The Problem of Financing Science and Its Effect on Brain Drain in Uzbekistan: A Retrospective View and the Perspectives for Solving
Abstract
The effectiveness of scientific research depends on three components - availability of intellectual potential, financing scientific research and proper coordination of research. If one of these components is lacking the effectiveness of scientific research goes down, and consequently, the brain drain happens in the science sphere. Uzbekistan, as a major “scientific center” in Central Asia, has significant intellectual potential, and so far, has the aligned system of training the highly qualified scientific personnel as well as of coordinating the science and technology development. However, there is a problem in the system of financing science and scientific activities of research institutions. The purpose of this research paper is to retrospectively analyze the appearance of the problem of financing science and scientific activity in Uzbekistan and to determine to what extent this problem had impact on brain drain from the country. Research findings show that a significant decrease in financing science during the first decade of independence, as well as a complete transition to a grant system of financing science, has caused “repulsion” of young and promising scientists from research groups, institutes and universities, some part of which have left to the foreign universities and research institutes, and the rest of them simply left the science. One of the reasons of brain drain of scientists and researchers was and still remain the problem of financing science and scientific activity by the government. As a result, this problem has caused the labor migration of highly skilled scientists from Uzbekistan to other developing and developed countries, the considerable effects of which on brain drain is still perceptible. At the end of this paper we give perspective policy recommendations on improving the system of financing science and scientific activities in Uzbekistan that would ensure the country to shift from “brain drain” towards “brain gain”.