According to the , citing the Academy of Sciences, Ali Mohammad Soltani, the head of the National Science Foundation of Iran, in a speech at the 11th edition of the Abu Rehan Biruni Prize, explained the activities and programs of the foundation in the direction of strengthening basic sciences and emphasized the need to “invest in the scieific roots of the coury”.
Soltani said: The National Science Foundation of Iran has made supporting basic sciences one of its main missions. Because basic science is the root of the tree of scieific and technological developme, and if we do not strengthen the root, the leaves and fruits of knowledge will be damaged in the future.
According to the head of the foundation, based on the resolution, it is targeted that 50% of the foundation’s budget will be allocated to basic research.
Regarding the periodical statistics of the foundation’s performance, he said: In the curre period, about 24% of the number of projects received by the foundation and about 30% of the foundation’s credits are allocated to basic sciences.
According to him, some statistics related to the year 1403 show that the share of basic science credits in that year was about 36%. In his words, the acceptance rate of basic science projects in the foundation was also meioned as nearly 40%.
Soltani clarified that these shares are “increasing” and the foundation has a clear plan and schedule to reach the target share (50%).
He said about the support mechanisms of the foundation: the programs are implemeed in two main pillars: first, the coinuous acceptance of projects in a public and refereed manner, which requires that the projects have innovation and scieific quality, and second, targeted calls, the topics of which are determined based on the upstream documes and macro policies of the coury.
Soltani added: About 80% of the foundation’s support is distributed in the form of targeted appeals, and the remaining share is spe on more general support.
supporting young researchers; Doctoral and postdoctoral thesis
He clarified: In 1403, 358 applications for doctoral theses were registered, which had an acceptance rate of nearly 55%. In the same period, 426 postdoctoral applications were also approved. The total amou approved for each doctoral dissertation is 288 million Tomans for a period of 24 mohs (equivale to 12 million Tomans per moh) as a doctoral dissertation gra. The total amou of 288 million Tomans for a period of 12 mohs (equivale to 24 million Tomans per moh) has also been determined for the postdoctoral researcher.
Acknowledging that these figures are “currely for stude aid and are still not enough”, Soltani said: the foundation is trying to increase and improve the terms of payme and the speed of allocation.
Scheduling and facilitation of processes
The head of the foundation announced that the average time from sending the project to assignme is “about 90 days” and added: The foundation is trying to reduce this time with new mechanisms to make response and access faster.
Soltani said: The Foundation has implemeed “Moveme at the Froiers of Knowledge” projects for professors who have theorizing and outstanding iernational articles and invites them to participate in order to define plans that move the froiers of knowledge.
Stating that for some disciplines, such as quaum, financial support of up to 4 billion Tomans has been predicted for projects, he said: The resources of this support can cover the costs of iernational travel of studes, equipme and consumables, and a part for the members of the research team.
Science promotion: “Science night” and university eves
Soltani said: Among the other meioned programs is the launch and developme of the “Science Night” eve, which started in the last two years and is held in universities with the aim of conveying basic scieific concepts to the general public. The first eve of the new academic year has been held at Damghan University and programs have been planned at Shahrood University of Technology and other universities uil the end of this year.
According to him, the acceptance of these programs by the public and universities has been “good and promising”.
According to the stateme of the head of the foundation, the curre year’s budget of the foundation is about 145 billion tomans.
He also referred to the assistance and facilities of the related vice-chairs and meioned a figure of about 600 billion tomans related to the 1404 budget and the support of the vice-chairs.
Request to honor scieists and iernational cooperation
While referring to the mission of the foundation in “research, scieific developme and providing solutions to solve the coury’s problems”, Soltani emphasized the necessity of honoring scieists, developing iernational cooperation and creating motivation for problem-solving research and said: the foundation seeks to fill the research gaps and improve the scieific status of the coury at the iernational level.
Special inceive for the winners of Abu Rihan Festival
The head of the foundation announced that according to the approval of the foundation council, special financial support equivale to one and a half times (1.5 times) of the foundation’s standard support will be allocated to the winners of Aburihan festival. For clarity, he gave an example: if a normal project received support of 300 million tomans in the foundation, in the case of iernational cooperation, it can increase up to 120 million tomans, and in areas such as quaum, the ceiling of support will reach up to 4 billion tomans.
