Main trends of research in the social and human ... - unesdoc - Unesco

The organization and financing of research 747
3. The most distinctive feature, nevertheless, is the academy system. An
Academy of Sciences is a combination of a ‘corporation’ of elected academicians;
of research institutes; and of bodies responsible for the co-ordination and plan-
ning of scientific development on a national academicians are among the
most distinguished scientists. They are elected by secret ballot by existing mem-
bers meeting in general assembly. The size of the academies varies with the
size of the country and the degree of its scientific development, those of the
Soviet Union being the largest. In July 1966 the USSR Academy (there are many
others in the Union Republics) had 223 regular members, 433 corresponding
members and 36 foreign member^.^' In January, 1967 the Czechoslovakian Aca-
demy had 57 regular members and 135 corresponding members. Total scientific
personnel working in academy establishments are much more numerous than
the academicians, some I 1,000 in Czechoslovakia and over 20,000 in the USSR
(plus more than 30,000 working in the establishments of the 14 Academies of
Science of the Union Republics which are independent bodies not affiliated
to the USSR Academy).
4. Academicians elect their governing body (Presidium) for periods of four
years. OEce holders are accountable to the general assembly which meets once
or twice a year. Apart from internal adminstration, they deal with overall
questions of policy and planning, in relation to government and other bodies.
Additional to the presidium are two bodies with complementary functions -
departments and institutes. Departments represent broad fields of science, in
some ways resembling university faculties, in others research councils. * Insti-
tutes organize and execute programmes and projects. Developments which have
been taking place since 1959 have given the departments in a number of Eastern
European countries ‘scientific committees’, ‘problem councils’ or ‘collegia’
which include not only prominent scientists from the universities (as well as
from their own ranks) but key members of government and other user-organiza-
tions. It is they who propose new members for election. They represent the most
recent form of collaboration between academies, universities and user-organiza-
tions in identifying the problem-areas to which major resources should be allo-
cated.
5. Institutes publish journals, organize conferences and hold continuing
seminars. They conduct research projects which may be carried out by several
establishments both inside and outside the Academy. These, together with the
seminars, give opportunities for post-graduate training. Their directors are
elected by the general assembly or, as in Poland, named by the Secretary General
of the Academy, for periods of four years and provided with supporting staff.
Institutes also have scientific councils with both advisory and decision-making
functions including the final say in approving research plans. They examine
candidates for higher degrees (doctor and candidate of science).
* In the USSR in 1960 another level was introduced into the organizational structure, so
that besides the Presidium and the departments and institutes there exist sections which
group interrelated sciences ; for example, humanities and social sciences, though
belonging to different departments, now form the Section of the Sciences of Society.
Each of these sections is headed by a Vice President of the Academy.