Funding for science has been increased in the draft budget of Ukraine for 2021, which was agreed by the government

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the draft budget for 2021, which increased funding for budget programs in the field of scientific and scientific and technical activities.

It is proposed to allocate UAH 820.5 million for scientific and scientific-technical activities of higher educational institutions and scientific institutions in 2021. These funds will finance the following areas:

Expenses for state awards, scholarships and grants in the field of education, science and technology, scholarships for the winners of international competitions in the draft state budget for 2021 are proposed to be provided in the amount of UAH 67,500 000.

Also, the draft State Budget for 2021 provides for financing of the budget program “Priority areas of scientific research and scientific and technical (experimental) developments in higher education institutions” in the amount of UAH 100 million. Expenditures should be directed, in particular, the development of infrastructure, renewal and modernization of the material and technical base for the implementation of scientific and scientific and technical activities.

• fundamental research in institutions of higher education and scientific institutions in priority areas of science and technology;
• applied research and development of higher educational institutions and scientific institutions in priority areas of science and technology;
• support of scientific projects of young scientists; support of scientific and technical (experimental) developments;
• ensuring the safety and proper functioning of scientific objects that make up the national heritage; providing access to scientific electronic databases.

Almost UAH 584 million is provided to support the activities of the National Research Foundation in 2021 (this is almost twice as much as in 2020). The expenditures should be directed to the continuation of financing of the competitions “Science for the safety of man and society”, “Support for research of leading and young scientists” It also provides funding for new competitions – “Support for the research of young scientists”, “Support for research in the natural, technical sciences, mathematics and computer science; in the field of biology, medicine and agricultural sciences and in the field of social and humanitarian sciences”.

At the same time, the Ministry is preparing proposals to increase the volume of expenditures for individual budget programs in the field of scientific and scientific and technical activities. These proposals, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, can be considered during the second reading of the draft budget for 2021.

“The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the draft budget, which generally increases funding for science. I would like to note that financial support for scientific projects of young scientists, as well as projects that will be selected on the basis of competitive approaches, is intensified. Persevering work is required to ensure that our positions are taken into account in further consideration and approval of the budget. The Ministry of Education and Science will ensure high-quality and efficient use of the allocated funds”, – said the acting Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Serhiy Shkarlet.

Source: МESU