Russian Academy of Science

Proposed government reforms to the Russian Academy of Sciences will now not be voted on in the Russian parliament until September. A bill on the reform was brought before the State Duma, the lower house of the federal parliament recently, with the suggestion that it could be fast-tracked before the end of the spring session which ended on the 17th July.

Professor Martyn Poliakoff, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society and Foreign Member of the Russian Academy has been following the developments of the reform bill discussions in Russia and amongst the international science community.

Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society said: "The Royal Society has received many messages from our Fellows expressing concern over the proposed reforms of the Russian Academy of Sciences. They have been especially concerned by the apparent haste in approving the draft law. We are pleased that the original timetable has been extended and hope that this will allow the science community in Russia to play a full part in discussions. We are happy to share the Royal Society’s experience of how science works in the UK, a system that has helped position us as a leading nation in science and innovation. Our hope is that Russia’s science will emerge even stronger after their reforms."