Research Policy

The science development in Turkmenistan is of high national importance. Program problems in science development have been formulated by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov at the expanded session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on June, 12th, 2009, where the concepts of development of a science, and priorities of scientific researchers have been announced. The President's words about the role of science for national prosperity have strengthened its status in society and have given science a new qualitative level of development. In particular, the head of the state underlined: «It is not a secret that in modern conditions power and prosperity of any state is defined, first of all, by the degree of development of science and technologies, and the intellectual level of the people. The main instrument of the progress is science - steady social and economic growth of the country is impossible without it».

At this session the basic principles for the formation of a state policy in the field of science and priorities for scientific research have been formulated.

The Head of the state has named the following priority directions for research:

• Complex use of natural resources, mining operations, petrochemistry, processing of gas and mineral resources;
• Electric power industry, studying and wide use of alternative energy sources (the sun, a wind, geothermal waters, biogas, etc.);
• The textile industry;
• Seismology, town-planning and architecture;
• Transport and communication sector, development of the information and communication systems;
• Automation of production;
• Introduction of ecologically pure and waste-free technologies;
• The preservation of the environment, favorable influence on climatic conditions;
• Development of the agro-industrial complex, rational use of the land and water, selection work, deducing of new grades of agricultural crops, scientific bases to increase their productivity, the ubiquitous organization of hothouse economy;
• Improvement of territorial placing of productive forces;
• Effective usage in a national economy materials and human resources;
• Medicine (preventive maintenance and treatment of illnesses), pharmaceutics;
• Natural sciences;
• Humanitarian sphere, namely - studying and development of the Turkmen language, studying and development of classics of the Turkmen literature and the philosophical heritage of Turkmen thinkers of the past, popularisation of their creativity, preservation and studying of archaeological monuments, research of the ancient, medieval, new and modern history of Turkmenistan, folklore and culture of the Turkmen people, creative comprehension and scientific approach to problems of a modern epoch and new state ideology of Turkmenistan. 

For each branch of science the perspective goals have been defined. On maintenance of economic development of the country, reforming of the industry the Head of the state has taken away the most important role to the fundamental science which scientific researches should be directed on the decision of practical goals on formation of new technological way of industries on the basis of wide introduction of high technologies: nanotechnology, a know-how, advanced achievements of fundamental sciences and rationalization decisions.

Legal Base of sience & research

In Turkmenistan a strong legal base for free scientific creativity has been created and guarantees of scientific activity have been fixed. The basis for free scientific activity is fixed in article 39 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan, which establishes the right of citizens of Turkmenistan to free scientific activity. More detailed regulations of the rights and guarantees of scientific activity are revealed in the Law «About the Status of the Scientist in Turkmenistan», accepted in June, 2009. The law creates and fixes a legal basis for the preparation of scientists not only in postgraduate study, postgraduate military study, doctoral candidacy and competition of national centers of science, but also in the international research centers and it makes an appreciable impact on the increase of cooperation of scientists of the country with foreign colleagues. The law essentially expands the rights of scientists, creating thereby possibilities for free scientific creativity. So, for example, one of the rights of scientists with the scientific degree of a Doctor of Sciences is a granting of labour holidays at a rate of 45 calendar days and, for a Candidate of Sciences of 36 calendar days. Great attention is given to the scientific personnel, who are in the beginning of their scientific career. The position of the law providing scholarships to persons, who have entered the postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy, and article 8 of the law can be seen as examples: They have the right to acquire additional literature at a rate of two monthly grants. An expansion of these and other rights of science officers is created by a bases for the development of science, expansion of cooperation and scientific creativity of scientists and youth in particular.

Young scientists as the main objective of the policy

Great attention in the country is given to the support of research activity of youth. In Turkmenistan has held competitions for young scientists on various branches of scientific research since 1992. Each young working man  or student, who has the propensity for research activity and has not reached 37 years of age, can take part in it. Results of the conducted research are published annually and winners are awarded with valuable prizes and gifts. The delivery of awards to winners is carried out under solemn conditions in the presence of members of the Government. From the moment of his election the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has constantly supported scientific creativity and vocational training of young scientists. By the decision of the President from January, 14th, 2008 clinical residency, postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy have been restored in Turkmenistan and since the same year the reception of the youth, wishing to realize their mental potential in the field of science and scientific research has begun. The President of Turkmenistan consistently realizes a policy of preparation of young scientific personnel and his words at the mentioned session of the Cabinet of Ministers about necessity «… to provide inflow to a science of the talented youth full of creative enthusiasm, to prepare a new generation of high-erudite with a wide outlook of the scientists owning a modern scientific toolkit and capable of their own work on a science field to increase glory of the country» have given a new impulse to the research activity of the youth.

Publications: opportunities for exchanging ideas

In Turkmenistan major attention is given to the publication of scientific developments, research results and achievements. In the country there are scientific magazines such as «Science and Technics in Turkmenistan», «Golden Age Economy», «Problems of Desert Development», «Heritage», and others, whose pages became a place for the advanced innovative ideas of Turkmen scientists, and for discussions and debates on research results. In addition, articles of such scientific magazines as «Golden Age Economy», «Problems of Desert Development» are published in three languages: Turkmen, Russian and English. The magazines «Science and Technics in Turkmenistan» and «Problems of Desert Development» are also issued in electronic format. The magazine «Science and Technics in Turkmenistan»  publishes summaries of the authors' articles in Russian and English languages, besides the full content of the article in Turkmen language. Thus, it draws the attention of scientists of other countries to the achievements of the researchers of Turkmenistan.

Source: undisclosed expert known to the editor
Last update: March 2012