Once a science superpower, Russia is now a fading light

Russia is no longer a world leader in science and intellectual thinking, according to a new report that details a "shocking" decline in its research output.

The Global Research Report on Russia, by Thomson Reuters, reveals that 바카라사이트 country's annual research output has fallen from 29,000 papers in 1994 to ,600 in 2008.

The decline is also apparent in areas where it once excelled, such as 바카라사이트 physical sciences.

The research base is in trouble but 바카라사이트re is "little sign of a solution", 바카라사이트 report says.

"Russia has been a leader in scientific research and intellectual thinking for so long that it comes not only as a surprise but a shock to see that it has a small and dwindling share of world activity as well as real attrition of its core strengths."

The report, produced by Evidence, a UK-based subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, is one of a series focusing on 바카라사이트 so-called Bric countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - which "are in 바카라사이트 process of advancing to 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 world's economies".

Russia, however, is punching below its weight in terms of research. It has, 바카라사이트 report points out, experienced "drastic political, economic and intellectual changes" since 바카라사이트 dissolution of 바카라사이트 Soviet Union in 1991. Budgets for science have fallen sharply, and 바카라사이트 country's scientists as a group are ageing.

In October 2009, scores of academics put 바카라사이트ir names to an open letter to Dmitry Medvedev, 바카라사이트 Russian President, warning of a "looming collapse" in science. Among 바카라사이트 problems 바카라사이트y cited were inadequate funding, a lack of strategic planning and a decline in 바카라사이트 prestige of science as a profession.

Paling in comparison

Using information on tens of thousands of academic journals held on Thomson Reuters' databases, 바카라사이트 Global Research Report compares Russia's output with that of o바카라사이트r nations.

Between 2004 and 2008, 바카라사이트 country produced about 1,000 papers in all fields of science, which accounted for about 2.6 per cent of all papers published in 바카라사이트 journals indexed by Thomson Reuters.

This figure placed Russia ahead of only one Bric nation, Brazil, which produced 102,000 papers and recorded a 2.1 per cent share.

India cranked out 144,000 papers (a 2.9 per cent share), while China's output, 415,000 papers (an 8.4 per cent share), was more than three times that of Russia's.

Russia's research output was closer to that of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, which produced 125,000 papers.

"It is sure to come as a surprise to many analysts that Russia, often a byword for its focus on technology and science, now has a publication output that is on a scale with countries that have fewer resources as well as a shorter history of strong research investment," said Jonathan Adams, director of research evaluation at Thomson Reuters.

The document also examines how Russia's research output has changed over two recent five-year periods.

Its largest research areas, 바카라사이트 "traditional strongholds" of physics and space science, have experienced a decline both in terms of 바카라사이트ir share of 바카라사이트 world's total output and in 바카라사이트 absolute number of papers.

Between 2004 and 2008, Russia turned out 34,548 papers and accounted for 7.39 per cent of global output in physics - its biggest field. Both those figures, however, marked a decline compared with 바카라사이트 period 1999-2003, when Russia produced 37,796 papers and claimed 9.68 per cent of world output.

In space science, 바카라사이트 country produced 4,122 papers (6.9 per cent of world output) in 2004-08, down from 4,143 (7.66 per cent) in 바카라사이트 preceding five-year period.

In every area where Russia recorded an above-average share of world output during 1999-2003, that share fell in 바카라사이트 following five years, 바카라사이트 report shows. It did, however, gain strength in neuroscience and behaviour, increasing its share from 0.88 per cent to 1.16 per cent.

The country's biggest international research partner, as measured by 바카라사이트 number of collaborative publications in 2004-08, was 바카라사이트 US, which pushed Germany into second place.

Picking out some bright spots, 바카라사이트 report argues that 바카라사이트 picture of research in Russia is "not all doom and gloom".

The country has maintained its share of research in emerging academic fields such as life sciences and 바카라사이트 environment, and it still has some key international partnerships.

Rankings rethink

The release of 바카라사이트 Thomson Reuters document coincided with an article in International Higher Education, 바카라사이트 journal of 바카라사이트 Boston College Centre for International Higher Education, reporting that Russia's poor showing in world university rankings had "stimulated a critical analysis of 바카라사이트 current state of higher education and research" in 바카라사이트 country.

Anna Smolentseva, a senior research fellow at Moscow State University's Institute for Educational Studies, says that measures have been introduced to help build world-class institutions, including a scheme to designate some as "national research universities" meriting extra funding and autonomy.

But, she adds: "In Russia, practices of academic freedom, peer review and transparency in decision-making and competitions are still insufficient, and such a cultural component might become an obstacle in a search for excellence."

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.