Present, Board Members: Andreev, A.F., Anfimov, N.A.; Valiev, K.A.; Golitsyn, G.S.; Goldin, S.V.; Grigoriev A.I.; Zhuravlev, Yu.I.; Kabanov, V.A.; Kirpichnikov, M.P.; Konov, V.I.; Korovin S.D.; Leontiev, L.I., Matveenko, V.P., Mesyats, G.A.; Sergienko, V.I.; Tereshchenko, G.F.; Favorsky, O.N.; Khomich, V.Yu., Chereshnev, V.A.
Present, invitees: Alferov, Zh.I.; Amirkhanov, Kh.A.; Anosov, D.V.; Babeshko, V.A.; Bagratashvili, V.N., Belsky, V.K.; Blinov, A.N.; Bongard-Levin, G.M.; Vzdornov, G.I.; Valyukova, N.I.; Goryacheva, I.G.; Dmitriev, A.V.; Droshenko, V.G.; Diachenko, O.A.; Yeremenko, I.L.; Zhidkov, V.S.; Zhukov, D.V.; Zavaritskaya, V.A.; Kirillin, A.V.; Kirillov, A.I., Kiselev, L.L.; Klimenko, A.V.; Kovalev, V.V.; Klimenko, A.V.; Konovalov, A.I.; Koshchug, D.G.; Kraynov, V.P.; Kuznetsov, S.V.; Kulchin, Yu.N.; Lapshin, V.B.; Leontiev, A.I.; Livanov, D.V.; Lykov, A.A.; Lyalyushko, N.S.; Markovkin, A.V.; Matishov, G.G.; Minin, V.A.; Mikhatulin, D.S.; Moiseev, Ye.I.; Myasoyedov, B.F.; Obrezkov, O.N.; Ochkin, V.N.; Panteleev, Ye.A.; Pashinin, P.P.; Rastorguyev, A.S.; Romanov, A.A.; Rykov, A.S.; Rudakov, K.V.; Rudtskaya, Ye.R.; Sviridov, K.N.; Sergeeva, V.N.; Smagin, S.I.; Smetanin, Yu.G.; Smirnov, V.D.; Stozhkov, Yu.I.; Tyupkin, Yu.S.; Filippov, G.A.; Khlopkov, Yu.I.; Tsyganov, S.A.; Charushin, V.N.; Chernov, Yu.I.; Shuvalov, V.A.; Yaroslavtsev, A.B.

Agenda:

1. On the results of the activity of the Foundation in 2005, work plan and budget for 2006.
   Speaker: V. Yu. Khomich
2. On joint competitions for oriented RFBR projects.
   Speaker: N. A. Anfimov.
3. On the regional activity of the Foundation.
   Speaker: V. I. Sergienko.
4. On the organization of the first competition for projects in fundamentals of engineering sciences.
   Speaker: O. N. Favorsky.
5. On the international activity of the Foundation.
   Speaker: V. I. Konov.
6. Miscellanea

Contributors to the discussion (in the order of speaking):
Andreev, A.F.; Matveenko, V.P.; Babeshko, V.A.; Klimenko, A.V., Konov, V.I., Valiev, K.A., Khomich, V.Yu., Golitsyn, G.S., Anosov, D.V.

The Board notes that, during the latest reporting period, the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research:
- carried out extensive work to organize, finance and support projects in 2003-2005. (13,793 projects in total, including 8,354 projects under a competition for initiative-based research projects);
- carried out preparatory work and started merit reviews of applications to take part in the 2006 competition (10,056 applications in total, including 7,546 initiative-based and 442 publishing project proposals);
- conducted a new competition in the fundamentals of engineering sciences (1,697 applications were received, 572 projects were accepted);
- implemented a program of holding regional competitions with the joint funding of research projects by the Foundation and the administrations of respective regions (financed were 1,146 projects representing 44 constituent entities of the Russian Federation; held were 5 conferences dedicated to the results of implementation of regional projects);
- conducted a merit review of projects under 2006 regional competitions (received were 1,160 applications from 37 regions of the Russian Federation);
- continued the implementation of a program to support projects to organize Russian and international scientific events within the territory of Russia (647 applications were received, 548 projects were supported); In May 01, 2005 the Foundation initiated a procedure for an uninterrupted acceptance of applications under this competition;
- continued a program to support the participation of Russian scientists in international scientific events abroad (2,606 applications were received, 1,620 projects were supported);
- supported projects for the development of the material and technical basis of scientific research (416 applications were received, 278 projects were supported);
- held for the first time a competition among projects for the provision of urgent support to scientific research including various types of research projects (received were 659 applications; supported were 221 projects);
- conducted a competition of oriented basic research projects (1,023 applications were received, 193 projects were supported);
- conducted for the first time a competition of oriented basic research projects together with the Federal Agency for Industry (327 applications were received, 76 projects were supported);
- conducted for the first time a competition of oriented basic research projects together with the Federal Agency for Atomic Energy (216 applications were received, 53 projects were supported);
- entered into new cooperation agreements with Russia’s Federal Space Agency and with the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control;
- supported 232 projects as part of the RFBR publishing competition, published were 205 monographs;
- conducted a competition of popular scientific articles (98 applications were received, 36 projects were accepted);
- conducted a competition for writing analytical reviews, financed 13 reviews in various science areas;
- continued work under international competitions under agreements between RFBR and DFG (Germany), RFBR and NSFC (China), RFBR and CNRS (France), RFBR and OAE (Austria), RFBR and NWO (the Netherlands), RFBR and CNSF (Switzerland), and between RFBR and the Academy of Finland, conducted a merit review and financed 117 projects being implemented by joint research teams;
- conducted new international competitions: between RFBR and CNRS (France, a competition among projects implemented by associated laboratories), RFBR and MF (Belgium), RFBR and NSF (United States), RFBR and NSC (Taiwan), RFBR and JSPS (Japan);
- conducted a merit review and financed projects to support the organization of scientific expeditions in 2005 (369 projects were supported);
- in the framework of a new Program for the Development of an Electronic Research Library, held talks and entered into agreements with 9 publishing houses; provided organizations receiving RFBR grants with on-line access to the information resources of 9 leading foreign publishing houses;
- in accordance with an earlier resolution of the Foundation Board, applications for all kinds of competitions for 2006 were for the first time accepted only via the Grant-Express system with registration of projects via the Internet.
- expanded work to start using a remote procedure for merit review of RFBR projects (in 2005, it was used to conduct 22,634 merit reviews of project proposals);
- conducted work to attract experts from various regions of Russia to participate in a remote merit review (expert examination) of RFBR projects;
- expanded topics covered by Vestnik RFFI [RFBR Herald] magazine, published six issues per year;
- commissioned for trials an analytical information system, Ukazatel RFFI [RFBR Directory], which makes it possible to conduct in real time multi-aspect monitoring of the Russian scientific-and-technical complex;
- implemented restructuring of the RFBR structure: created were 2 new departments and 2 new directorates, increased was the number of employees working to provide support under regional and international competitions and a number of other promising areas;
- re-equipped with new technical means the units and departments of RFBR contributing to a greater efficiency of the operation of the Foundation.

THE BOARD OF THE RUSSIAN FOUNDATION FOR FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

1. That, work of the Foundation for the period from March 24, 2005 till December 21, 2005 be approved. That, the effectiveness of RFBR’s activity to support important scientific research in all areas of fundamental science which was carried out strictly based on competitive selection of the best projects, with the participation of over 3,000 leading scientists from Russia’s different regions, be noted. In the year under review funding of projects was provided in full.

RFBR COMPETITIONS:

2. That, lists of supported and rejected project proposals to publish materials and the recommendations of expert panels on their funding in 2006 (Appendix No. 1) be approved.
3. That, a resolution of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding projects to organize expeditions in 2005 related to the carrying-out of important fundamental research in physics, Earth sciences, biology and humanities and social sciences (Protocols No. 2 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be approved.
4. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals to organize Russian and international scientific events within the territory of Russia (Protocols Nos. 2-8 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
5. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals for the participation of Russian scientists in international scientific events abroad (Protocols Nos. 2-8 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
6. That, the directorate of RFBR be hereby directed to develop a statute on the provision of grants for the participation of Russian scientists in scientific events within the territory of Russia.
7. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Foundation Board adopted based on the conclusions of expert panels on additional funding, replacement of managers, termination of funding and replacement of project funding organizations (Protocols of the Bureau of the RFBR Board Nos. 2-8) be approved.
8. That, recommendations of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals under the competition for analytical reviews (Protocols Nos. 2,4-8) of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
9. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding projects in the area “Development of the Material and Technical Basis” (Protocol No. 8 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
10. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals for the provision of urgent support to scientific research (Protocol No. 9 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
11. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding projects under the 2005 competition for popular scientific articles (Appendix No. 3) be confirmed and affirmed. That, the publication of selected articles in the RFBR Herald (Vestnik RFFI) and in a separate collection be viewed as expedient and advisable.
12. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals under the new competition in fundamentals of engineering sciences (Protocol No. 8 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
13. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals in oriented basic research (Protocol No. 4 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
14. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals under a new competition for oriented basic research projects to be held together with the Federal Agency for Industry (Protocol No. 4 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
15. That, resolutions of the Bureau of the Board of the Foundation on funding project proposals under the new competition for oriented basic research projects to be held together with the Federal Agency for Atomic Energy (Protocol No. 4 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board) be confirmed and affirmed.
16. That, the experience of holding joint competitions for oriented basic research together with the Federal Agency for Industry and the Federal Agency for Atomic Energy be approved.
17. That, a new cooperation agreement made by RFBR with the Federal Space Agency be approved.
18. That, a new cooperation agreement made by RFBR with the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control of the Russian Federation be approved.
19. That, work to prepare agreements with the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences be approved.
20. That, the holding of further joint competitions reflecting a growing interest on the part of Russia’s economy in the use of the most promising results of basic research be approved.
21. That, the RFBR expert panel for holding competitions for oriented research projects be hereby directed to make such changes in application forms and in expert questionnaires as will reflect the conformity of proposals to an approved list of priority areas and critically important technologies.
22. That, it be considered expedient to support under the “c” competition popular scientific articles prepared based on new information contained in reviewed scientific journals and reflecting the present state of respective areas.

REGIONAL COMPETITIONS:

23. That, the expansion and strengthening of regional cooperation be considered one of the priority orientations in the activity of RFBR.
24. That, new agreements on holding joint competitions made by RFBR with the administrations and regional governments of the Belgorod, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanov, Kirov, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver regions; the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), and Saint Petersburg be approved.
25. That, the work of the Foundation to organize, hold and finance regional selection competitions jointly with the administrations and regional governments of Krasnodar Kray, Krasnoyarsk Kray and Khabarovsk Kray, the Astrakhan, Archangel, Belgorod, Vladimir, Volgograd, Voronezh, Jewish Autonomous, Ivanovo, Irkutsk, Kaluga, Kirov, Kurgan, Lipetsk, Moscow, Murmansk, Orenburg, Orlov, Perm, Rostov, Samara, Sakhalin, Sverdlovsk, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tom, Tula, Chelyabinsk, and Chita regions; the Khanty-Mansy autonomous district; the Russian Republics of Bashkortostan, Buriatia, Daghestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karelia, Komi, Mariy-El, Sakha (Yakutia), Northern Ossetia-Alania, Tyva, Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Saint Petersburg and also joint with the Presidium of the Far Eastern Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences be approved.
26. That, insufficient financing of projects by the regional governments of Bashkortostan, Komi, North Ossetia-Alania and the Sverdlovsk region be noted. That, the Coordination Council together with the RFBR administration be directed hereby to develop a set of measures to prevent similar events in the future.
27. That, the holding of regional competitions for project proposals in oriented basic research, development of the material and technical basis of scientific research and other kinds of competitive activity be considered expedient.
28. That, the Coordination Council together with the RFBR administration be hereby directed to prepare proposals to organize a competition for inter-regional specialist projects.
29. That, the Coordination Council be hereby directed to review the expediency of holding new kinds of regional competitions
30. That, lists of supported project proposals and recommendations on their funding in 2006 (Appendix No. 3) be approved.
31. That, the activity of the Coordination Council in 2005 be approved. That, the holding of meetings of the Coordination Council at least three times a year be recommended.
32. That, Yu. N. Kulchin, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, be admitted to the Coordination Council.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS:

33. That, international cooperation be considered one of the most important orientations of RFBR activity.
34. That, the activity of RFBR in implementation of competitions under existing agreements with foreign partners and also in the preparation and conclusion of international agreements about scientific cooperation be approved.
35. That, the successful holding of negotiations with delegations from the following foreign research foundations be noted: the International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (INTAS, European Community); the German Research Foundation (DFG, Germany), the Helmholtz Society (HG, Germany), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, the Netherlands), the National Center for Scientific Research of France (CNRS), the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF, Switzerland), Association “Regione Piemonte-InGrid” (Italy), the Academy of Finland (AF, Finland), the Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS, Japan), Ministry for Science and Technology (MST, Israel), the National Science Foundation (NSF, United States);
36. That, the results of the following working visits by RFBR representatives be approved: to an annual meeting of the G8 working teams (Germany), to the German Research Foundation (Germany), to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, China), to the Ministry for Flanders (MF, Belgium), to the Academy of Finland, to the National Science Council in Taipei (Taiwan), to the Association “Regione Piemonte-InGrid” (Italy), to the Ministry for Science and Technology (Israel).
37. That, the participation of RFBR experts in the expert review of Swiss (SNSF) and Estonian (Estonian Science Foundation) projects be approved.
38. That, work under the following international competitions be recognized as successful: RFBR-DFG (Germany), RFBR-CNRS (France), RFBR-NWO (The Netherlands), RFBR-OEAD (Bureau of Academic Exchange, Academic Exchange Service of Austria) RFBR-SNSF (Switzerland), RFBR-MF (Belgium), RFBR-NSF (United States), RFBR-NSFC (China), RFBR-JSPS (Japan), RFBR-NSC (Taiwan).
39. That, participation of RFBR in the European Community’s BONUS program be approved.
40. That, plans to hold new competitions with CNRS (France), DFG (Germany), HG (Germany), NWO (the Netherlands), Ministry for Education, Universities and Research (Italy), Association “Regione Piemonte-InGrid" (Italy), SNSF (Switzerland), Academy of Finland, NSF (United States), NSFC (China), JSPS (Japan), Ministry for Science and Technology (Israel) be approved.
41. That, the signing of agreements, amendments to agreements and protocols with DFG (Germany), Ministry for Flanders (Belgium), Academy of Finland, NSC (Taiwan), Association “Regione Piemonte-InGrid” (Italy), Ministry for Science and Technology (Israel) be approved.
42. That, the preparation of new agreements for scientific cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (Italy), HG (Germany), Ministry for Science and Technologies (India) be approved.
43. That, the activity of the Foundation in the organization and holding of a joint competition with the Byelorussian Republican Foundation for Basic Research be approved.
44. That, a resolution of the Bureau of the Foundation Board on the funding in 2005 of projects under a joint Russian-Byelorussian competition (Protocols, Bureau, Foundation Board, Nos. 5, 7, 8) be approved.
45. That, the activity of the Foundation to organize a joint competition with the Academy of Sciences of Moldova be approved.
46. That, an agreement between RFBR and the Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine be recommended for conclusion.
47. That, the activity of the Foundation carried out within the framework of membership in the International Association of Academies of Sciences (IAAS) be approved.
48. That, work with organizations and departments from the Ukraine, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Armenia aimed at the preparation of competitions for joint research project proposals be approved.
49. That, the high importance of a policy pursued by the Foundation to expand cooperation with organizations and departments from the CIS nations for the development of international scientific exchanges be approved.

THE SCIENTIFIC ELECTRONIC LIBRARY:

50. That, the activity of RFBR in the development of the RFBR scientific electronic library (Protocol No. 7 of the Bureau of the RFBR Board).
51. That, in order to provide information resources under scientific research projects, an online subscription be held in 2006 to the electronic versions of the world’s leading publications recommended by the Board of the scientific electronic library of RFBR. That, the subscription be effected via FGUP V/O Akademintorg, Russian Academy of Sciences.
52. That, the activity of the Council of the RFBR Scientific Electronic Library in 2005 be approved.

INFORMATION-ANALYTICAL ACTIVITY:

53. That, the RFBR Directorate is hereby instructed to commission during 2006 an information-analytical system, RFBR Directory, whilst upgrading all data contained in it up to 2005 inclusively. That, the wide use of RFBR Directory be considered necessary in the expert evaluation process to conduct monitoring of Russian science, to publish bibliography compilations and proceedings under RFBR projects.
54. That, the work of RFBR to expand information presented on the RFBR website and to develop an English version of the website be approved. That, the expansion of representation on the RFBR website thereafter of the results of competitions for analytical reviews and popular scientific articles be approved.
55. That, in order to popularize the results of work carried out by Russian scientists, it shall be recommended to prepare CDs with materials about competitions for popular scientific articles and to arrange their distribution among researchers and students.
56. That, the work of the editorial board of RFBR Vestnik magazine in 2005 be approved.
57. That, a new editorial board of RFBR Vestnik magazine in be approved as follows:
    - Editor-in-chief: V.Yu. Khomich
    - Deputy Editor-in-chief: V. I. Konov.
    - Secretary: N. I. Valyukova
    - Editorial Board Members: Avsyuk, Yu. N.; Amirkhanov, Kh. A.; Andreev, A. F.; Anosov, D. V.; Bongard-Levin, G. M.; Diachenko, O. A.; Kabanov, V. A.; Kiselev, L. L.; Korovin, S. K.; Lapshin, V. B.; Matveenko, V. P.; Myasoedov, B. F.; Pashinin, P. P.; Ragulsky, V. V.; Favorsky, O. N.; Fortov, V. Ye.; Chereshnev, V. A. Yaroslavtsev, A. B.
58. That, V. I. Konov be appointed editor of a regular compilation of popular scientific articles supported by the RFBR.

FUNDING:

59. That, the final distribution of funding by type of activity for 2005 be approved.

    	Type of Activity	Allocation (thou Rubles)
    1	Initiative-based research projects and other RFBR competitions (knowledge areas 01-07)	1 999 946,7
    2	Organization of the first competition for projects in fundamentals of engineering sciences.	141 946,0
    3	Regional competitions and joint competitions with the CIS States	94 850,7
    4	International competitions	74 208,8
    5	Oriented fundamental research	360 000,0
    6	Support to a material and technical basis	281 779,4
    7	Urgent support to scientific research	123 668,3
    8	Scientific Research Library program	181 000,0
    9	Administrative expenses, including the payment for merit reviews	103 154,6
    	Total	3 360 554,6

    
    
    
60. That, the distribution of funding by type of activity for 2006, proceeding from a planned funding of the activity of the Foundation as per draft budget law in the amount of 4,283,241.7 Rubles, be approved.
    

    	Type of Activity	Allocation (thou Rubles)
    1	Initiative-based research projects and other RFBR competitions (knowledge areas 01-07)	2 703 374,2
    2	Regional competitions and joint competitions with the CIS States	240 000,0
    3	International competitions	120 000,0
    4	Joint competitions with government departments in the Russian Federation	120 000,0
    5	Oriented fundamental research	390 000,0
    6	Support to a material and technical basis	270 000,0
    7	Urgent support to scientific research	120 000,0
    8	Scientific Research Library program	210 000,0
    9	Administrative expenses, including the payment for merit reviews	109 867,5
    	Total	4 283 241,7

    
    
61. That, the distribution of funds by knowledge area in the Initiative-Based Research Projects and Other RFBR Competitions for 2006 be approved.

    Knowledge Area (Department)	Allocation (%)	Allocation (thou Rubles)
    01 Mathematics, mechanics, informatics	9,9	267 634,0
    02 Physics, astronomy	20,7	559 598,0
    03 Химия	13,5	364 956,0
    04 Biology, medicine	19,8	535 268,0
    05 Earth sciences	15,3	413 616,0
    06 Humanities and social sciences	4,5	121 652,0
    07 Information, computation and telecommunication resources	6,3	170 313,0
    08 Fundamentals of engineering sciences	10,0	270 337,2
    Total	100	2 703 374,2

CONTROL OVER INTENDED USE OF FUNDING:

62. That, the activity of the Foundation to organize and exercise control over the use of target funding allocated by RFBR to conduct fundamental research under various types of competitions.

INTERNAL ACTIVITY OF RFBR:

63. That, the activity of the Bureau of the RFBR Board be approved, and that resolutions of the Bureau for the period from March 24, 2005 to December 21, 2005 be approved.
64. That, work on restructuring of the RFBR administration be approved.
65. That, the RFBR Directorate be hereby directed to eliminate crashes in the operation of the RFBR system.
66. That, the work of the Foundation employees be noted. That, RFBR employees be commended and rewarded with bonuses on the results of work in 2005.