On August, 26 Prime Minister of the RF Dmitriy Medvedev conducted a meeting with university representatives. New Minister of education and science of the RF Olga Vasilieva took part in the meeting.

Questions of incorporation of modern technologies and new forms of education, development of research and innovations, graduates’ employment, attestation of scientific-pedagogical staff and the role of universities in regions’ development have been discussed at the meeting.

The development of science is impossible without state support, and Russian government attempts to save all existing programs in this field, Dmitriy Medvedev said.

“This is all about illusions when they say that the science can be detached and can develop for inner sources and direct support from commercial sector,” Prime Minister claimed. He stressed the necessity of business involvement in the process of science support, but said, that “the state will still play the leading part”.

“It will be right to continue work in directions of the Government decrees, which my colleagues have mentioned, about major universities and 5/100 Project. I’m not exaggerating the achieved results, but this is an energetic move forward, that is why we should not stop, but move in this direction.”

Dmitriy Medvedev agreed that only grant principle does not allow solve a series of questions in scientific institutions.

The necessity of other than grant support of research universities was highlighted by forum participants, who pointed out that leading research can’t be conducted only as a part of grant, because planned and regular financing is required for engineers and laboratory workers.

“I side that such expenses should also be planned. The question is how to distribute it in a right way, inside general expenses for science, which exist in our budget. In 2016 315 bln roubles from the budget are planned for science, which is more or less the same as in 2015.

We should think of how to use this money, I mean first of all the network of our univeristies.”

According to Dmitriy Medvedev, specialists and MIC scientists promote science a lot. 9000 specialists will be trained until 2020 as a part of special-purpose programme of MIC.

“There is a special-purpose programme, which started 2 years ago, that proved itself well. 6000 specialists have been trained, but this is not enough.”

“We will continue fulfillment of President’s decrees of May, 7, 2016. The salary of state universities’ teachers will be 1,5 times more than the average salary in the region by the end of the year, and 2 times – by 2018.”

MEPhI rector Mikhail Strikhanov took part in the forum.