Research Policy

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

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Context of research policy

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) is the central executive authority in Ukraine, governed and coordinated by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which implements government policy in the fields of education, S&T research and development, identifies the main directions for future development in the fields of S&T and education, ensures national science and education integration into the global system. MESU launches national S&T programmes on the basis of the targeted projects and programmes that are selected on the competitive basis.

Other ministries and state committees of Ukraine incorporate in their infrastructure a department in charge of  science, technology and innovation, in particular the Ministry of Industrial Policy, Ministry of Agrarian Policy, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Ministry of Transport and Communication and others.

The Department of International S&T Cooperation and European Integration of MESU concludes and ensures implementation of international agreements in science and education, promotes cooperation with foreign institutions.
 
The Parliament of Ukraine refers to law that the budget expenditure should include 1.7% for RTD. The actual part of RTD expenditure within the GDP of Ukraine is around 1.4%. The total amount of budget funds for the public RTD target programmes does not exceed the total budget financing for RTD for the last three years estimating from 4.5 to 5%. At that, almost 1/3 of the budget is allocated to the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The Ministry of Education and Sciences of Ukraine is receiving up to 10%, the Ministry of Industrial Policy of Ukraine – from 9 to10%, the Academy of Medical Sciences - 8%, the Ministry of Fuel and Power – up to 8%, the Ministry of Transport and Communication - up to 5%. The remaining amount is distributed between other ministries and departments.

Financing of international S&T cooperation makes 4% of total amount of the budget expenditure for RTD in Ukraine. The programmes and projects in the field of international S&T cooperation are the base for scientific researches aimed to integration of domestic science in ERA in view of national interests. Financing of S&T programmes and projects within international S&T cooperation is carried out annually at a rate of 83-88% from budget programme "Implementation of commitments of Ukraine in the field of international S&T cooperation". Financing of researches in the field of international S&T cooperation is distributed as follows:

• implementation of S&T cooperation programmes: 11.7% (of total financing for this purpose)
• implementation of the bilateral international programmes: 36.0%
• Financing of programmes  and projects within cooperation with NIS countries: 48.5%

Research policy: objectives and priorities

Objectives and priorities of S&T development have been implemented through the system of the public scientific and technical programmes and state order for S&T products. The current priority areas of science and technology development are:

• Fundamental research into the most important problems of natural sciences and humanities
• Problems of demographic policy, human development and civil society formation
• Environmental conservation and sustainable development
• New biotechnologies and methods of treatment of the most common diseases
• New computerized tools and technologies for informatization of society
• New technologies and resource saving technologies in power engineering, industry and agriculture
• New substances and materials

Policy making and coordination

Scientific activities in Ukraine are organized according to the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law on Science and the Law on the State Budget. The RTD tasks are distributed between:

• basic research (17.8%)
• applied research (14.4%)
• design and development (64.7%)
• S&T assistance (16.6%)

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is the principle authority in the system of central executive authorities to ensure implementation of the state policy in the fields of education, science, technology, innovation and intellectual property.

National research programmes

Funding of venture scientific programmes is set according to the budget law adopted by the Parliament and priorities of S&T (usually 30% of budget for the state financing of science). Sources of financing science include:

• funds of the state and local budgets (33.7%);
• non-budget funds (0.5%);
• private funds of researchers (6.5%);
• funds of organizations-customers of Ukraine (32.6%);
• funds of foreign customers (24.4%);
• funds from other sources (2.3%).
  

Source: NIP
Last up-date: 08.07.2009