The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) created as a major center of the fundamental research is the all-Russia self-governed body. Its status that has emerged throughout the history of the organization of the scientific studies and their goals determine the Academy's role and place.

The Academy of Sciences is a community of prominent scientists - its members and corresponding members, other scholars and specialists working in the Academy's organizations, thus being the leading center of fundamental research in the field of natural and social sciences in the Russian Federation. The Academy's structure incorporates a wide network of the research institutes and laboratories involved in the studies in the basic fields of modern science. It employs the best scientific forces of the country including the world renown scientists and talented youth.

In its activity the Russian Academy of Sciences is following the Federal Law and the Statues adopted by the RAS general assembly without interference of any state or other structures. The Academy is free to exercise control over the activity of the institutes, laboratories and other bodies in the field of fundamental research and training of specialists.

• fundamental research in the field of natural and social sciences, engineering and humanities that facilitates the economical, social and spiritual development of the society;
• all possible assistance to the development of science in Russia;
• investigations aimed at preservation and development of the national cultures;
• realization of national and regional applied science programs;
• integration of the academic, university and industrial science of Russia to promote the all-round development and efficient interaction between science, education and culture, and to pursue a unified scientific and technical policy in the country;
• participation in elaborating state decisions on the problems of the scientific and technical progress, development and examination of vital projects, programs of the economical and social development of the entire Russia and of its republics, administrative territories and regions, the programs of the environmental improvement;
• strengthening and development of the science-intensive branches of the national economy;
• providing possibilities for all Russian scientists to reveal their creative potential on the basis of contest and competition;
• selection and support of gifted researchers, advancing young scientists;
• enhancing the prestige of knowledge and science, the status and social protection of scientists.

The Russian Academy of Sciences coordinates and supervises the fundamental research on the major problems of natural and social sciences, technology and humanities carried out by the scientific establishments and higher education schools of Russia financed from the state budget.

• determines the basic directions of the fundamental research in the field of natural and social sciences, technology and humanities;
• specifies the directions of the fundamental research in which it is necessary to combine the efforts of the academic, higher education and industrial scientific institutions in order to quickly gain the principal progress in the field of science, engineering and technology;
• organizes provisional joint groups of researchers and allocates the required resources;
• participates (along with the higher education institutions of Russia) in the creation of the scientific and educational complexes based on the RAS institutes and the educational establishments;
• select and supports (via the system of grants, in particular) high-efficiency scientific groups and individuals;
• announces and carries out competitions on solution of vital state economic problems and, when necessary, organizes relevant task-oriented groups of researchers;
• develops (jointly with the state authorities) the recommendations on the efficient usage of the scientific and technical achievements in the economical and social development of Russia;
• puts forward for superior state authorities of the country the proposals on the improvement of the material and social basis and the development of the staff potential of the academic, higher educational and industrial science of Russia;
• participates in the development of the strategy and tactics of the environment protection policy of Russia;
• promotes wider international cooperation of Russian scientists by making agreements with foreign academies of sciences and other research organizations, sets up international research centers in Russia, carries out international congresses, conferences and seminars;
• calls scientific cessions, conferences and meetings to discuss scientific and applied problems, the problems of coordination of the scientific research and design aspects of works, the prospects of the development of the production forces, culture and the environmental protection activity in the territory of Russia;
• is involved in publishing activity, is the founder of and publishes the academic scientific journals and the works of the scientific institutions to cover the results of research carried out by the RAS and other establishments; discusses in the above or special publications the RAS activity, the problems of the scientific, technical and cultural development of Russia;
• provides for and facilitates the development of the informational support of the research in Russia via a network of the academic libraries;
• assists in the promotion and development of the scientific knowledge;
• awards the medals and prizes for the outstanding scientific and technical achievements, including those named after prominent scientists.

The fundamental research in Russia is conducted in the academic establishments, higher educational institutions and in some industrial branch institutes.

Throughout its history, since the beginning of the 18th century, the Academy's activity has been closely connected with the development of education, economy and culture of Russia and has contributed greatly to the world science. It has been always maintaining the scientific contacts with both the institutions and scholars of other countries and actively participated in the development of global problems.