Expert: It's too easy to become an academician in Russia

Only scientists with exceptional education and experience should become academicians, said Nobel Prize Winner Vitaly Ginzburg in a meeting with journalists on March 18. He said that at present in Russia it is possible to become an academician without any exceptional qualifications. He said in Russia 500 people have the rank of academician at present. However, in 1985 in the USSR only 250 had the rank of academician. 'I am amazed that the country has become so much smaller but the number of academicians so much more,' said Ginzburg. He said it's gotten to easy to become an academician in Russia and stricter measures need to be taken to determine academicians. He also proposed uniting fundamental science and education to 'more successfully develop the country's science.' He also proposed doubling the amount of money spent on science from the current 4% of the federal budget to 8%.