Moldovan minister of education says reform of Academy of Sciences to change functioning mechanisms of academic institutions

Chisinau, 18 January /MOLDPRES/ – The reform of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM) is to change functioning mechanisms of the academic institutions. The statement was made by the Minister of Education, Culture and Research, Monica Babuc, in an exclusive interview for the agency.

The official said that "there were more beautiful things in the academy, but it was previously found that the money that was provided to this institution from the state budget did not bring the right results."

"The Academy of Sciences spent over MDL 500 million yearly, but there are still a number of problems related to soil quality in the country, water resources and agriculture. Thus, it was decided that this money could be allocated directly for the development of these branches," said Babuc.

The minister said that following the reform, certain concrete projects are to be financed from state budget. "The scientists will apply to these projects and on the basis of some judgments they will get some money or not, followed by the evaluations that will be carried out based on the obtained results," said Monica Babuc.

According to the reform proposed by authorities, ASM will remain without a number of attributions, as some entities will be subordinated to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MECC). The funds for research will no longer be administered by the Academy, but by a new structure, the Research and Development Agency (ACD), which will be subordinated to government.

The Moldovan scientific community has actively participated into process of reforming science, advancing its own vision of field future. Similarl;y, more scholars criticized changes of legislation.

(Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor M. Jantovan)