Science and technology in Azerbaijan

Science and Technology is one of the main field of the state policy that generally affects all aspects in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) is considered as the central agency for science and technology in order to implement state policy in this field.

Science policy

Main priorities of the scientific policy are provision of sustainable improvement actions in science and technology, maintenance of scientific and technological potential, preparation of highly qualified human resources in science and technology and increasing labor value of the scientific workers. A number of measures are defined in order to increase the efficiency of scientific activity of ANAS, building interrelated relations between universities and scientific institutions, ensuring the application of results of the scientific researches in socio-economic and other spheres in the country and properly use of scientific personnel. A development strategy for science and technology in Azerbaijan has been prepared by the Presidium of ANAS. The strategy covers issues relating to the expanding role of science and technology in the solution of socio-economic problems, strengthening innovation processes and increasing information resources of the state.

Main targets of the scientific strategy

Defining the structure and content of the science in Azerbaijan with regard to current and priority demands of the country

Ensuring scientific improvements in accordance with the experience of world science and technology

Increasing the role of science in the development of economy in the country

Provision of trainings for scientific workers in order to increase potential of the human resources in the field of science and specialists deal with scientific problems

Relating to the solution of socio-economic and socio-cultural issues defining priorities of scientific researches

Expanding researches in fundamental sciences

Improving management system in the field of science and technology

Improving scientific finance mechanisms in the scientific research institutions

Modernization of infrastructure in science and technology and creation of legal-scientific base

Preservation of scientific institutions and schools

Providing integration of science education and production

Improvement of social condition of the scientific workers

Strengthening the provision of the scientific information

Expanding international scientific relations and acceleration of integration of Azerbaijani science into the international science

Trends in science funding

Statistics reveal that Azerbaijan spent 0.2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on science development in 2016. Since 2000 this trend has been stable. Azerbaijan’s share of scientific researches was 0.3% of GDP in 2000 and 2009. The share of expenditure on research in gross domestic product has decreased since 2009 to 0.2% of GDP (2016).

Scientific institutions and organizations

Azerbaijan has more than 35 scientific institutions that provide scientific investigations in the fields of social sciences, humanitarian sciences, medical-biological sciences, chemical sciences, earth sciences and technical sciences etc. Institution of Information Technology, Institute of Radiation problems, Astrophysical Observatory named after Nasreddin Tusi, Institute of Control Systems, Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics and Institute of Physics provide researches in the field of Physics, Mathematics and Technical Sciences. İnstitute of Catalyse and Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Polymer materials, Institute of Petrochemical Processes and Institute of Chemical Additives acts under the Department of Chemical Sciences. Other scientific institutions include the Institute of Geography, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Institute of Oil and Gas, which generate scientific researches under the Department of Earth Sciences. Besides, 10 institutions function under the Department of Biological and Medical Sciences such as, Genetic Resources Institute, Institute of Dendrology, Institute of Erosion and Irrigation, Institute of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Microbiology, Institute of Physiology, institute of Botany, Central Botanical Garden, institute of Zoology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Overall 15 institutions operate under the Department of Social and Humanitarian Sciences. Main of them are included Institute of Folklore, Institute of Architecture and Art, Institute of Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi, Institute of Linguistics named after Nasimi, Institute of Manuscripts named after Muhammed Fuzuli, Institute of Philosophy, Institute of Economics, Institute of History of Science and Institute of Archelogy and Ethnography.

Science Development Foundation

Foundation was established in accordance with the presidential decree dated 2009 . The main directions of the foundation are maintenance of the scientific-technological potential in the country and application of this potential in the development of the economy, expanding the role of the science and technology in the solution of social problems and financing scientific investigations, programs, projects and other scientific events. Consequently, Scientific Development Foundation provides financial support for implementation of state’s scientific strategy.

High Technologies Park of ANAS

High Technologies Park of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences was created in accordance with the presidential decree dated November 8, 2016 . The main objectives of the High-Tech Park are establishment of application mechanisms of the industry-driven projects, provision of technical innovation for mass production and enabling practical works in the field of science and technology.

Notable scientists

Several scientists from Azerbaijan including Lotfi A. Zadeh in fuzzy set theory made significant contributions to the both local and international science community. Other notable Azerbaijani scientists include Nazim Muradov, Azad Mirzajanzade, Yusif Mammadaliyev, Lev Landau, Garib Murshudov, Kalil Kalantar, Alikram Aliyev, Masud Afandiyev etc.

Scientific publications

There are more than 20 periodically published scientific journals including “Problems of Information Technologies”, “Problems of the Information Society” scientific-practical journals and transactions of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences in various fields of science.

Publication	Issues a year	Copies of annual edition	Languages
Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis	1 issue a month, 4 quires volume	280	English/ Russian
Applied and Computational Mathematics	2	300
Transactions of the Institute of Physiology	2	500	Azerbaijani/ Russian
Transactions of the Institute of Microbiology	1	100	Azerbaijani/ Russian
Transactions of the Institute of Soil Studies and Agricultural Chemistry	1	150	Azerbaijani/ Russian
Transactions of the Institute of Genetics and Selection	Non-periodical	200	Azerbaijani/ Russian
Transactions of the Institute of Zoology	Non-periodical	200	Azerbaijani/ Russian
Elturan	2 issues a year, 8 quires volume	1000	Azerbaijani
The journal of Problems of Eastern Philosophy	2 issues a year, 9 quires volume	250	Azerbaijani/ German / English/ French/ Turkish/ Persian/ Arabic
Qendershunaslig	1 issues a year, 11 quires volume	500	Azerbaijani/ English
The journal of Turkology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences	1 issues a year, 8 quires volume	250	Azerbaijani/ Russian
Processes Petrochemictry and Oil Refining	6		English/ Russian
The Azerbaijan Journal of Chemistry	4 issues a year, 8 quires volume	250	Azerbaijani/ Russian
The Azerbaijan Astronomical Journal	4 issues a year, 8 quires volume	250	Azerbaijani/ English/ Russian
Azerbaijan Journal of Physics	4 issues a year, 8 quires volume	250	Azerbaijani/ English/ Russian

Furthermore, there are a number of scientific magazines including 2 international magazines function under the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan. The most of these magazines are published in the universities. 4 magazines are considered as a joint science magazines including scientific-technical and industrial magazine “Ecology and Water Industry”, which is jointly published by AACU, ASRHE and Science-Production Association, Water Canal Scientific-research and Project Institute and Environment and Water Industry Scientific Research Institute.

Source from Wikipedia