PODOLSK, Moscow Reg, September 1 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has reiterated the authorities’ readiness to create conditions for promising scientists to return to Russia. He said about this during a social studies lesson of an 11th class at School 29 in the city of Podolsk. One of the pupils asked the premier how the authorities planned to solve the brain drain problem.
An intellectual product, people with good training, valuable specialists, they are, it may be said, a good. It flows to places where best conditions are created for the use of their potentialities, where there are best opportunities, he noted.
The premier did not agree with the opinion of some pupils that higher education was poor in Russia. If there were poor higher education, there would be no brain drain. Bad brains are not needed. If they flow out, it means they are of good quality, he said.
At the same time, the premier admitted there were problems in schools and vocational training. However, the level of Russian education remains able to compete, he noted.
There are no restrictions for good scientific specialists needed all over the world to move anywhere. All the borders are open, and if a man sees the best use for his talents abroad, he has the right to go there. Some leave Europe for America, he noted.
Many countries, including Russia, work out packages of measures to return specialists to the native land. “We have also started this,” the prime minister said. “I am acquainted with people who worked for more than one year abroad and return to Russia,” he said.
Putin believes first of all conditions must be created for this, for people to be undisturbed to be occupied with research work. Salaries, of course, are also important, but not deciding. Of no less importance are possibilities to buy a flat and have a family, Putin noted, adding that there were such examples in Russia, but they were not of a mass character.