YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Ways of reformation of science continue worrying the scientific community of Armenia. Three packages of proposals are discussed at present. The first package is worked out by the commission attached to the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, the next by the Public Council of Scientists of Armenia. Another package is presented to the Government by the UNDP. Just this package provokes a number of negative responses at the scientific community's forum taken place not long ago. Narine Sahakian, the head of the social-economic programs of the UNDP Armenian Office, commented upon some disputable issues in the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent. "Noyan Tapan" - How did it happen that economists and journalists, but not specialists engaged in government of science, participated in preparation of such an important document as proposals on reformation of science are? Narine Sahakian - According to rules of our organization, selection of specialists is held based on open tender. The announcement about the experts' competition has been published in the "Hayastani Hanrapetutiun" and "Aravot" newspapers during two weeks. We got no applications from the RA NAS employees. And the experts we have chosen, aren't just economists, but are people engaged in reformation of science. I must add that our experts spoke to scientists to present their opinion in the package of proposals. 253 respondents were surveyed, among who there were 11 academicians and corresponding members, 44 doctors of science and 106 candidates of science. "NT" - How can you explain the fact that Aram Kosian, the Science Department Chief of the RA Ministry of Education and Science stated at the scientific community's forum about the RA Education and Science Ministry's having no relation to that document? N.S. - I don't know what reasons he had got for such a statement, but I can clearly say that the project was initiated based on the agreement signed by Sergo Yeritsian, the Minister of Education and Science, and Consuelo Vidal, the UNDP Armenian Office head. And while implementing the program our experts were in a constant contact with the Ministry's employees. It's also true that the Ministry's employees didn't get money within the framework of the project. "NT" - The proposals on changing the status of the National Academy of Science, refusing the candidates of science of scientific degree, breaking up of the Highest Certification Commission, abolition of post-graduate studies, etc. cause the greatest objection of scientists. N.S. - We must solve the problem of correspondence to international norms in the issue of giving sceintific degrees. According to us, this will help the whole our science to integrate in the international scientific space. (NT - western science is spoken about, as the science of the most part of the post-Soviet space kept the existed order of giving degrees in that issue). As for changing the status of the RA NAS, alternative variants were proposed. And it's proposed in the final variant to keep the status of the RA NAS as the highest consulting body attached to the RA Government, which presents experts' estimation to scientific proposals. Our experts insist on taking the function of distributing and managing financial resources from the National Academy of Science and giving this to a professionally trained administrative body, not involved in the system of the Academy. "NT" - Doesn't this mean that in conditions of the existing corruption the bureaucratic apparatus will press upon the science even more, and the scientists themselves will completely lose the possibility to influence on distribution of money? So, factually this is a refusal of the reverse tie of influence on officilas by the science, put, for example, in the scientific departments heads' electoral system as well as in getting scientific grants, overcoming interim instances. N.S. - We want to do everything for the reformation of the science is held as painless as possible. Just on this purpose a long period of time, about 15 years, is envisaged for reforms. Reforms must be held very carefully, taking into account all the existing problems, including the existence of corruption. But there is a principle about which we must remember: an institute or a body distributing resources can't be recitient of those resources at the same time. Otherwise, this will create a beneficial land for corruption. "NT" - Do you intend to hold a wide public discussion of your proposals? N.S. - We have already handed our package to the RA Government, but won't refuse holding a discussion in professional circles.

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