NOS-M, Joint Committee of the Nordic Medical Research Councils

The Research Council for Health takes part in the work of the Joint Committee of the Nordic Medical Research Councils (NOS-M). The Committee is composed of two representatives of research councils and two administrative representatives from each Nordic country. NordForsk is involved in the work of NOS-M in the capacity of observer. The Finnish members of NOS-M are Professor Tuula Tamminen, Chair of the Research Council for Health, and Research Director Mikael Knip, member of the Research Council for Health as well as Unit Director Jarmo Wahlfors and Science Adviser Merja Kärkkäinen from the Academy’s Administration Office.

The secretariat and chair rotate among the Nordic countries every three years. In 2010–2012, the secretariat is in Norway and after that in Finland. NOS-M is chaired by Professor Stig Slørdahl, Chair of the Norwegian Medical Research Council. The annual budget of NOS-M is about 74,000 euros a year. NOS-M  normally convenes twice a year.

NOS-M works to promote Nordic cooperation among research councils, discusses research policy and disseminates information on national and international science policy actions and initiatives of topical interest. The participants report on national research funding, research programmes in the field of medical research, scientific events and other current issues within health research. NOS-M also provides an important forum for discussion, where it is possible to draft statements to current international initiatives in science policy.