Employment and working conditions of researchers

 

The number of personnel at the research institutions is 109,636 according to the State Committee of Statistics of Ukraine, of whom 53.5% are researchers (as for 2014, without Crimea). 45.8% of these are women.¹⁶⁵ By head counting¹⁶⁶ 65,641 researchers are working in Ukraine in 2013. 16,512 are working in the field of natural sciences, 27,571 in engineering sciences, 4,200 in medical sciences, 5,289 in agricultural sciences, 4,644 in social sciences and 2,078 in humanities.¹⁶⁷

 

Although researchers in Ukraine usually have permanent contracts, R&D seems neither to be an attractive field of work for the young generation in Ukraine nor for foreigners. The latter are even subject to higher income tax than Ukrainian citizens are.¹⁶⁸ The average salary in Ukrainian research institutes and universities was around Ђ 600 per month before the most recent crisis, but dropped in real terms due to the collapse of the national currency in 2014 and 2015. Next to the low salary, the poor state of research infrastructure makes the working conditions for researchers most unattractive.

 

To counterbalance the low salaries, the government has also special stipends for experienced scientists. Their number and size vary. Not more than 150 of such stipends were provided in recent years.¹⁶⁹ However, approximately 1,000 academicians and corresponding members of the state academies of sciences receive a monthly stipend of Ђ250-Ђ450 until the end of their life. These stipends are higher than the level of average monthly wages in the country. All stipends are added to the salaries or pensions.¹⁷⁰

 

In 2013, 511 researchers per one million inhabitants were employed by the business enterprise sector in Ukraine. This is a relatively low ration, slightly below that of Turkey (609) and considerably below that of Belarus (1,183).¹⁷¹ The development of this ratio is negative since 2004 in Ukraine, which indicates a severe demand-sided absorption problem of the business enterprise sector.

 

7.5. Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in R&D

 

Gender equality is perceived as a ‘cultural heritage’ of the Soviet System. Women are widely represented in R&D. Like in Georgia or Moldova, also in Ukraine the majority of PhD graduates (or equivalent) are women (57%). They make up half of PhD graduates in natural sciences, 35% in engineer sciences (which is a very high level compared to the EU) and 59% in health and welfare related studies.¹⁷² Despite this over-proportional rate in PhD graduation, they constitute only 45.5% of the total number of researchers in Ukraine (2011),¹⁷³ which indicates a first glass-ceiling level at the scientific jobs’ entry phase.

 

The share of female researchers is 44.5% in natural sciences, 37.2% in engineering sciences, 65.0% in medical sciences, 55.0% in agricultural sciences, 61.4% in social sciences and 67.8% in humanities.

 

There are no acts or regulations in Ukraine in place which promote a higher representation of women in R&D. According to Yegorov (2012), however, women have in reality more problems in building their research careers than men, because they are supposed to combine childcare and related career leaves

 

163 UNESCO Science Report 2015.

 

164 Yegorov, I. (2013): ERAWATCH Country Reports 2012: Ukraine.

 

165 http://www.increast.eu/en/194.php: accessed on 4 May 2016.

 

166 In Ukraine statistical difficulties occur in calculating full-time equivalents of researchers.

 

167 UNESCO Science Report 2015.

 

168 Yegorov, I. (2013): ERAWATCH Country Reports 2012: Ukraine.

 

169 Yegorov, I. (2013): ERAWATCH Country Reports 2012: Ukraine.

 

170 Yegorov, I. (2013): ERAWATCH Country Reports 2012: Ukraine.

 

171 UNESCO Science Report 2015.

 

172 UNESCO Science Report 2015.

 

173 Yegorov, I. (2013): ERAWATCH Country Reports 2012: Ukraine.

 

with uninterrupted professional activities. As a result, very few women have reached highest positions in the Ukrainian scientific hierarchy.¹⁷⁴

 

 

8. INTERNATIONAL R&D COOPERATION AND MOBILITY

 

International R&D cooperation gains more and more importance. Cross-border cooperation with theEuropean Union (EU) and with its Member States (MS) bilaterally forms one of the pillars of Ukrainian international R&D cooperation.

 

From the EU’s perspective, Ukraine is a third country within the Eastern Partnership and the only country in this region with whom a separate Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2002 (into force since 2003). The association to HORIZON 2020 (succeeding FP7 and running from 2014-2020) on March 20, 2015, was not only an important milestone to continue the EU-Ukrainian cooperation in

 

RTDI, but also proves the current political will to establish Ukraine’s future together with the EU. Last but not least the association is a premiere, since it is the first full association of Ukraine to any of the EU framework programmes.