Societal impact

Societal impact refers to the ways in which research contributes to developments in society and to dealing with social issues. Impact is a complex phenomenon that arises in the interaction between research data and other factors, often over a long period of time.

Depending on the field of science and the tasks of the research organisation, research can have impact in society in many ways. Science is the foundation of human understanding. It helps build sustainable wellbeing and prosperity, and it can be used as a basis for decision-making, for developing practices and for teaching. High-quality research produces expertise that we use to tackle major societal challenges.

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Explore State of Scientific Research in Finland data on research funding, research personnel and scientific publishing.