Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Official website of the State –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Today, the entire country celebrates Higher Education Teachers' Day. We thank our mentors for the knowledge they imparted, the practical experience they provided, and the path they paved the way to science.
In anticipation of the celebration, representatives of the State University of Management assessed the trends that have emerged in recent years in the development of human resources for Russian science.
Scientists have determined how the number of scientific personnel and organizations has changed, the average age of a researcher, which regions are most attractive to specialists, and how interest is related to average salaries. The analysis provides an answer to the question, "How to attract personnel to science?"
During the work, representatives of the Department of Statistics of the State University of Management, Ekaterina Dolgikh and Lidiya Parshintseva, studied data for 2018-2023, contained in the materials of the Federal State Statistics Service and the National Research University Higher School of Economics.
Where it arrived and where it departed
During the period under review, the number of organizations engaged in research and development increased by 4.4%, reaching 4,125 units. However, the total number of research staff decreased by 1.8%, reaching 670,600. However, the proportion of staff with higher education increased by 2%. This trend could lead to improved quality and reliability of research.
More than half of the workforce works in research and development organizations, and approximately 15% in design organizations, with the number of employees in both sectors declining over the past five years. At the same time, the share of personnel in industrial manufacturing organizations has increased from 7.8% to 12.3%, which may be due to increased production volumes.
Researchers are predominantly men, accounting for 61.4% in 2023. The average age of employees has remained unchanged since 2019, at around 46 years.
New personnel in science
In 2023, the number of admitted students increased by 11,900, reaching 112,200. There was also a nearly two-percent increase in the share of those admitted after graduating from a higher education institution. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the program in supporting young researchers, which is implemented by many scientific organizations and universities, offering internships, grants, and other opportunities.
The most scientifically advanced regions
Organizations and employees engaged in research and development are primarily concentrated in the Central Federal District, which in 2023 accounted for 37.4% of organizations and 50.4% of employed personnel. Significant figures are also observed in the Volga and Northwestern Federal Districts.
The lowest values for these indicators in 2023 were recorded in the Far Eastern Federal District: the share of organizations was 3.3%, and the number of personnel was 1.0%.
Not by salary alone
The researchers also examined the relationship between the availability of research and development personnel in organizations and wages in the region.
An interesting fact emerged: in a number of regions, despite high salaries, there is a shortage of research workers. These include the Arkhangelsk Region, the Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, and the Zabaykalsky Krai. As for the autonomous okrugs, much of their economy is focused on resource extraction, which requires equipment and technology but does not always create demand for research or scientific personnel.
At the same time, despite low wages in the Penza region, we see a high level of availability of scientific personnel in organizations. This may be due to the presence of seven regional business incubators and the active development of the IT park.
How to attract people to science
As we can see, high salaries are not the only way to attract and retain researchers. A comprehensive approach is required. It is also important to create support funds for young researchers, allocating funds for their training, internships, participation in conferences, and publication of scientific papers.
The development and implementation of regional programs to attract and retain scientific personnel will have a positive impact on the human resource potential of science.
It is important to create modern research centers and laboratories, provide access to databases, libraries, computing and other resources necessary for conducting research.
To achieve the desired results, it is also necessary to establish interaction between the scientific community, government agencies and business.
Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: November 19, 2025.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.