Aleksandr Lukashenko awards Doctor of Sciences diplomas, Professor certificates

It is important to carry out scientific modernization in Belarus, prioritizing the scientific research which aims for novelties and practical results, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the ceremony to award Doctor of Sciences diplomas and Professor certificates on 7 February.

According to the President, a lot has been done to preserve and strengthen Belarus' intellectual potential, raise the role of science in the country. "However, today qualitative changes in the organization and contents of the scientific research activity are needed. This task is set before the government and the Academy of Sciences. But their proposals still cannot stand up to criticism. There is direct evidence of an attempt to substitute fundamental modernization for face-lift," Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

"Perhaps, it will be reasonable to follow the path of those countries where scientific research is concentrated in universities and at enterprises and brings concrete results. If there are promising research works in universities, plants or the Academy of Sciences we should support them. It does not matter where the person will work and where his laboratory will be situated. However, there should be no void organizations," the head of state noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked, it is no accident that science is called the driving force of progress as it is one of the most important factors of economic development, well-being and sovereignty of any state. However, the modern reality requires every scientific research to aim for novelties and practical results. " Every step in this direction will meet support of the government,” the Belarusian head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko praised work of some scientists, including the advanced heart attack treatment research performed by Professor Dmitry Salivonchik of the Gomel State Medical University, the contribution of Assistant Professor Genrikh Milosta of the Grodno State Agrarian University, who has worked out a technology to grow hop in Belarusian conditions. The doctorate thesis on data security written by Professor Timofei Borbotko of the Belarusian State University was mentioned. The head of state said: “Unfortunately, many public and humanitarian researches lack a connection to topical social problems. Our economists, sociologists, and political scientists have failed to come up with a proper evaluation of the unique phenomenon that the modern Belarusian society is”.

"The scientific community still attempts to forget Slavonic roots of the Belarusian nation, to dissolve our past in the history of Poland and Lithuania," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Yet humanitarians have their own achievements. As an example the President mentioned the doctorate thesis written by Alexander Vabishchevich, a department head at the Pushkin State University of Brest. The thesis highlights the fight of the Belarusians for preserving their own culture when part of Belarus was occupied by Poland in the 1920-1930s. The President also mentioned the work written by Assistant Professor Yelena Surkova of the Belarusian State University about ancient Slavonic foundations of the language of ancestors of the Belarusians.

“Therefore, today I’d like to talk about ways to improve topicality and practical outcome of thesis works. Science should not be treated as a way to bolster self-esteem at the government’s expense,” said the head of state.

Aleksandr Lukashenko invited all participants of the event to discuss urgent problems in science. Scientists, in turn, told the President about their research works.