Documentary exhibition "From the history of the development of fundamental science of Kazakhstan" is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The exhibition features documents from the Archives of the President of Kazakhstan funds relating to the formation and development of the academic science of the republic.

History of the organization of the Republican Academy dates back to March 8, 1932, when the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union, considered the submission of the Commission on the bases and branches, makes a decision on the formation of the USSR Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan base, consisting of two sectors: Zoological and Botanical. Chairman of the database was appointed A.N. Samoylovich, members of the Presidium were B.A. Keller, S.D. Asfendiyarov, and M.N. Tulepov.

In November 1938, the base was transformed into the Kazakh branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences - the largest institution in the country, in which worked about 100 researchers, 14 of them had a PhD degree and three Dr. Its activity took place at a difficult time for the country - during the Great Patriotic War. Kazakhstan being rich in natural resources was given the role in ensuring the front with the necessary means. For the victorious end of the Great Patriotic War in Kazakhstan had all necessary conditions for the organization of the Republican Academy of Sciences.

Creation of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan was the final result of preliminary work carried out by its first president and initiator of the creation – K.I. Satpayev. Scientists of Moscow, Leningrad and other cities in the country, temporarily evacuated to Kazakhstan helped. Together with them were taken measures for preparation of highly qualified scientists – Doctor of science, especially among the Kazakhs; the basic institutions were determined, postgraduate studies in scientific fields was organized. A group of young scientists of the Kazakhs was sent to the doctorate of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Specialists of plants were involved in postgraduate studies.

The decision of the CPC and the CC CP (b) of Kazakhstan "On the preparations for the organization of the Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences" as of August 18, 1944 stated that "since the acceleration of the development of industry, agriculture and culture of the republic were associated primarily with the rise of science and a rapid rate of scientific research works, organized and coordinated by a single center of science, Kazakhstan needed the establishment of the Republican Academy of Sciences." The same decree in order to guide the work a government commission was organized, its Chairman was appointed N.D. Undasynov, his deputies were N.A. Skvortsov, Zh. Shayakhmetov, A.P. Zagovelyev and K.I. Satpayev, in total - 18 people. The Commission should develop a framework for academic institutions, consider the states, and prepare a commemorative exhibition of the achievements of Kazakhstan science and solemn scientific session of the Academy.

March 1, 1945 Chairman of the CPC N.D. Undasynov and President of the USSR AS V.L. Komarov wrote: "...The actual center of science in Kazakhstan was the Kazakh branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, established in 1932 and especially intensively rolled out its research works during World War II. In the research institutes of the Kazakh branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences worked over 40 doctors and professors and more than 100 candidates of sciences and associate professors (389 scientists from Alma-Ata with academic degrees and titles). Achievements of Kazakh SSR in the development of economy and culture allow us to make the idea of the commemoration of this year's 25th anniversary of the organization by the Soviet Kazakhstan Kazakh Academy of Sciences..."

Scientists discussed the opening of the Kazakh SSR AS. From left to right: Chairman of the USSR KazAS K.I. Satpayev, V.A. Belyi, chairman of the SNK KazSSR N.D. Undasynov, president of the USSR Academy of Sciences V.L. Komarov. 1945. AP RK. F. 896. L. 1. D. 5347. P. 1

October 26, 1945 issued a decree of People's Commissars of the USSR on the organization of Academy of Sciences in Kazakhstan. In accordance with which on June 1, 1946 by a joint decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the Council of Ministers of Kazakh SSR and the CC CP (b) of Kazakhstan was established the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR on the basis of existed branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

In the 1950-1980 economic development in Kazakhstan had a higher rate than in the whole Union. This process was accompanied by intensive and scientific-technical progress. In those years in the country a number of new research and development organizations, including 6 institutes of the Academy of Sciences was formed. By early 1980s in Kazakhstan were 140 academic institutions in which 21.1 thousand people worked. Scientific efforts were concentrated in the Academy of Sciences - 31 scientific institutions, of which 24 scientific research institutes. The scientists of the Academy of Sciences conducted research in almost all areas of the economy and science.

Since gaining the independence, the country began the formation of new approaches to the development of science in accordance with the objectives of formation of Kazakhstan as a sovereign state. Questions of formation of independent scientific and technical policy and science management system in the country were the basis of the Law RK "On Science and State Scientific and Technological Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan", adopted in January 1992.

March 11, 1996 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Ministry of Science and New Technologies were combined into a central executive body as a part of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan - The Ministry of Science - Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Decree of the President determined that the Ministry of Science – the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan was a single government authority in the field of science and technology, implementing the state scientific and technical policy.

In 2003, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev the Academy of Sciences was given the status of the Republican public association "National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan." The Academy is involved in the definition of priority directions of development of the republic science, prepares for submission to the Head of State the annual National Report on Science, promotes scientific advances through the issuance of academic journals and other publications, and participates in the conduct of symposia, exhibitions and competitions on the state prize in the field of science and technology , assists in the development of international scientific cooperation and innovation, is involved in the conduct of scientific expertise on fundamental and applied researches.

By Mohammed ZHYLGELDINOV

Chief expert of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

On the main photo: during the laying of the foundation of the Academy of Sciences.

From left to right: K.I. Satpayev, N.D. Undasynov, and an architect N.A. Prostakov

26 April, 1951. K.I. Satpayev’s personal archive.

Translated by Raushan MAKHMETZHANOVA

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