Research Policy

Today, research and innovation have become the main factors for social development, economic growth and the achievement of a high standard of living. Innovations created through new technologies, production and equipment, the rendering of services, new approaches to organisations and through raising the skill levels of staff, ensure a highly competitive economy. Unfortunately, in the first years of independence Tajikistan was deeply entangled in a civil war and, as a consequence, issues related to the development of science and innovation were put aside for the whole decade. From 2000 onwards, appropriate measures were taken by the Government to support scientific potential, to reform and re-orientate the science sector, and to solve socio-economic problems. Tajikistan strived to strengthen scientific-technological potential as a necessary factor for the modernization of its economy and the gradual transition towards increased innovation.

A number of national laws and government resolutions were passed that defined state policy in the field of science and innovation directed to support scientific potential, the development of scientific research, new technology development and their implementation in production.

A special section “Forming innovative infrastructure and supporting innovative activity” was dedicated to these problems in particular in the Strategy of RT in the field of Science and Technologies for 2007-2015. Laws were passed “On the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan” (2002), “On Industrial Samples” (2004), “On Invention” (2004), “On Rights Protection for the Topology of Integrated Microcircuits” (2006), “On Trademark and Service Marks” (2007), “On Geographical Indicators” (2007), “On Scientific and Scientific-technical Expertise” (2010), “On Innovative Activity in the Republic of Tajikistan” (2012). A section on “Intellectual Property” was included in the third part of Civil Code of RT (2005).

In 2007, the Government of RT approved the National Development Strategy of Tajikistan 2007-2015. Part of this document is the Science Development Strategy which foresees the updating of the legislative basis of S&T and finding measures to ensure its proper execution. In this strategy, science is described as a national priority. The strategy also aims at further strengthening the collaboration between research organisations and the different ministries, and outlines an ambitious programme for developing scientific cooperation with other countries, including fellow members of CIS, as well as with international organisations, via intergovernmental agreements and partnerships to be concluded by the Academy of Sciences, research institutes, and universities.

Tajikistan’s Science Development Strategy identifies several weaknesses in the national S&T system such as lack of funding and insufficient research infrastructures, many of which were destroyed during the years of civil war from 1992-1997. The strategy underlines the need to build adequate information infrastructures in order to improve the institutes’ connection to modern information technologies and to make additional scientific literature available to the libraries. There is also lack of highly educated scientific staff due to the very low funding of the research area. To improve the situation, Tajikistan seeks to better integrate its higher education and S&T systems. Moreover, the strategy points out the need to establish comprehensive national S&T programmes to tackle the important scientific and socio-economic problems of the country. It also points out that international research collaboration is insufficient despite a high number of signed S&T agreements.

In 2011, the Programme of Innovative Development of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2011-2020 was adopted by the Government. The programme is to be implemented in two stages:

First stage (2011-2014) – Preparation and organisation Second stage (2015-2020) – Development of innovations

Based on the new national innovative system created, a thorough effort to realise the programme is to be made during the second stage in order to steadily increase the innovation component in the country’s economy year by year. The national innovation system shall provide the following main components:

1. Creation and development of innovation infrastructure (technical and technological);
2. Forming and improving the system of retraining and professional training of specialists in the field of innovation activity;
3. Organisation of the information system in the field of innovation activity;
4. International cooperation in the field of innovation activity;
5. Involving scientific potential in the innovative processes;
6. Tasks related to the innovative development of the fields of economy, education and health.

In 2011, during the realisation of the programme, the Government approved a resolution regarding the foundation of the Center for Innovative Development of Science and New Technologies of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan. The main task of the Center is to develop scientific bases to implement the main components of the programme.

Source: CIDS & NT ASRT
Last update: August 2015