Government scientific research in Ukraine: The two-wave transformation of a regional to a national system

The chapter presents an insight into Ukaraine's reform of the system of state-owned scientific research institutions, implemented during the period of national independence. Major changes are the result of broad liberalisation in all public sectors rather than the consequence of policies developed to adjust the post-Soviet regional research system to emerging social and economic needs. Reform is presented within the framework of a two-wave model. The first wave is characterised by the impact of economic and central government administrative reform on research institutions. The main features include the simplifying of research management, diversification of research to take advantage of commercialisation, privatisation and closer international collaboration and the opportunities created by specialised research funds within a new environment. A decrease in funding was caused by economic crisis, reduced social demand for research and failure to immediately improve national economic development. New initiatives were launched as part of presidential economic and administrative reform. The policies of the second wave have focused on the centralisation of research administration and optimisation of the system of national research centres, with support of their innovative activities a priority.