Agency at the present time 416 (01.09.2010) public and private research and technology development institutions, SMEs and universities are registered in the Republic. This number is decreased for 17 institutions in comparing with data of 2008. There are more than 15.7 thousand workers with high education degrees (it is decreased for about 2000 people), from which 10 thousands are scientists, including more than one thousand of doctors of sciences and more than three thousands of candidates of sciences (equal to PhD).
The system of the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan consists of 41 (data of 2006) research entities. There are also 151 (data of 2006) research institutions of different Ministries of Kazakhstan such as: Ministry of Health (20), Ministry of Agriculture (81), Ministry of Industry and New Technology (15), Ministry of Oil and Gas(7), Ministry of Environment (4), and other ministries. However now they cannot play significant role on the scientific market of Kazakhstan as it could be done by large centers, which are now managed by large and rich holdings recently created in Kazakhstan (mostly during 2006-2007) created in order to execute the orders of the government and the President to bring Kazakhstan in line with most competitive countries of the world.
JSC Kazakh State Resources Management Holding Samruk, JSC Sustainable Development Foundation Kazyna, JSC National Holding KazAgro, and JSC National Scientific and Technological Holding Samghau are joined to newly created National Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna.
Eventually, all of these holdings perform all kinds of innovative research and use the results results. They are responsible for the way the results will be used for the economy of the country. However, there are only applied researches, and only matters related to the researches that can be further used for getting commercial profit is short run.
Regarding the basic research, it is still under responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Science. Any kind of applied research and innovation programs are realized by organizations involved into structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Share of private research organizations in Kazakhstan is 37%.
S&T system in Kazakhstan is managed by the High S&T Commission headed by Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This Commission consists of the board of experts (leading specialists from Kazakhstan and abroad) and consulting group of people from key financial and budget planning ministries and agencies.
Research funding system
Mainly research funding in Kazakhstan (71%) goes to applied researches, whereas only 8% of it spent for experimental works. Basic research is financed within the limits of 20%, and that corresponds to the world average level. 45% of research bodies are research institutes, while research and development bodies keep only 6.4% share. During the last 5-7 years the Ministry of Education and Science, which is supposed to be a main research performer, lost its key role in fund distributing and became just a policymaker in this field. Actually, the Ministry manages about 21% of the state budget for science. Usually this money distributed among research institutions through calls for proposals and tenders.
Distribution of the budgetary means for the research is the following: 71% are given to the applied research, 21% for basic research, and 8% - for experimental works.
By data of Republican Statistic Agency for 01.01.2009 there are 49,9% of R&D funding by the governmental budget; funding by customers funds – 29,3%; funds of enterprises – 18%; local budget – 1,1%; foreign investments – 1,7%; development institutions – 0,1%.
Source: InExCB-KZ
Last up-date: 11 October 2010
