The report states that "an immediate change of direction" is needed in the government's relationship to the scientific research system, and details a series of recommendations. "The government's policy which in the past led to the "lost decade"... was harmful and against the national interest. There is therefore an essential need to change the face of things" - states the report.
The president of the academy, Prof. Ruth Arnon, called on the committee to strengthen the teaching of science in high schools and to significantly and immediately increase the number of students studying mathematics, physics and chemistry at the level of 5 units. Arnon emphasized that we must make every effort and find a way to reach the Horizon 2020 agreement with the European Union, an agreement that is absolutely essential for the future of science in Israel. Failure to reach an agreement will cause the erosion of science in Israel and an irreversible and disastrous failure for Israeli science
A comprehensive report on the state of science in Israel - 2013 - 23 was prepared and presented for the first time by the Israel National Academy of Sciences. The report was submitted to the Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, MK Moshe Gafni and the Minister of Science and Technology, Yaakov Perry at a celebratory meeting of the committee held today, Wednesday, October XNUMX in the Knesset. The report was presented by the President of the Academy, Prof. Ruth Arnon, and the Speaker of the Knesset MK Yuli Edelstein, members of the committee and members of the Academy of Sciences also participated in the meeting.
- More of the topic in Hayadan:
- The National Academy of Sciences recommends that the government immediately increase the academic scientific research budget according to the European rate so that it stands at 23% of the R&D budget
- The percentage of female students at the Technion is only 35%
- The President of the R&D Academy - signed Israel's accession to the European R&D program Horizon 2020
The report reviews the achievements of Israeli science, the problems that threaten the future of the higher education system in Israel, and the steps required to return it to the impressive path it walked in the past.
The report, which was submitted following an amendment to the Academy Law, is intended to present the state of research in Israel in an international comparison, states that "an immediate change of direction" is needed in the government's relationship to the scientific research system, and lists a series of recommendations. "The government's policy which in the past led to the "lost decade"... was harmful and against the national interest. There is therefore an essential need to change the face of things" - states the report.
Being the first, the report reviews the development of science in Israel and notes a number of notable achievements on an international scale in the fields of science and thought in recent decades. The report states that "Israel is a state of science and technology... which ranks first in the world ranking of advanced countries. Israeli scientific fertility and excellence are among the highest in the world."
Another part of the report reveals the economic side of the academic cooperation between Israel and the world and reviews the significant cooperation with the European Union that began with Israel's accession as an accompanying member of the European Union's R&D programs. As of December 2012, participation fees of 407.9 euros were transferred from Israel to the Union in accordance with the agreement, while the reimbursement for research grants received by Israeli entities reached a total of about 636 million euros (over NIS 3 billion), of which 430.6 million euros went to universities and another 152.5 million euros to industry.
However, the report indicates that these achievements stem from past investments, and that today the state is forced to "pick the last fruits" of these investments. The authors of the report outline how international science activity has changed in recent decades, a development that has led to greater competition and the need for increasing investment, also in international cooperation. The report shows several alarming signs, including:
• Academic faculty in universities: The report shows that the number of senior academic faculty members in universities decreased by 7.6% from 15 to 26 and the number of jobs for junior faculty members decreased by 16% during the same period, while the number of students was increasing. This is how Israel reached a situation where the average number of students per senior faculty member is XNUMX compared to XNUMX in the OECD countries.
• When monitoring the fields of knowledge and research in the academic system, an alarming situation emerges in many areas, including in the humanities, and especially in a field of research that has become central in recent years - gas and oil research. The Academy recognized the problem a year ago and established two committees appointed by the President of the Academy. The committees that examined the issue came to the conclusion that there are large knowledge gaps in this field and that there are almost no renowned independent researchers in the Israeli academic community. According to the conclusions of their work, the Academy determined that a large part of the geological knowledge is confidential and is in the hands of the commercial entities and is not available to the research community in Israel and this requires immediate action.
• About 60% of the national expenditure on research and development in the past was allocated to universities; Today only - 17% - a fact that places Israel at the bottom of the ranking of OECD countries (where the average is 23%).
• In the number of scientific publications per capita - Israel was ranked first in the world in the 80s, and dropped to 13th place.
A special chapter in the report is dedicated to recommendations, first of all the urgent need to increase public investment in scientific research, especially in equipment, laboratories and research budgets. "Changing this direction is the necessity of reality" emphasize the authors of the report who warn: "damage to the budgets of the higher education system and research support must be prevented at all costs."
The report was compiled by a special committee headed by the president of the academy Prof. Ruth Arnon. The committee lists ten key actions necessary to return Israel to the desired path:
1. - Increasing public investment in scientific research. The committee states that "the scope of university research budgets in Israel must be based on comparisons with advanced countries. That is, to increase scientific university research budgets at least according to their average rate in the OECD countries (which is 23% of the total R&D budget).
2. Non-impairment of the budgets of the higher education system.
3. Securing the future of Israeli research and high-tech - to strengthen science teaching in high schools.
An important recommendation appearing in the report calls for a significant and immediate increase in the number of middle school and upper school students studying mathematics, physics and chemistry at the 5-unit level and to increase science teaching in high schools.
4. Increasing the resources and infrastructure for R&D up to the average level in the West.
5. Bringing back outstanding scientists (preventing brain drain).
6. Strengthen the relations of the Israeli research system with international research bodies.
7. Preservation of extinct research areas - to save departments by concentrating efforts and establishing a coordinating body.
8. Preserving the level of humanities and social sciences.
9. Expanding accessibility to additional population groups.
10. Recruiting young faculty for universities.
4 תגובות
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Freedom is the direction of the immediate change that is needed.
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Because, freedom nourishes culture and learning!
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At the annual conference of the "Association for the Advancement of Science" which took place recently, much was said about the evils of the scientific ignorance that exists in the population as a whole. Many leaders have emphasized that universal scientific knowledge is crucial in determining wise public policy in a democracy, and it is also crucial in maintaining superiority in science and technology.
The blame for the lack of interest shown by today's youth has been placed on our schools and universities, at all levels. In this, it is possible that most people can agree. It is clear that schools today do a terrible job of educating children in most areas—character, social responsibility, and good citizenship, as well as reading, writing, history, and science. The more money spent, the poorer the results seem to be. Smaller classes, new facilities, more expensive equipment, and a veritable army of support staff that doesn't seem to help.
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However, the solution proposed by the lecturers at the conference of the "Association for the Advancement of Science" * was only a repetition of the same old formulas that have so often failed in recent years: more science lessons, more requirements, more qualified instructors added to the curriculum from first grade to university. What these leaders seem to forget is the root experience that is the basis of democracy: the origins of democracy come from belief, that coercion is the opposite of personal growth. The unusual way in which Western democracies grew, proves that as much as the people enjoy more freedom within society, society as a whole enjoys more intellectual and moral advancement. The liberal democracies were built on the basis of this very important principle, but our leaders in the field of education seem to be so unaware of this fact, just like any ignorant child!
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The cure for the problem of scientific ignorance, for all other ignorance - and also for violence - is to uproot once and for all the disease at its root: coercion in schools. Human nature in a free society recoils from any attempt to force it into some kind of mold. The more demands we pile on the children at school - and the students at the university - the more certain we are to distance them from the material we are trying to shove down their throats. The real answer is freedom at school - freedom for every child and teenager, of every age, to choose the activities to which his natural curiosity leads him! After all, children's urge to rule the world around them is legendary. Our schools must keep this impulse alive by feeding it the freedom it needs to grow.
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Fewer mandatory activities are needed, not more—in fact, it's better to have no mandatory activity at all. People who wonder if there is any sense in talking, should look at the experience of the democratic schools, which are established right on the basis of these principles. The results are overall excellent, as we would expect.
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The schools that our country desperately needs, to ensure a sustainable society of creative, enterprising, and free citizens, are schools that allow students the freedom to pursue anything that interests them (see, http://www.sudval.org/). Several models of such schools exist in the world today, and they herald a new world of education.
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* See: the report of the Harari Committee, chaired by Prof. Haim Harari - "Mohar 98" (note, 1998 !!).
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Many times they talk about the Finnish education model, but they do not change the way of studying in Israel. As a student, I remember a toxic and competitive atmosphere. Of achievements at any cost, including copying.
http://www.1vsdat.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=636:%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A2-%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%91%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9A-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%99%D7%A9-%D7%A2%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%93?&Itemid=189
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Science courses at school do not teach science at all!
http://cafe.themarker.com/topic/2236986/
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"When educators discuss the "basic things" that should be taught to all students in school, there is no subject that receives greater support than the subject of science. We are told that of all the important things for the young people who will become adults in the 21st century, knowledge of science ranks first. This is the standard justification for the extensive program of science studies, from elementary school to high school, a program supported by expensive equipment and textbooks, and staffed by an army of teachers.
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Therefore, it may come as a surprise to most readers, that in fact everything we have been told on the subject is pure myth. Today we do not have a school where science is taught. Throwing sand in our eyes..."
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