OREANDA-NEWS. August 14, 2015. Belarus’ priorities in science for the five-year term include power engineering, bio-, nano- and medical technologies, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) Vladimir Gusakov said when reporting to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Vladimir Gusakov spoke about 13 priorities in science in the next five years. Major research programs are developed under these priorities. Work is underway now to fill these programs with specific assignments and projects. Alexander Lukashenko was also reported on the sources of financing the future research and prospective sales markets. The head of state said he would like to meet with the Belarusian scientists both representing the National Academy of Sciences and the universities, industrial science in order to take stock of what has been achieved and discuss the plans for the future.

In addition, Vladimir Gusakov briefed the President on the status of implementation of the program to upgrade the scientific sector. The head of state recalled that in due time there were many proposals to reform the National Academy of Sciences which, among other things, implied the reduction in the number of functions of the NAS, depriving it of property and so on. "I never supported this. I believed that we had enough of reforms, and now it was time to live a normal live and improve what we have, the President said. A similar decision was taken with regard to the Academy of Sciences.

The head of state was also interested in the economic side of the program to improve the scientific sector. “Science should help the state earn money and be a financially sound organization itself (National Academy of Sciences - BelTA),” Alexander Lukashenko believes.

A number of measures have been taken to make the Academy of Sciences financially self-sufficient. Its structural and personnel optimization is underway. The head of state stressed that the Academy needs strong structures. The Academy of Sciences has been optimized to meet the needs of the state. The head of state was briefed that seven NASB organizations had been reorganized over the past year. Today there are 113 of them, including 63 scientific and 29 manufacturing enterprises.