Katrin Kiisler, the education ministry's head of science and development policy, said: "The reduction in the number of awards is related to the difficult situation with the state budget."

The Reform-SDE-Eesti 200 coalition agreement mandates a 10 percent cut in state spending over the next three years, affecting all sectors.

Katrin Mandra, the ministry's science and development policy chief expert, noted in response to an inquiry from ERR that an additional factor is that the size of the award is set to rise.

The ministry aims to increase the amount of the lifetime achievement award in science to €65,000, which would bring it in line with other awards such as the Wiedemann language prize and the national education prize, both already €65,000.

Lifetime achievement awards given by the Ministry of Culture in the fields of culture and sports are set at just under that, at €64,000.

At present, two lifetime achievement awards in science are given out each year, with each award totaling €40,000.

Mandra wrote: "We still want to recognize educators and scientists who have made long-term, effective contributions, but given the extremely difficult state of the national budget, reducing the number of awards helps save money."

The ministry also plans to cut the number of education awards. Whereas three lifetime achievement awards are given in the field of education each year, only one award for each each field, ie. science and education, will be presented.

University of Tartu opposes the cut

The University of Tartu has said satisfied with the rise in the lifetime achievement award amount, but not with the reduction in the number of awards.

In an opinion submitted to the Ministry of Education, the university's Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Aune Valk, noted that, for example, three lifetime achievement awards are given annually in the field of culture, and suggested that the committee responsible for prize giving be granted the discretion to decide whether to dole out one or two lifetime achievement awards.

Tallinn University declined to comment on the proposal.

If the proposal is taken on, the new award regime will come into effect from next year.

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