National Council for Science and Technologies holds its 1st meeting under President’s chairmanship

ASTANA. KAZINFORM – The National Council for Science and Technologies under the Kazakh President held its first meeting under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's chairmanship in Astana, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Addressing the round table discussing new trends in science development, Darkhan Akhmed-Zaki, Chairman of the Science Committee of the Science and Higher Education Ministry of Kazakhstan, said that today’s meeting was a very serious start for future transformations.

«The Head of State backed most of the initiatives announced by the scholars. The four keynote speakers raised systemic issues regarding the role of academic sciences, needs of the real economy in their scientific research,» he said.

Darkhan Akhmed-Zaki noted that development of nuclear energy, new technologies, and thorium reactors was discussed as well.

«The third set of issues was about the development of genomic technologies in the light of ensuring biological security. The final issues focused on the discussion on preserving the heritage, historic and archeological finds, as well as direct effect of knowledge-intensive production on the development of social and economic potential of the country,» said the Science Committee Chairman.

All the issued voiced will be addressed in strategic documents of the country, he added.

According to Darkhan Akhmed-Zaki, upon President Tokayev’s instruction, measures were taken to form a new role of the Academy of Sciences in developing Kazakhstan’s science system, social support for scholars, and new ways of financing the logistical base of laboratories and scientific centers.

«Under the President’s leadership and support, the science budget has been raised in recent years. This year, it will reach KZT158bn, with further increases to KZT240bn,» said Darkhan Akhmed-Zaki.

He went on to add that the measures carried out are of systemic nature and aim at an open model of science, which, according to him, include three major parts such as provision of tax incentives and investment preferences for businesses, development of university science, and the presence of priority and relevant science development areas and their discussion at the level of national councils.