Crimean Universities: Isolation or Boycott?

Crimean Universities: Isolation or Boycott?

How scientists are held responsible—and pay the price—for the actions of their governments. Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: The Vernadsky Crimean Federal University replaced the Vernadsky Taurida National University. The sign had to be changed. (Dmitry Sklyarenko, CC BY...
A New Way of Allocating Research Grants

A New Way of Allocating Research Grants

How will the elimination of the most popular public research grant program affect Russian science? Katerina Guba and Aleksey Zheleznov   Photo: Last year, RFBR supported 15,000 research projects. This year there will hardly be that many. (Raita Futo,CC–BY-2.0)...
How “The Chosen” Are Chosen

How “The Chosen” Are Chosen

Russian science is increasingly characterized by an emphasis on “picking winners,” with special groups receiving preferential government support. Irina Dezhina   Photo: Whom to support? Those who are starting a career in science, or just young in age? The Russian...
Safeguarding Universities or Suppressing Dissent?

Safeguarding Universities or Suppressing Dissent?

How the fight against the “threat” of student unrest at Russian universities is detrimental to academic rights and freedoms Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: Many students attended the January rallies in support of the arrested Alexei Navalny. (Bestalex, Creative Commons...
Science vs. Scientometrics

Science vs. Scientometrics

How to tell a good scientist from a bad one? In the absence of basic trust in researchers, scientometric practices have been widely introduced in Russia. Katerina Guba   Photo: Russian science officials are constantly looking for reliable indicators of the...
Indicators of Problems

Indicators of Problems

The new Basic Research Program has taken effect in Russia, where it will be active until 2030. Are its goals attainable? Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: What will Russian science be like in 2030? A beautiful picture has already been drawn. (Photo by Markus Winkler on...