Research Policy

In this section, incrEAST offers information on national research policies, structures, programmes and organisations in Moldova.

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Context of Research Policy

The Code of the Republic of Moldova on Science and Innovations regulates legal relations with respect to the elaboration and implementation of the state policy in the field of science and innovations, activity in the field of scientific research, innovations and transfer of technologies, scientific-technological information, accreditation of organisations in the field of science and innovations, attestation of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel of highest qualification, protection of intellectual property, legal status of entities in the field of science and innovations.

Research Policy: Objectives and Priorities

The goals and tasks of state policy in the field of science and innovations

1. The basic goal of state policy in the field of science and innovations is a stable socio-economic and human development in the Republic of Moldova, based on maximum stimulation and use of scientific, scientific-technical and technological potential, oriented to creation and commercialisation of competitive and ecologically pure produce, products, services, and processes.
2. The tasks of state policy in the field of science and innovations are:
   1. complex integration of fundamental and applied research within innovation activity from all fields of economic, social, cultural, political and informational life of the Republic of Moldova;
   2. development and efficient use of scientific and technological potential;
   3. ensuring progressive structural reformation of the field of production of goods and services by increasing their efficiency and competitiveness;
   4. protection of the environment, monuments of natural and historic heritage, rational use of natural resources, saving and developing  biological and cultural diversity;
   5. protection and development of informational resources of the country; 
   6. consolidation of the interconnection between science and education.

Strategic directions of the activity in the field of science and innovations

1. State policy in the field of science and innovations envisages concentration of resources and organisation of activity on strategic directions for the field of science and innovations.
2. Strategic directions of science and innovations are identified by staying abreast of current trends at the global level, of national potential and requirements for the socio-economic development of the country.

Policy-Making and Coordination

The Parliament:

1. adopts legal acts, which  regulate organisation and workings of the field of science and innovations;
2. approves strategic directions of the activity in the field of science and innovations;
3. approves the amount of financial resources, which are allocated to support the activity in the field of science and innovations;
4. ratify international agreements regarding cooperation in the field of science and innovations.

The Government enters into a partnership agreement with the Academy of Sciences, therein delegating to the Academy of Sciences powers to carry out state policy in the field of science and innovations. This agreement  determines:

1. a strategy for development of science and innovation activity;
2. strategic directions of the activity in the field of science and innovations;
3. amount of financing in the field of science and innovations in accordance with state budget law, also taking heed of the continuing increase in funding requests and requirements.

The Government also:

1. organises elaboration of legal acts related to science and innovations, and submits them to the Parliament for examination;
2. creates economic mechanisms of stimulation of the activity in the field of science and innovations and the utilisation of the results of such of activity;
3. concludes inter-governmental agreements on cooperation in the field of science and innovations;
4. supports  the creation of the infrastructure for the field of science and innovations;
5. awards prizes in the field of science and innovations.

The Academy of Sciences of Moldova as the sole public agency of national significance in the field of science and innovations is the plenipotentiary coordinator of scientific and innovation activity, supreme scientific forum of the country and scientific consultant to public authorities of the Republic of Moldova.

Academy of Sciences on the base of the Partnership Agreement with the Government:

1. elaborates and promotes the strategy for development of science and innovation activity, realises state policy and performs conceptual activity in the field of science and innovations;
2. identifies strategic directions in the field of science and innovations;
3. distributes budget allocations in accordance with strategic directions for the field of science and innovations;
4. organises the elaboration of state programmes, international scientific and scientific-technical programmes, as well as mechanisms for their implementation;
5. devises the mechanisms for monitoring and stimulation of implementation of the results of state programmes in the field of science and innovations and creation of markets for products in this field;
6. organises competitions of projects in the field of science and innovations, financed from state budget funds;
7. ensures financing for publication of scientific magazines and scientific works;
8. ensures financing of subordinated scientific libraries;
9. elaborates prognosis of development of science and innovation activity;
10. promotes a policy of preserving, rational placing and development of intellectual potential, property and infrastructure in the field of science and innovations;
11. supports activity in the field of innovations and transfer of technologies;
12. contributes to the implementation of results of scientific research and advanced technologies;
13. promotes national and world values in the field of science and culture;
14. organises and, if necessary, carries out scientific-methodological coordination of the activity of entities in the field of science and innovations that are part of the Academy of Sciences as well as entities in the field of science and innovations, which are not a part of it but receive state subsidies;
15. initiates upon request scientific-methodological coordination of the activity of entities in the field of science and innovations, which are not a part of the Academy of Science and which do not receive state subsidies;
16. provides consultation, performs expertise and review of bills of laws and other regulations related to the policy in the fields of science, economy, society, culture and other fields of social life;
17. performs training of scientific personnel trough graduate, post-graduate education and advanced training courses, while supporting and promoting scientific schools;
18. collaborates on the international level with similar institutions.

The Academy of Sciences, among other things, also:

1. organises and carries out fundamental and applied scientific research studies, elaborates advanced technologies;
2. conceives and implements state conceptions, projects  and programmes, gives advise to public administration authorities regarding the strategic directions of economic, social and humanitarian policy of the state;
3. submits to the Government conclusions regarding the situation in the field of research and development plus recommendations for stimulation of innovations and transfer of technologies;
4. organises the activity for creation of syntheses regarding the trends of social-economic, technological and human development of the country;
5. determines the training policy of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel by means of organising an efficient system of Master, PhD and post-doctorаl studies on the basis of the decision of the Supreme Council for science and technological development;
6. determines and develops its organisational structure, following strategic directions in the field of science and innovations and social-economic priorities of the country, etc.;

National Research Programmes

State programmes in the field of science and innovations

The state programme in the field of science and innovations represents a complex of projects in this field and a form of realisation of state policy in the field of science and innovations. However, these programmes are restricted to participation of accredited Moldovan organisations in the sphere of science and innovation.

State programmes in the field of science and innovations are developed by the government and scientific community through the Academy of Sciences in accordance with strategic activity directions in this field. The list of state programs is included in the Partnership Agreement.

State programmes in the field of science and innovations are financed partially or integrally from the state budget in accordance with the results of the contest organised by the Academy of Sciences.

A project in the field of science and innovations is a complex of activities, interconnected trough performers, terms and resources, which are realised by organisation in the field of science and innovations regarding the solution of a problem (achieving a common goal) and is aimed at: 

• development of fundamental and applied knowledge and their application methods;

• development of infrastructure of the field of science and innovation, improvement of laboratory, electronic and diagnostic equipment, polygraphic and publishing equipment;

• improvement of technical  and economic paramteres of applied technologies and/or manufactured products (performed labor or rendered services) with the purpose of enuring their competitiveness on the world market;

• creation and/or assimilation of technologies and/or new types of products (works, services),which are results of the implementation of an object of intellectual property (patent, industrial design, topography of integrated circuits, know-how, etc.), for which the manufacturer has the required documents (certificate, patent, etc.) or license issued by the owner of the object of intellectual property, or which must be developped for the first time in the Republic of Moldova and/or are more competitive, possessing significantly better techno-economical parameters and raise the national scientific-technical and technological level.

Projects, as a rule, are a component part of a programme in the field of science and innovations conducted by organisations performing a respective activity.

Projects must:

• be oriented to solve the most important problems of socio-economic development of the state and correspond to strategic directions of development of science and innovations, as stated in the Partnership Agreement;

• exhibit scientific or technological novelty and correspond to professional level;

• be scientifically and financially founded and define the expected results and methods for their transparent monitoring.

Source: ASM
Last up-date: 31.05.2010