23.08.12
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Budget proposal for 2013: EUR 315.9 million to the Academy
The Finnish Government’s budget proposal for 2013 proposes an appropriation of close on EUR 6.7 billion to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. This means an increase of EUR 20 million compared
to the 2012 budget. The Academy of Finland operates within the administrative branch of the Ministry. The appropriation proposed to the Academy of Finland for research funding amounts to EUR 315.9 million, which also includes funding for research infrastructures. If realised, this means a slight decrease in the Academy’s research grants compared to 2012.
After the general discussion by the Government, the budget proposal will be submitted to Finnish Parliament for parliamentary handling.
In the budget proposal, a total of EUR 2.7 billion is earmarked for the Ministry’s higher education and research expenditures. The government funding proposed for the activities of universities totals EUR 1,852 million and the central government transfers and discretionary government transfers to polytechnics EUR 411 million. Finnish university funding will be renewed as of the beginning of 2013. Of universities’ core funding, 75% will be determined on the basis of the scope, quality and impact of the activities, and 25% on the basis of other educational and science-policy objectives.
Government funding will be allocated particularly on the basis of completed degrees and ETCS credits, and scientific publications and competitive research funding. The aim of the Ministry is to promote extensive application of research results and knowledge and knowhow as well as the establishment, internationalisation and linking of research centres with research and knowledge networks by means of science policy. The aim with research funding is to strengthen research infrastructures, framework conditions for cutting-edge research, and Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation, for instance.
Lottery proceeds expected to give EUR 72.4 million to the Academy
Thanks to active Finnish lottery, betting and pools players, the amount of Veikkaus lottery proceeds available for funding science, arts, sports and youth work is estimated to be some EUR 532 million in 2013. In Finland, approximately half (49.8%) of the funding for science, arts, sports and youth work is covered with lottery proceeds. The proposed amount of lottery proceeds to be distributed in 2013 to support science is EUR 102.2 million, arts EUR 224.8 million, sports EUR 152.3 million and youth work EUR 52.6 million. Of the amount (EUR 102.2 million) to be distributed to science, a total of EUR 72.4 million will go to the Academy of Finland. This sum is included in the appropriation (EUR 315.9 million) allocated to the Academy in the Government’s 2013 budget proposal.
Veikkaus is a Finnish lottery for Finnish players. It is entirely state-owned and decisions on the distribution of its proceeds are made by Finnish Parliament and managed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Veikkaus’ lottery, pools and betting operations are supervised by the Ministry of the Interior. In accordance with the Lotteries Act, a total of 38.5% of lottery proceeds are allocated to arts, 25% to sports, 17.5% to science and 9% to youth work. The allocation of the remaining 10% is left to the Ministry’s discretion. Most of the support to science is allocated to the Academy of Finland that grants long-term competitive funding for scientific research. The Ministry also allocates funds for the activities of, for instance, research institutes and certain learned societies and scientific associations, for international scientific cooperation, for advancement of publishing, and for archives and scientific libraries.
An international evaluation of the Academy launched
An international evaluation of the Academy of Finland has been launched by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. The Academy operates within the administrative branch of the Ministry. The evaluation will be conducted by the international Technopolis Group. Technopolis Group has recently evaluated Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, which is the other major funding agency in Finland. It is also evaluating, among others, the Research Council of Norway for the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.
The objective of the evaluation is to produce a comprehensive idea on international and national expertise of the activities of the Academy and to find out means for improving its operation, structures and impact. The evaluation aims to assess how the activities of the Academy should be developed in a changing operating environment to ensure that it can optimally contribute to enhancing the quality and impact of research and the functioning of the innovation system. The evaluation also aims to produce additional information and development proposals to improve the operation of the Academy, performance steering of the Academy and legislation on the Academy. The evaluation is due to be completed by the end of May 2013.
Significant reforms are taking place in the Finnish research and innovation system. Priorities for development include the universities reform, improving the quality and impact of research, restructuring and internationalisation of the entire system. As a key organisation providing funding for basic research, the Academy of Finland plays a crucial role in promoting these goals.
The support group appointed for the international evaluation project is chaired by Director General Anita Lehikoinen from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. The support group is also responsible for the publication of the evaluation results.
Academy currently finalising its review of the state of scientific research in Finland
The next review of the state of scientific research in Finland will be released by the Academy of Finland on 8 October.
The 2012 review consists of three parts. Part I looks at the structure and impact of the Finnish research system in international comparison. In Part II, the Academy’s four Research Councils analyse the areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in their disciplines and make development proposals. The review covers a total of 47 scientific disciplines. In the implementation of the review, the discipline-specific task forces have played a key role. The 366 members of these task forces, invited by the Academy, are top scientific experts and key actors in their respective fields. The task forces made use of statistical and bibliometric data as background material for their work. The Academy’s latest discipline evaluations were also used in the review project. Part III provides a thematic overview of the Academy-funded research within selected research fields that address the grand challenges faced by society.
A press release in English will be available in connection with the publication of the report in Finnish. The whole report in English will be published on 12 December and will be available in PDF format on the Academy’s website at www.aka.fi/en > Publications. A print version can be ordered at viestinta(at)aka.fi.The discipline-specific results of the review will be posted on the project’s website at www.aka.fi/tieteentila2012 > English.
Academy Vice President for Research Marja Makarow appointed member of the EIT Governing Board
The European Commission has appointed the Academy’s Vice President for Research, Professor Marja Makarow member of the Governing Board of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The twelve new appointed EIT Governing Board members have a strong reputation in their respective fields.
Marja Makarow, who will start as the Academy’s Vice President for Research 1 September 2012, has strong expertise in research, science policy and university administration. Before her appointment to the Academy, Professor Makarow was Chief Executive of the European Science Foundation (ESF) in Strasbourg in 2008–2011 and Vice Rector at the University of Helsinki in charge of research affairs, research study affairs and innovation activities in 2003–2007. She is Professor of Applied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Helsinki. As Vice Chair of the European Research Area Board (ERAB), Makarow has been actively involved in the preparations of the European Union’s Eight Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. At the ESF, she contributed to the development of joint research policy of European research funding agencies.
Makarow says she is highly interested in EIT’s goal to create six new Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), in addition to the three initial hubs. The EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities bring together higher education institutions, research centres and businesses to address major societal challenges in an innovative way. The EIT Governing Board is responsible for the EIT’s overall strategy and for the selection, coordination and evaluation of the KICs.
The focus of the EIT ICT Labs, one of the three operating KICs, is on future information and communication society. One of the five EIT ICT Labs Co-location Centres, the Helsinki Node, is located at Otaniemi Campus in Finland. Aalto University, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Nokia are the Finnish partners of the EIT ICT Labs. The other Nodes are located in Berlin, Eindhoven, Paris and Stockholm. The focus of the EIT ICT Labs is on breeding entrepreneurial ICT top talent by transforming higher education towards promoting innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, on developing future internet infrastructures, ICT-based services and user-centred solutions in R&D and on creating an open European ICT innovation ecosystem.
Call for Academy research funding open
The Academy of Finland’s call for research funding is open until 26 September 2012. The September 2012 call for applications is available on the Academy’s website and applications can be drafted in the online services. Some international calls have a non-standard application procedure that is indicated in the call for applications. In the September call, applications are invited for research project funding and for personal funding for research posts. The Academy promotes equality and specially encourages women to apply.
The Academy’s contribution to funding will change as of the September 2012 call. Applications in accordance with the full cost model must be drafted so that the Academy’s contribution to funding comes to no more than 70 per cent of total project costs. The Academy will make its funding decisions in accordance with this percentage.
Academy of Finland at a glance
The Academy’s objective is to promote scientific research of a high standard through long-term quality-based research funding, research and science-policy expertise, and efforts to strengthen the position of science and scientific research.
In 2012, the Academy will make decisions on research funding worth EUR 327 million. For more information, go to ww.aka.fi/eng or send a message to maj-lis.tanner@aka.fi.