Scientists will have money, right

The innovation of thinking and reality in the field of science and technology (science and technology) is being formed in the project 'Some policies on the use and use of science and technology personnel, period 2006-2010' prepared by the Ministry of Science and Technology Workshop: focus on incentives for key S&T cadres to create high-quality intellectual products. Mr. NGUYEN QUAN, Director of the Organization and Personnel Department (Ministry of Science and Technology), discussed with us.

Young researchers

- Some scientists often complain low wages, not enough peace of mind to devote. Therefore, the State must have a special policy for them to have better working conditions. Ministry of Science and Technology proposed to the Government: scientists who are responsible for key national S&T tasks should enjoy special financial mechanisms. This is the experience of developed and developing countries to do great things. There, leading scientists enjoy special policies, high income, great autonomy in research. Therefore, this policy is very urgent.

* Sir, what kind of incentives will scientists enjoy?

- The Government assigns one of the 21 tasks that the Ministry of Science and Technology has to do is to develop mechanisms and policies to use S&T officials and to use talents. This can be considered an innovation in the field of S&T research. It solves a very fundamental problem that is a problem in the financial mechanism and the initiative of scientists.

Under the draft scheme, the State will give incentives and support to scientists in two groups.

For the first target group, MOST will annually study and select 10-20 key national S&T tasks, then assign top scientists to implement and ask the scientists to have products to hand over to the State. Along with that, the State will assign scientists autonomy for regular operating funds.

Scientists presiding over these tasks will be allowed to use that funding to increase their own income and contractual wages for those who work together on tasks, procurement of materials, inviting international scientists, copyright registration, publishing results in domestic and international journals, attending international conferences . In addition, scientists of this type will be considered for delivery. to own part or all of intellectual property originating from the state budget. Meanwhile, scientists can use intellectual property, research results to buy, sell, transfer, contribute capital or set up businesses to produce and trade.

For young scientific staff, if they have ideas, institutes and schools will set up technology incubators or business incubators under the organization, direction and advice of an early scientist. herd.

The state will provide funding for them to turn their ideas into research results, produce specific scientific products or put research results into commercial products through the production and business activities of a business. Of course, the State's support level for this group of people will not be as much as support for those who implement key national S&T tasks. But this is the factor that stimulates the birth of S&T enterprises.

We expect to make several dozen key S&T tasks every year and about 50-60 technology incubators, business incubators and the State will invest about VND 100 billion for these people.

* How will the scientists who get preferential treatment from the scheme compare to other scientists?

Mr. Nguyen Quan

- If the Prime Minister accepts in principle, we will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to develop a specific plan for submission to the Prime Minister. Reportedly, leaders of the Ministry of Finance also supported this view. We will ask scientists to lead the key state-level S&T tasks with an income equivalent to about US $ 1,000-2,000 / month.

Currently, the salary of newly recruited young cadres is about 1 million VND / month. Professors who work directly at universities earn higher income, averaging around VND 5 million, including income from teaching and research and production labor. The scientific staff at research institutes, universities, the average income is not less than 2 million VND. If assigned key national S&T tasks, the income level is definitely much higher.

We preliminarily calculate a national level task that can be assigned regular operating funds of 2.3-2.5 billion VND / year. A research team has about 20-25 people and with the above funding level, the chairpersons can enjoy income above 1,000 USD, others can get a salary of 100-500 USD. Technology incubators and business incubators have less income.

* With such a high level of income, which mechanism for state-favored scientists to produce research results, does not waste the State's money, because in fact the number of topics Researching the past time is not much application?

- State orders on deadlines and results. Scientists must also commit to time limits and results. Research results must be obtained and committed. Those who fail to comply with the schedule and do not have research results to hand over, the State will have sanctions to recover a large part of such funding. Any subject that cannot be performed due to lack of responsibility, lack of capacity must be handled.

Of course, there are also risk factors and risks because no one is quite sure that 100% of the assigned tasks are successful. Risky and risky science, we think that among 10-20 national tasks, 50% of the tasks with results are acceptable. Currently, there are thousands of state-level and ministerial-level projects each year, but only about 10% of them can be applied in practice and commercialized.

* So how to choose the truly outstanding scientists to participate in the national key tasks, because even in the organization of bidding scientific topics are still inadequate?

- The mechanism is completely transparent because the number of tasks is not much. First the State determines the national level task, then calls on scientists to take up the task. Currently the publication of a list of topics in the state-level project system is also bidding and selection, but those tasks are not national and international, and so far we little interest in practical applications, so anyone can participate in bidding to win the topic.

But for the tasks the Government requires, to enjoy special privileges, it is certain that scientists will have to think very seriously before accepting the task. Even if, in the absence of a scientist who is capable of accepting the task, the State may call on international scientists or temporarily postpone that task, but cannot give it to the incompetent person. show.

The mechanism for performing tasks is also very different. Currently, state-level projects are often selected to be administrative and narrow within a unit, difficult to cooperate with other units and have no right to mobilize capable and skilled professionals at other units come and work together.

But at the national level, the chairperson has the right to invite scientists from other agencies to work if they see that they can do the job and the person in charge of implementing the task decides on their own, not must be paid according to the regular rank . So, the collective of scientists is completely dynamic, completely active.

I think the difficulty is not how to identify the scientist who is leading the implementation of key national S&T tasks, but how to determine the right mission. Determining wrong is done without research.

* There are fears that the failure rate will be high because scientists are usually only skilled, weak in financial management capacity, but here they are managed a large amount of money in hand?

- We will build a financial mechanism with some normative frameworks to apply. For example, how much of that budget will be spent on people, how much will it cost to buy materials and working facilities . So, the payroll will be paid to the host and the adder. The maximum ceiling and the owner can only be paid within that range.

The viewpoint and orientation of the project is to affirm the investment for people is a decisive factor for the industrialization and modernization career of the country, from which there are appropriate use policies and incentives for each subject in force. the amount of science and technology work, promoting the respect and appreciation of S&T officials. Preferential policies are attached to the operational efficiency of S&T officers, focusing on the main force of S&T staff to create high-quality intellectual products, timely solving the needs of S&T staff. production, worthy contribution to economic growth.

Some policies in the scheme may go beyond the current regulations. The fact that scientists can enjoy high income, then pay budget with simple procedures under special mechanism . can only pilot. We expect to pilot in the period from now to 2010. If successful and have good results, we will propose the National Assembly and the Government to adjust the legal documents accordingly.

HUNG HUNG