SCIENCE AND EDUCATION IS THE BASIS OF NEW KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY – KAZNU RECTOR GALYM MUTANOV

«Kazinform» International News Agency, 29 May 2020

In his speech at the Third Session of the National Council of Public Confidence, President of the country Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave Kazakhstanis a powerful message to form a quality human capital at the current stage of development of the state, says rector of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Galym Mutanov.

«In doing so, President Tokayev has emphasized the fundamental reform of science and education, the role of which, as the most important sectors of the economy, should be clearly recognized in our time,» Mutanov believes.

«He openly admits the fact that insufficient attention is given to science and education today, and raises the issue of significant revision of attitude to this sphere that is viewed as a driver of country’s development. The Head of State strongly affirms that the state policy should be focused on the development of science and education, which are the basis of the new economy. All sectors must be based on knowledge, technologies and innovations, which requires a holistic scenario of transition to a new economy,» the KazNU rector notes.

According to Mutanov, the President has previously highlighted the need to build a future new structure of the national economy. It is obvious that the sphere of science and education should have an important place in it as a separate branch and productive force. To that end, the Head of State proposes, at an initial stage, a set of measures to transform this sphere into an efficient sector of the national economy, which should be reflected in the new version of the «Law on Science» and in the revised State Program on Development of Education and Science until 2025.

It is also expected, according to Mutanov, to increase financing of education sixfold and science sevenfold. These measures will make it possible to approach the indicators of the member-countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The instruction to increase the cost and number of grants for doctoral studies and allocation of public procurement for postdoctoral studies will be a decisive step in the formation of human and scientific potential of the country. The postdoctoral program introduced in KazNU for the first time in the country has proved the high efficiency. In the conditions of sixth technological paradigm, it is necessary to focus attention and resources on the development of bio- and nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, virtual reality technologies and others.

«In order to establish a new model of knowledge-based economy, the President sets the task of building a chain, which link technological sites, large enterprises with Universities and Research Institutes,» Mutanov stresses. «This goal can be achieved by using an effective «triple helix» model tested in advanced innovation economies, which is based on close cooperation between the State, Business and Universities. Drawing on the experience of leading countries, KazNU has initiated the creation of «Al-Farabi» scientific and technological valley, which is designed to implement a new model of science management, aimed at the creation and conversion of scientific developments and based on the principles of scientific self-governance, economic self-sufficiency and attracting investment in the science-intensive sector».

«As international experience has shown, such areas are the growth points for a new innovation economy. It is hoped that in the framework of the activities of the formed State Commission for the Restoration of Economic Growth, which focus on creating basis for a post-crisis development of Kazakhstan, the main contours of the country’s future economy are laid now. In that regard, the projects like Al-Farabi Valley and proposals of other experts and the government need to be launched,» Mutanov says in conclusion.