Intellectual independence

In Belarus it is necessary to develop skill sets in all types of sciences in order to form a completely independent technology policy

Is technological independence possible? It is perhaps impossible to completely free ourselves from external intellectual products. However, even the Soviet Union did not strive for this and, to one degree or another, interacted with the whole world. Even in the most dramatic moments of the Cold War. Undoubtedly, it is advisable to purchase certain technologies, materials, and components abroad. Another question is that this must be done consciously, understanding all the advantages and disadvantages of foreign products, their impact on the efficiency of our economy, and the various risks that imports carry. It seems to be a completely logical and simple thesis. However, to implement it, you need to have a wide range of competencies. And today, along with technological sovereignty, it is necessary to talk about a broader concept — intellectual independence. Perhaps, it is precisely this that is the basis of Belarusian statehood and the foundation for the formation of both the national idea and self-identification.

Focus on practice 

Opening the scientific and practical conference The Science — Technology — Innovation System, organised by the Centre for System Analysis and Strategic Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Chief Scientific Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences Vasily Gursky recalled the words of Aleksandr Lukashenko that the losing country in the scientific race risks losing everything. Moreover, that this is a matter not only of scientific ambitions, but the foundation for the preservation of statehood and the Belarusian nation.
Science is undoubtedly international. But in each country it develops on its own, sometimes very original principles. 

In Belarus, a special organisational form was found when the National Academy of Sciences was created as a research and production corporation. “This is a unique example of the integration of research and production components within a single scientific complex. There is no other NAS like this in the world,” Vasily Gursky says.

Our organisational originality has a strong root of competitiveness. We must clearly understand: our National Academy of Sciences ‘covers’ almost all scientific areas. In addition, for each there is success. Often world class. Belarus occupies a leading position in some narrow vectors of knowledge. Another question is that if we take broader areas (biotechnology, microelectronics, and so on), our country objectively cannot be a leader. After all, our state is relatively small and, even if we provide high quality researchers, in terms of their quantity we cannot even theoretically become impeccable leaders.
A completely legitimate question arises: does the country need such wide scientific diversity? Isn’t it logical not to spread thin, but to focus on some two or three narrow areas (say, carbon nanomaterials), become inaccessible to the world’s gurus in them, sell these technologies or exchange them with leaders for others. Nevertheless, concentrating efforts on strategic areas should not exclude other scientific areas. We need synergy, which we have managed to achieve. And such a strategy is one of the pillars of intellectual sustainability and national security in general.

Innovation superstitions

Science, as they say, is beyond politics. By and large, this thesis was not always flawless. However, even if real researchers were not involved in politics, politics and business have always penetrated science in order to pursue some profitable ideas not for knowledge, but for political purposes and ambitions.

Let’s at least remember the climate agenda, and the environmental agenda in general. The goal itself was declared to be good: reducing the impact on the environment. Nevertheless, the means chosen are often very dubious. The same energy transition raises many questions in terms of the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. At least when it comes to renewable and green energy. The production of wind turbines and solar stations also requires energy. And you need quite a lot of it. There is no doubt that in some cases green technologies are acceptable, feasible and effective. But in their widespread implementation in Germany, ecology was a secondary factor.
Alternatively, the no less famous technological revolution 4.0. They talked a lot about digitalisation, automation, chipisation as something breakthrough. Again, there is some truth in these statements. However, the famous transformation does not bring anything revolutionary from a technological point of view. It only creates a certain inferiority complex among the population of countries that believe in this miracle.

 In fact, robotic complexes and production lines with the sixth class of automation were produced in Belarus back in the 1980s. And they were supplied to Finnish Nokia. Most of the fundamental 4.0 technologies were known back in the last century.

Such myths and superstitions from the technological sphere can be listed endlessly. Unfortunately, the international supermarket of technological solutions was not customer-oriented; consumer rights were not always respected on this trading platform. Moreover, they could have shortchanged you and slipped in a low-quality product. Its own science allows the country to be intellectually independent, to form its own technological policy and external relationships in this area.

Intelligence to the masses

It is a mistake to assume that intellectual independence concerns only a select few: scientists, researchers, experts, engineers, managers. Modern society, if it wants to develop dynamically, is doomed to be intellectual and independent. As well as to form your worldview based on your own observations, experience, and national scientific achievements.
And one of the most effective tools is the introduction of scientific knowledge, achievements, and the scientific way of thinking to the broad masses (sorry for the cliche). This work has intensified.

 Last year, the Intellectual Belarus exhibition, organised on behalf of the President, was a great success. Undoubtedly, this direction needs to be expanded and deepened.

The exhibition demonstrated to scientists that their research is of genuine interest to society. At the exhibition, Belarusians saw scientific achievements ‘live’. Moreover, this is one of the most compelling arguments in favour of Belarus’s ability to be sovereign and develop dynamically. 



By Vladimir Volchkov

Photos by  Nadezhda Andreychik, Aleksandr Kulevsky, Darya Titova