User:Flomenbom/ISN
The Israeli Scientific Network (ISN)[1] was suggested in Winter 2010 for solving the problem of the "escaping brains" (also termed, "fleeing brains"): about 10,000 Israeli scientists (including MDs), about equal to the amount of scientists in Israel, that live outside Israel; this is considered among the highest rates (compared with the country's population) in countries with an established scientific community. (Additional information is presented in an article from haaretz, Dec 27 12 [2])
The ISN is based on several principles & requirements:
(1) constituting a scientific institution with real centers all around Israel
(2) having thousands of labs, the amount equal the other 7 universities in Israel
(3) conducting science in all fields of science
(4) granting the title professor for its proper researchers
(5) granting MA & PhD diplomas for its students
(6) interacting freely with the industry
(7) interacting freely with other scientific institutes all around the world
(8) receiving funding from the State of Israel.
Types of fleeing brains
[edit]The classification of the "escaping brains" is made according with their status:
starters - those Israeli scientists in the post-doc abroad (up to 4 years abroad)
1 - those in the first working-place after finishing the post-doc (e.g. assistant professors, 4-8 years abroad)
2 - those that managed achieving high rank in their working place abroad (e.g. professors with tenure, 8-12 years abroad)
3 - those that are now rooted in their community abroad (e.g. full professors, 12+ years abroad)
"Virtual centers" versus the ISN
[edit]During 2010, it was suggested establishing "virtual scientific centers", in universities, for solving the problem of the "escaping brains" from Israel abroad. These virtual centers were suggetsed from officials in the Planning and Budgeting Committee [3], and got financed from the government for five years. Even at first, it looked that these centers will not really solve the problem of the "escaping brains", since with these centers one gives more money to the same folks that created the problem to begin with (namely, one gives money to those deciders in the academia in Israel that caused young scientists fleeing the country); after all, those Israeli scientists that managed establishing themselves abroad will not agree working for the same folks that were not impressed from them 2, 3, and even 10 (+) years ago. Namely, it was suggested that the "virtual centers" will NOT convince many "escaping brains" of degree 2 and 3, or even convincing the "escaping brains" of rank one that work in places that are very prestigious, working in Israel. Indeed, during 2011 it appears that the "virtual scientific centers" are indeed virtual, as a very small amount of 'fleeing brains' applied for the "virtual centers" (50 'fleeing brains' applied for the "virtual scientific centers", where 1200 local scientists formed the majority on the applications).
It was suggested that the ISN can solve the problem of the 'fleeing brains' since it doesn't have a generation of retirees and very senior members, and thus it can present a new start for its members; Namely, the ISN can attract escaping brains of rank 2 and 3 and those of rank 1 working in prestigious places, since the ISN really stands for a new start without strings from, and rules of, the past (which actually cause the problem of the "escaping brains"). Establishing the ISN forms an additional value on top of any personal value, and this can compensate on other aspects while considering the move, abroad->Israel.
Possible influence of the ISN on the Society in Israel
[edit]It was also suggested that a new organization in Israel should also stabilize the situation in other branches of the society in Israel, while forming an alternative to the 'monopoly' of the universities on the life of the people, their thoughts, and so on.