This is according to the report of the Forum of Chief Scientists in Government Ministries. Only 11 of the government ministries have a chief scientist
The report of the Forum of Chief Scientists in Government Ministries, which is led by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, was presented today, November 4, at the Science and Technology Committee of the Knesset. The report shows that the national expenditure on research and development (R&D) in the government sector in Israel stands at 5.3 billion shekels - which is about 0.9% of GDP and only about 15% of the total national expenditure on research and civilian development - which in 2012 amounted to 39.4 A billion shekels. This is the lowest rate of government spending on R&D among the OECD countries: in the USA this rate is 31%, in the UK 33%, in the Netherlands 44% and even in Turkey 34%. The highest government expenditure is Poland with 60% of all expenditure.
Government spending on R&D includes conducting research, ordering research and international science connections in universities and industrial technology. Through these budgets, the government ministries realize their research and diversion policies, each ministry in its field, to ensure high quality of R&D through competition. The rest of the national R&D expenditure in Israel is done by the business sector and by global companies.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Space Jacob Perry, who submitted the report today, warned and said: "The state of government oriented science in the State of Israel is not good. In recent years, the budgets of the chief scientists in the various government ministries have been eroded, and in a small part of the ministries they don't even bother to fill the position. Unfortunately, their influence on the decision-makers is low, and this also affects the ability of the Forum of Chief Scientists to be a leading, significant and effective body in coordinating and leading the governmental research policy of the State of Israel."
The report, the product of the work of a forum of chief scientists in the government ministries, headed by the Minister of Science, Technology and Space Ya'akov Perry and the center's chief scientist Prof. Ehud Gazit, reviews the research and development activities in the government, the activities of the forum, the situation of the chief scientists in government ministries and the decrease in research and development budgets.
During the debate, the Minister of Science criticized the conduct of the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Economy, who is a major player in the allocation of resources and budgets for research and development in Israel: "Unfortunately, there are chief scientists - such as the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Economy, who, although the characteristics of his role and powers are different from those of the other chief scientists, is a member of the forum - who do not make sure to take part and participate in the meetings. I regret that, because this greatly harms the abilities of the forum."
Many OECD countries increased the government budgets allocated to research and development in the last decade by about 4.5% per year on average. During that period, the Israeli government increased the budgetary part dedicated to research and development by only 0.7% per year on average. This slow growth resulted in the government investment in R&D in Israel, as part of the total civilian R&D, being among the lowest in the OECD.
According to the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, Prof. Ehud Gazit, "the recent budget cuts in the governmental R&D budgets may result in the long and short term harming Israel's leading position in the world. The budgets are designed to secure the development and research reserves of the Israeli economy and academia, and without a strategic plan, Israel will soon lose the human capital assets and knowledge it has accumulated over the years, and the entire economy will be damaged."
From the analysis of the government's expenditures for funding R&D by fields, it appears that a high priority is given to undirected funding of research in universities (44% of the total), to the promotion of industrial technologies (38%) and to agriculture (7%). In these three areas, the funding rate is higher than in most OECD countries. However, in each of the fields - health, environmental quality, energy, space exploration and infrastructure development - the funding rate is about XNUMX percent or less and considerably lower than what is common in OECD countries.
The report also discusses the situation of the chief scientists, which has also eroded in recent years. The report shows that out of 23 government ministries, only 11 of them have chief scientist positions. The ministries where there is currently no chief scientist: Ministry of Finance; Department of Justice; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Interior; Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee; Ministry of Culture and Sports; Ministry of Construction and Housing; Ministry of Welfare and Social Services; Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of religious services; and the Ministry for Senior Citizens as well as the Prime Minister's Office.
Dr. Eli Even, Head of the Research Authority at Bar Ilan University and a member of the Advisory Committee for Investments in Research and Development in the European Union:
"The Israeli government continues to degrade research and development in Israel to the lowest place since its establishment. Continuing this policy will lead the State of Israel to lose its main national resource, which is human capital. As a result, the economy in Israel will lose the income generated by the IT sector, which is a direct product of research and development in academic research institutions in Israel. According to all dimensions, the return (to the gross national product) in research and development is here at least 20 in relation to the investment. We must take an emergency initiative and locate the necessary resources in order to immediately double the national investments in research and development"
13 תגובות
Asaf - many very significant developments of global companies such as Intel - developed here.
In general, it makes sense to give a tax discount to those who have no other motivation to build a factory here.
We will raise the tax and they will build it somewhere else.
You cannot expect Zionist motivation from multinational corporations.
Again, the state needs expansions in what it deals with. In other things, it is better to let the free market deal with it.
or to the academy. Officials and elected officials often cannot know where the best investment will be. Therefore, a free market is better.
In any case, the academy subsidy is also part of research and development expenses indirectly.
As for the meetings, you probably didn't understand my cynicism (because it has an unlimited budget, so it would probably be allowed to think that there is unlimited benefit in it)
What does research and development and the implementation of technology in government ministries have to do with the efficiency of their service?
I understand what it is about, it is about the fact that in terms of direct spending on research and development by the government, that is - tax money - the country is in last place in the OECD. But, as I already mentioned - the State of Israel is in first place in the world. When it comes to the ratio of the percentage of GDP that is invested in development - which is money of companies, some of them not even in Israel, that is invested on their own initiative in research that they think will give them a return.
How exactly is spending on meetings considered research and development?
This is, of course, spending on R&D done by government ministries (or at their request) and for them, it is a negligible part of all R&D in Israel, except in the field of security. Its increase will improve the assimilation of technologies in the government offices and the optimization of the service.
And besides, apparently the expenses and subsidies for universities are not included, but those of the yeshivas are, because the idiots think they are producing a very valuable development for the government....
Spare me the straw men.
again,
The State of Israel is first - first! - in the world as gold reaches the research and development percentage of GDP.
Why should money be taken from the economy to invest it in something in which Israel is first?
Is there any indication that our situation will change if we do not increase government spending?
In general, are all expenses and subsidies for universities included in research expenses?
Another one, I doubt if the part of the Ministry of Science is one percent of the part of the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Economy, and in general it seems that you learn that from the daily capitalist and for you the government is unnecessary at all, from your side everyone will probably walk around with a personal bodyguard because it's a shame to spend money on police officers, but You are driving a road that was paved with public funds...
First of all, why pettiness?
And why ignorance?
It is my business as a citizen of the country where tax money goes.
And I say to know exactly where every shekel of the public expenditure on research and development goes to remind that the situation is not as bad as the article describes and that if Israel is first in the world in this respect despite the low government expenditure - perhaps it should not be increased? Is there any reason to believe that this will change if we do not increase government spending, which is negligible in relation to total spending?
I also assume that the ministry wants a budget for itself as well - right? The smaller the government spending on research and development becomes, the Ministry of Science becomes less relevant, it probably has an interest in increasing this spending - even if only part of the money goes directly to it.
The budgetary part of the Ministry of Science is actually the most negligible among the government ministries, the Ministry of Agriculture does more scientific activity. The ministry also does not want the money for it, but requests a budget for all government ministries to improve and streamline the entire economy, so your response indicates ignorance and pettiness.
Now I saw where the article came from, from the Ministry of Science?
really? They publish an article that is actually the Ministry of Science asking for more money?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_research_and_development_spending
I understood that, in general, Israel is in first place, in the world, in the ratio of research and development to GDP.
What does it matter how much of it is spending tax money and not part of the free market?
I think it's better that way. A government official cannot know what should be investigated and what should not be investigated.
In my opinion, the problem is with Naftali Bennett, who prefers to give tax breaks to foreign companies and not invest in local initiatives. A real economy does not become a tax haven. These create something new