THE AGREEMENT WAS CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE STATE COMMITTEE OF SCIENCE OF THE RA AND “NORAVANK” SCIENTIFIC-EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

On October 21 the cooperation agreement was concluded between RA SCS and “Noravank” Foundation which aim was to promote the arrangement of research projects examination, the acquisition and exchange of scientific materials. Within the scope of collaboration the assistance will be rendered to the organization, institutes of higher education and persons working in the sphere of humanities, the financial assistance will be rendered to the studies, researches by young scholars chosen through independent examination and on basis of tender.

After the signing of the agreement “Aravot” talked to the chairman of the SCS Samvel Harutyunyan and director of “Noravank” Foundation Gagik Harutyunyan.

S. Harutyunyan noticed: “The State Committee of Science is managing organization which works out the state policy on science and technologies. And Foundation deals with the elaboration of scientific and educational programmes. From this point of view our programmes are corresponding. Besides, there are functions that demand for the researches by foundations of other research institutions, e.g. the establishment of the priorities of the science or the preparation of strategic programmes. Managing organizations cannot carry this out only by their own efforts. Abroad they are carried out by the institutes dealing with such issues but we do not have such institutes and that is why we collaborate with other structures dealing with them. On our question whether it is not a bit late to begin such collaboration or to establish the priorities in science S. Harutyunyan answered: “The Committee has been created recently and foundation has a bit longer history. But we started the collaboration at the descent time. May be you are right that the priorities should have been established long ago but, however, those actions are charged with us by the scope of the commission of the committee and I am responsible for those two years. On the other hand the priorities of the science are specified all over the world every 4-5 years. If they are specified in 2004 it does not mean that they are sacred writing and they should remain the same for hundred years. The political problems in the state, the rate of the economy development and other issues influence those priorities”.

The director of “Noravank” Foundation mentioned: “We are not really late, because this period was used to clarify our deeds. This is not a formal agreement. On November 10 the autumn school will be started by joint efforts, and it will be devoted to the information security. I hope that the scientific, educational, research sphere will become priority in Armenia”.

“Aravot” daily, 22.10.2009