A scientific seminar of the Institute of Geography named after academician H. Aliyev of the MSEAR was held under the chairmanship of the acting director general, PhD, associate professor Zaur Imrani. The chairman of the trade union of the institute Kamran Ramazanli made a report on the topic "Corruption and the development of science: challenges and prospects". Analyzing the impact of corruption on the development of science, the speaker focused on modern problems and promising ways to solve them in this area. Ramazanli stated that as a result of corruption in the financing of scientific foundations and projects, resources are provided to those with personal connections, and not to those scientists who really need them and have potential. Plagiarism, articles published in fake journals, and deliberate manipulation of statistical data undermine trust in scientific findings. Illegal acquisition of academic titles and bias in defending dissertations lead to the degradation of the academic system. Taking bribes from students, inflating grades, and issuing fake diplomas by teachers seriously damage the education system and the quality of future teachers.

Scientists working in unfair conditions lose motivation, the generation of new ideas weakens, and the brain drain increases. International research funds are reluctant to provide financial support to institutions tainted by corruption. This limits integration into international projects.Ramazanli puts forward a number of perspectives and proposals for preventing corruption, citing successful experiences and examples from countries around the world, and considers it important to establish transparent governance mechanisms and strong ethics committees. He is an advocate of expanding opportunities for young researchers, especially by supporting them through grants, internship programs, mentoring, and incubation centers. He considers it important to expand the participation of civil society and the role of NGOs in the fight against corruption in the scientific field.

In conclusion of his speech, the K.Ramazanli noted that "Corruption means not only the loss of economic resources, but also the destruction of the future potential for the development of society. Transparency, ethical values and fair governance are absolute conditions for the sustainable and high-quality development of science. Legislation alone is not enough to prevent corruption. It is also necessary to shape public opinion, educate and train honest scientific leaders. In this direction, comprehensive measures should be implemented to restore trust in science and assess the intellectual potential of the country."

The participants of the seminar enthusiastically joined the discussion of this important topic, expressing their suggestions and comments.