Activities of State Science Committee for 2016 Summarized at Press Conference
On January 17, the Chairman of the State Committee of Science Samvel Haroutiunian held a press conference at the RA Government press center, taking stock of the activities of the State Committee of Science during the year 2016.
Mr. Harutyunyan mentioned the efforts undertaken towards the establishment of Military Technical and Scientific Technical Council adjacent to the Military-industrial commission during the year 2016. Then he presented the results of calls for projects announced by the State Science of Committee: during the reporting year 5 national and 6 international calls for financing scientific programmes were announced and held. Other than that, Mr. Harutyunyan also pointed out the activities towards summarizing the results of call for proposals for grant allocations to high performance young researchers (under 35) were, as well as organization of online submission of applications and realization of technical and scientometric analysis in 2015-2016 etc.
The chairman of the State Committee of Science as well mentioned that in 2016 the state budget allocations for financing the field of science amounted to AMD 14, 2 billion, including AMD 12, 6 billion on Basic scheme of project funding, AMD 1.4 billion on Thematic scheme of project funding and AMD 206 million on target scheme of project funding. Mr. Haroutiunian also presented the data by sub-sector funding, as well as the amount of bonuses paid in the frameworks of the "Academic degree bonuses to researchers" programme.
With regard to international cooperation, 9 international cooperation agreements and memoranda were drafted and signed during 2016. Mr. Haroutiunian attached special importance to Armenia’s association to the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) Horizon 2020 via the Association Agreement signed on 19 May, 2016, in Brussels.
Among other noteworthy events of international importance, organized by the State Science Committee during the year 2016, Mr. Haroutiunian highlighted the organization of the conference dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Joint Institute for the Nuclear Research in Yerevan in October, the "8th Eastern Partnership Informal Ministerial Dialogue" in Yerevan in November, as well as the workshop dedicated to the implementation of the resolutions of Armenia’s innovative development report and the role of scientific and innovation activities in achieving sustainable development goals in December.