Academy of Finland Newsletter, November 2007
The Academy of Finland newsletter will keep you updated on basic research funded in Finland and on other news from the Finnish world of science and research. In case you wish us to send this to someone else in your organisation or if you do not want to receive these newsletters in the future, please let us know at viestinta@aka.fi.
Features:
Science interests Finns
Finland’s R&D expenditure nearly €5.8 billion
Finland to renew university structure
Ossi Malmberg Academy of Finland’s new Vice President for Administration
Academy of Finland to launch two new research programmes with €17 million
Finland delivers a high standard of computer science research
The Academy’s next calls
Academy revamps its website
ProAcademia magazine: Our future challenges
Scroll down for more on these stories.
SCIENCE INTERESTS FINNS
A clear majority of Finns (63%) are interested in science, research and technology. The level of this interest has remained the same since the beginning of the 2000s. Although gender and age play a comparatively small role in the level of interest, men and youths show a slightly higher interest in science than women and older people. Education, however, has a clear impact on the level of interest in science. These data were collected in the Finnish Science Barometer 2007 study, which examines the Finns’ relationship with and attitudes toward science based on extensive nationwide survey data. The study was published early November. The English-language version can be ordered from viestinta@aka.fi.
The Finns surveyed felt that the most interesting fields were research on the environment, medicine and scientific progress, new results and inventions. Each of these fields was of interest to approximately 70 per cent of the Finns surveyed, whilst only one out of every four Finns was interested in science policy. Interest in one field also increases interest in other fields. Medicine and genetic research hold a great deal more interest for women than men. Men, on the other hand, are more interested in computer technology and space research than women.
As much as three-quarters of the Finns want the media to provide more information on science. Information is sought considerably more from the internet and information networks than at the beginning of the 2000s. Periodicals are also mentioned more frequently. The most common sources of scientific information are the media, the internet and information networks, place of employment and education, and general periodicals.
The results show that science’s public image and relationship with society are evidently in good shape. Science is afforded a great deal of trust both as an institution and designated organisations; this trust has remained the same throughout the 2000s. All evaluated areas concerning science and research are at the top of the results. Universities and institutes of higher education are trusted as much as the Defence Forces. Attitudes toward scientific ethics and morals are positive and have improved significantly since the beginning of the 2000s. Finnish research is considered exceptionally independent and unbiased.
FINLAND’S R&D EXPENDITURE NEARLY €5.8 BILLION
Expenditure on research and development (R&D) in Finland went up by nearly 300 million euros and totalled 5.8 billion euros in 2006. According to Statistics Finland, the growth was in the region of 4 per cent for the fourth successive year. The business enterprise sector contributed 230 million euros, or 80 per cent, to the growth. Both the higher education sector and the public sector also increased their R&D expenditure. R&D expenditure is estimated to pass the 6 billion euros mark in 2007.
The growth of R&D investments in electronics and electrical products continued in 2006. The industry’s R&D expenditure rose by close on 100 million euros to 2.3 billion euros. Among the manufacturing industries, R&D expenditure also showed strong growth in the metal and engineering industry and in the chemical industry. In the former, the growth amounted to 37 million euros and in the latter to 30 million euros. Among other industries, and measured with figures on expenditure, R&D activity developed most favourably in other business services where expenditure grew by 30 million euros.
The GDP share of R&D expenditure was 3.45 per cent in 2006. The share contracted slightly from the previous year because GDP grew even faster than R&D expenditure.
Figure: R&D expenditure by sector and GDP share of R&D expenditure in 2000–2006
| Year |
Business enterprises |
|
Public sector |
|
Higher education sector |
|
Total |
GDP share of R&D expenditure |
|
M€ |
% |
M€ |
% |
M€ |
% |
M€ |
% |
| 2000 |
3,135.9 |
70.9 |
497.4 |
11.2 |
789.3 |
17.8 |
4,422.6 |
3.34 |
| 2001 |
3,284.0 |
71.1 |
500.9 |
10.8 |
834.1 |
18.1 |
4,619.0 |
3.30 |
| 2002 |
3,375.1 |
69.9 |
529.7 |
11.0 |
925.6 |
19.2 |
4,830.3 |
3.35 |
| 2003 |
3,527.9 |
70.5 |
515.4 |
10.3 |
961.7 |
19.2 |
5,005.0 |
3.43 |
| 2004 |
3,683.5 |
70.1 |
530.1 |
10.1 |
1,039.8 |
19.8 |
5,253.4 |
3.45 |
| 2005 |
3,876.9 |
70.8 |
554.7 |
10.1 |
1,042.1 |
19.0 |
5,473.8 |
3.48 |
| 2006 |
4,107.8 |
71.3 |
574.2 |
10.0 |
1,079.2 |
18.7 |
5,761.2 |
3.45 |
FINLAND TO RENEW UNIVERSITY STRUCTURE
To speed up the structural development of Finnish universities, the Government has decided on the principles of the reform of the universities’ economic and administrative status and the establishment of an innovation university. The legal status of the universities will be changed into a status of independent legal persons, either into foundations in private law or institutions in public law. Three key universities, i.e. Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics and the University of Art and Design Helsinki will be merged into a new innovation university that will operate in the form of a foundation. This will be the first major merging of universities in Finland. The new innovation university will start operating at the beginning of August 2009. Other universities will be given the status of institutions in public law.
The change in the status of a legal person is necessary for Finnish universities to be able to operate under the same kinds of regulations with the world’s leading modern universities. The Government expects that universities in different parts of Finland will now begin to genuinely profile themselves. The Government believes that both mutual and international competition will improve the quality of teaching and research.
The objective of the Government is that universities would in the future be better equipped to diversify their funding basis, react to changes in their operating environments, allocate resources to cutting-edge research and strategic focal areas, strengthen their role within the innovation system as well as compete for international research funding and cooperate with foreign universities and research institutes.
The universities are expected, along with their increasing jurisdiction and economic responsibility, to receive better preconditions to organise their operations more efficiently and expediently than at present. The universities’ economic independence will also be strengthened.
OSSI MALMBERG ACADEMY OF FINLAND’S NEW VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION
LLM Ossi Malmberg is the Academy of Finland’s Vice President responsible for administration as from the beginning of 2008. Malmberg is presently working as a legal counsel in the Department for Development Policy of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Previously, he has worked, among others, as unit head and director at the Forestry Development Centre Tapio.
Malmberg has extensive knowledge in administrative procedures, contractual activities, public acquisitions as well as discretionary government transfers, budget legislation and the budget. He also has international experience as well as experience in change management and management of experts and legal work.
The Academy’s Administration Office has a staff of 160. The Vice President, Administration, is responsible for the functioning and development of the Academy’s administration. The Vice President, Research, is responsible for the Academy’s science policy planning and development of research funding.
ACADEMY OF FINLAND TO LAUNCH TWO NEW RESEARCH PROGRAMMES WITH €17 MILLION
The two new research programmes to be launched by the Academy of Finland are Ubiquitous Computing and Diversity of Communication and Responding to Public Health Challenges. The Academy is prepared to fund the Research Programme on Ubiquitous Computing and Diversity of Communication (MOTIVE) with nine million euros and the Responding to Public Health Challenges Research Programme (SALVE) with eight million euros. The programmes are scheduled to run for four years.
A key element of the MOTIVE programme is to examine how ubiquitous computing and the ubiquity of communication shape work and leisure. The programme also aims at creating principles and technological solutions that would make it possible to promote the desired developments and that would create opportunities for applications based on basic research. Application opportunities are expected, for example, in the actual exchange of information, training, culture and entertainment, as well as in the production of a number of healthcare services.
The SALVE programme is based on the understanding that inappropriate diets, insufficient physical activity, as well as substance use are the major causes of many diseases, and also account for a large proportion of avoidable premature mortality. Our lifestyles develop early on in childhood, but their effects on our health are often not seen until decades later.
Finland has a high level of experience in researching the genetic background and lifestyle factors of major diseases affecting public health. The Finns as a people that descends from a small founding population, Finland’s high-quality healthcare system, clinical expertise and precise and consistent disease diagnostics have been the basis for the success of genetic research in Finland. Finland also has long traditions in effective interventions in disease prevention. An example of a community-level, population-based intervention is the world-acclaimed North Karelia Project that has improved lifestyles and reduced the risk of breast cancer and myocardial and cerebral infarction. Also, cancer screenings have reduced cervical and breast cancer mortality.
SALVE is focused on the identification of the aetiological, hereditary and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of diseases of public health importance as well as on the prevention of these diseases. The programme aims to combine not only a genetic and epidemiological approach, but also a social and behavioural sciences approach to research in major diseases.
In connection with the MOTIVE programme, two international joint calls will be carried out: one with a Chinese and the other with a Russian funding agency. Within the SALVE programme, the Academy will fund research together with a Norwegian and a Canadian funding agency.
FINLAND DELIVERS A HIGH STANDARD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH
Computer science research in Finland rests on a sound foundation; publications in the field are of a high quality and enjoy a high degree of internationality. This is the conclusion of a panel of experts brought together by the Academy of Finland to review the status of computer science research in Finland in 2000–2006.
One of the panel’s recommendations is that the research community actively lobby for bibliometric impact assessments that are more inclusive of computer science than the ones in current use to ensure that its impact is recognised. The panel further suggests that research units adopt publication strategies that are more effective in achieving impact.
In the field of computer science, human resources and recruiting staff may include some challenges. The panel, therefore, recommends that the various research career paths be made as clear and attractive as possible. There is a particular need for encouraging international researcher mobility and increasing international recruitment at the very start of the postdoctoral career. Finnish computer scientists are well networked nationally and internationally. The panel nevertheless advises that they make better use the European Union’s framework programmes and the opportunities they offer. Finnish research units have strong industrial links, the panel says, but they should, even so, aim to be more proactive in the development of commercially exploitable knowledge.
The panel was chaired by Professor Hans Gellersen from Lancaster University, UK. The panel members were Professors Lars Birkedal from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Letizia Jaccheri from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway, Fionn Murtagh from the University of London, UK, Tatsuo Nakajima from Waseda University, Japan, Enrico Nardelli from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy, Naftali Tishby from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, and Herb Yang from the University of Alberta, Canada.
The evaluation panel’s report has been published in the Academy of Finland’s publication series. The report is available online at www.aka.fi/publications: Computer Science Research in Finland 2000–2006. International Evaluation. Publications of the Academy of Finland 8/07.
THE ACADEMY’S NEXT CALLS
The next call for Academy research funding is 2–31 January 2008. The call for applications is published on 3 December 2007 at the latest.
ACADEMY REVAMPS ITS WEBSITE
The Academy has revamped its website. The structure, content, look and technical platform of the Academy of Finland’s public website have been updated.
Subject matter has been divided into three areas, which are aimed at specific website users. Basic information on the Academy can be found under Academy of Finland – About Us. Information aimed at researchers can be found under For researchers – Looking for funding? Information on research programmes, Centres of Excellence and evaluation as well as research careers can be found under Science in society – About science. Reviewers and journalists have their own website entrance.
Academy has also set up a discussion forum on its website. Come share your views.
PROACADEMIA MAGAZINE: OUR FUTURE CHALLENGES
The next issue of the Academy’s English-language magazine ProAcademia comes out on 7 December 2007. The Academy’s Vice President, Research, Riitta Mustonen, outlines the Academy’s future challenges and evaluation activities in particular. Professor Marja Makarow, the new Finnish ESF Chief Executive, tells about the challenges European research is facing. ProAcademia also interviews world-class scientists who have come to Finland within the framework of the Finland Distinguished Professor Programme.
To subscribe to the magazine, please contact viestinta@aka.fi or read it online at http://www.aka.fi/en-gb/Academy-of-Finland/Academy-publications/Magazines/
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Academy of Finland in brief: The Academy’s objective is to promote high-level scientific research through long-term quality-based research funding, research and science policy expertise and efforts to strengthen the position of science and scientific research. The Academy makes decisions on research funding worth about 260 million euros. Each year about 5,000 people benefit from Academy research funding. For more information, go to www.aka.fi/eng or send a message to maj-lis.tanner@aka.fi.