VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
"Furthermore, it goes without saying that new centres should take an active part in international research cooperation. I know this is part of the plan. Any cooperation must be equitable and involve befitting partners. We must determine for Russian scientists the optimal format of participation in major international projects and ensure the effective use of the results for Russia's technological development".
"In developing the centre it is necessary to pay special attention to its integration with higher educational institutions and their research. It is important to establish direct cooperation with the country's leading universities and organize exchange experience for students, starting with juniors".
"I would like to emphasize that we are not after a perfunctory merger or consolidation. In effect, we will introduce entirely new elements into the formation of Russia's innovative infrastructure. We will adopt modern methods of management and scientific research to form a single chain based on fundamental groundwork and ending in technology, resulting in real prospects for high-tech science-intensive markets. These centres will receive the most advanced research and development facilities with a view to attracting both Russian and foreign scientists".
"I have made it clear that apart from the current funding, we will allocate an additional 10 billion roubles for KI's development in the next three years. In addition to this, the departments concerned should finalize the coordination of a special bill on its legal status very soon. The Kurchatov Institute is designed to serve as a model for organising all national research centres. As you may recall, we plan to set up five to seven such centres".
"We have held a tender for 14 higher educational and research schools this September, and that, according to the commission, three specialised schools have submitted quite competitive and interesting programmes. Three of them, namely, the Moscow Aviation Institute, the Kazan Institute and probably the Saratov higher aviation school, have been listed among federal higher research schools. All of them will receive additional funding and resources totalling 1.8 billion roubles over the next five years and will use it to modernise their material-and-technical base and to improve personnel training."
"A substantial number of students pay for their training in economics and general specialisations, while not more than 15% of future engineers pay for their courses. On the whole, this shows that the state prioritises the training of top-grade aircraft industry specialists."
"We have already embarked on a systematic effort to modernise science, including at higher education institutions. In this we will support and strengthen all that is the best and most advanced. The Government recently approved five-year programmes that would create 14 research universities. They will be financed with approximately 50 billion roubles, with at least half of the money to be disbursed from the Federal Budget. After assessing the available resources we came to the conclusion, very recently, just two or three days ago, that some additional steps need to be taken. Therefore I propose to direct over the next three years a further 90 billion roubles to support the country's leading universities (30 billion roubles every year). That money will be spent to renovate the research and laboratory base, the programme of scientific exchange, to bring the best scientists from abroad, including our fellow countrymen who are currently working elsewhere."
"I have just discussed the Pedagogical Researchers national target programme with the Education Minister. Some money from it can be used for grants for young teachers-for instance, a thousand two-year grants, worth half a million roubles apiece, or 250,000 roubles a year. But let me repeat that only a portion of young teachers will qualify."
"Teachers need not only basic education, but also continuing postgraduate education that takes into account their personal needs and the specific situation at their schools. That is why it is essential to modernise education for teachers, in order to give them access to all the latest achievements of pedagogical sciences and all available technologies. Teachers' websites, online forums to discuss teaching methods, and everything else that helps teachers deserve our every support. These matter the most to teachers in rural and remote areas."
"Schools should be able to attract the most skilled individuals, who want interesting and highly sought after jobs with clear career prospects and good remuneration. The Russian regions are introducing a new system of funding for schools based on the number of pupils. It promises a notable increase of teacher's pay, mainly for the most experienced teachers."
"Education opportunities at Russian schools have increased considerably as of late with new computer classes and the installation of up-to-date equipment. In fact all schools, even rural schools, have been computerised and given access to the Internet."
"I would like to draw special attention to the condition of school buses. I hold that both regional and local authorities need to monitor more closely the technical condition of vehicles and the qualifications and health of drivers, even more so since there are positive examples of such work in several regions which have led to a reduction in road accidents involving students."
"Only in the past year financing of general education increased by 120 billion roubles. The total funds allocated for the purpose were 738 billion roubles. The Ministry of Regional Development conducted a survey of how efficiently these funds were being used. The picture is far from ideal. According to analysis' estimates, the share of inefficient spending is around 19%. In terms of the total amount, this is 140 billion roubles. To give you an example, with this amount of money the salaries of teachers and educational administrators could be raised immediately by 25%. Or 300 new schools could be built with this money."
"The second decision concerns the ongoing experiment when the state supports the system of educational loans for students of higher educational establishments. Students showing good progress can now enjoy a number of privileges. One is the deferment of payments on the principal sum of the loan for the entire period of tuition at college or university. The state also plans to subsidise the interest rate on educational loans at three quarters of the Central Bank's refinancing rate."
"We should pay particular attention to the overall safety of students. This includes anti-terrorist and fire-prevention measures, observance of sanitary standards, and safety on the roads and in transport. In the last two years, we allocated 24 billion roubles for fire-prevention measures. This included bringing the share of schools equipped with fire alarms up to 80%. As a result, the number of fires reduced by 55%."
"As you know, the Federation now issues subsidies to the regions to pay remuneration to form teachers. To begin with, we decided to keep these subsidies and therefore these payments. But such a factor as differentials for length of service in the Far North and other areas with special climatic conditions was not taken into account until now when determining the size of these subsidies."
"We are planning to preserve the number of budget seats in the higher educational establishments. This year, they will number 197 for 10,000. Moreover, more students will be admitted to magistrate and post-graduate courses."
“As regards personnel training, it is one of the key aspects of development in any branch of the economy. Unfortunately, the system of vocational schools set up in the Soviet Union has to some extent gone to seed over the past decades. Currently, attempts are being made to restore it, but this cannot be done without the participation of the industry.”
“We have really done much to implement information technologies in everyday life. The idea of computer networks and access to the Internet in a tiny Siberian village was, until quite recently, implausible. It is a reality now-we have done it through a federal programme. Every Russian school-I really mean every, wherever it might be, in Siberia, the Far East, northern or southern Russia-has computer classes and access to the Internet. IT implementation will go on because economic and social development makes it a must.”
“As far education is concerned, we plan to focus on creating a system of national research universities, to support the introduction of modern pre-school education models and to implement advanced training programmes for schoolteachers.”
