Funding for science inadequate, 12,500 researchers in Serbia

BELGRADE - About 0.34 percent of Serbia's budget was set aside for science this year, which is not enough, and the amount should increase significantly in the coming year, said participants in Tuesday's debate at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) on the status and prospects for science in Serbia.

Secretary of State in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development Aleksandar Belic said that Serbia currently had about 12,500 researchers and research funding in the country was stagnating.

"Of the 12,500 of them, a little more than one third is working with scientific and research institutions, and less than two-thirds are employed at faculties in the higher education system," Belic said, adding that fresh forces had been brought in all areas of science and research in the country over the previous few years, and those young scientists were taking part in about 750 projects.

He pointed out that the budgetary funds allocated for science amounted to 0.35 percent of gross national income (GNI) at the moment, including loans, and the plan was for the sum to reach 0.49 percent of GNI in 2015.

Academician Ljubisa Rakic called on the scientific public to join in resolving the vital issues and contribute more to scientific and research work.

President of the National Council for Science and Technological Development Vera Dondur said that the number of researchers financed through projects had been on the rise over the last four years, but it was still not enough.

Dondur said the number of scientific and research publications had not increased, and the best results had been achieved in physics, chemistry and biology.

Photo Tanjug, R. Prelic (illustration)