The Science Fund reported commercialisation of scientific developments at 43.6%, although an audit showed only 15.7%. The Chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber, Alikhan Smailov, explained how the use of different periods in the calculation led to an inflated figure.
HOW THE SCIENCE FUND INFLATED ITS FIGURES
At a Kurultai session on 11 November, the head of the Supreme Audit Chamber (SAC), Alikhan Smailov, explained in detail the discrepancies in the Science Fund's reporting.
According to him, when calculating the level of commercialisation, the Science Fund counted the number of projects successfully completed over the past three years, but divided it by the total number of projects completed in only one reporting year.
The SAC considers this approach incorrect. Auditors propose comparing the number of commercialised projects with the total number of completed projects over the same period.
"Accordingly, the level of commercialisation is substantially overstated," Smailov stressed.
Thus, against a target of 29%, the Science Fund reported achieving 43.6%, whereas on a comparable basis the figure was 15.7%.
WHAT QUESTIONS THE DEPUTIES RAISED
Deputy Yekaterina Smyshlyayeva drew attention to the discrepancy between the data of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the SAC.
She also noted that of 141 completed projects, fewer than a third achieved stable sales. Moreover, some companies reported sales even before the commissioning of equipment purchased with grant funds.
The deputy asked for an explanation of which methodology should be considered correct.
HOW SAYASAT NURBEK RESPONDED
Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek explained the discrepancies by different approaches to evaluating projects.
According to him, the SAC focuses on actual sales, invested funds and profit. The ministry, meanwhile, takes into account additional indicators, including patents and cooperation with research institutes.
At the same time, the minister acknowledged the need for a stricter assessment of commercialisation and said that the ministry would revise its methodology, bringing it closer to the auditors' approach.
Nurbek also noted that 386 projects received funding through the Science Fund, of which 241 began sales and 31 entered export markets.
WHAT THE AUDIT SHOWED
According to the SAC, of 141 projects, only 38, or 27%, achieved stable sales. The remaining 103 projects worth 22 billion tenge did not achieve the expected results in terms of output and sales volumes.
The auditors' main complaint concerns not only the low effectiveness of the projects, but also the very method of assessing their success. The use of incomparable periods made it possible to report a significantly higher commercialisation figure.
