The draft federal law On the Russian Academy of Sciences, Reorganising State Academies of Sciences and Amending Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation has been drafted by the Ministry of Education and Science.

In accordance with Article 6 of the federal law On Science and State Science and Technology Policy, the state academies of sciences are the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and five branch-specific academies of sciences: the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS), the Russian Academy of Education (RAE), the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences (RAACS) and the Russia Academy of Arts (RAA).

The state academies of sciences are established as state budgetary institutions and act as key spending units with regard to budgetary funds.

The general meeting of the academy is the supreme governing body of a state academy of sciences, the presidium of a state academy of sciences acts as the permanent collegiate governing body, while the executive office of the presidium is responsible for its activities.

State academies of sciences have regional divisions and research centres, which serve as management relays between state academies of sciences and their subordinate federal unitary enterprises and public institutions, including research institutions, service providers and social organizations.

The Territorial Divisions of RAS's are the main spending units with respect to budgetary funds allocated to regional state research institutions subordinated to RAS's.

The existing structure of state academies of sciences lacks coordination, especially in terms of property planning and management, including financial funds, which has an adverse impact on research activities. This has resulted in a situation where despite higher budget allocations state academies of sciences are actually focusing on maintaining the existing status-quo instead of facilitating dynamic development of research activities and keeping up with modern requirements.

This draft federal law has been devised by the Ministry of Education and Science to address these issues.

The draft law proposes establishing a public state-owned association the Russian Academy of Sciences (hereinafter "the Russian Academy of Sciences") and to liquidate the RAS, RAMS and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The RAE, RAACS and RAA will be reassigned by the Russian Government to federal executive bodies operating in the relevant sectors.

The draft federal law defines the legal standing, authority and functions of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and outlines management and funding policies with respect to the Academy.

A single academic title of full member (academician) is introduced by the draft law for the Russian Academy of Sciences and all state academies of sciences.

In addition, a three-year moratorium will be introduced for the election of academicians to the Russian Academy of Sciences and new full members (academicians) to the RAE, RAACS and RAA once the draft law comes into force.

In accordance with the document, the elected President of the RAS will hold the office of President of the Russian Academy of Sciences for a term of three years from the moment the academy is established, while elected Presidents of the RAMS and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences will hold the office of Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The draft law was considered and approved at a Government meeting on June 27, 2013.