Academy of Finland releases updated strategy

The Board of the Academy of Finland has approved the Academy’s updated strategy. The strategy is based on an earlier version from 2015.

The updated strategy emphasises the primacy of high quality as a criterion for granting research funding. As before, the strategy underlines the importance of achieving versatile impact from research, both within science and in other areas of society. It also draws attention to the imperative of self-renewal in science.

Professor Johanna Myllyharju, Chair of the Academy Board, said: “Science renews itself by identifying new research topics and by developing new approaches, concepts and methods. Renewal does not mean that research has to come up with a new subject each and every year.”

The strategy update reiterates the values and principles guiding the Academy’s operation: its open calls for applications, international peer reviews, openness, transparency, reliability, equality and non-discrimination. Responsibility is a key principle for the Academy and for all Academy-funded research.

The strategy makes clear the role and importance of competent scientists and researchers.

Heikki Mannila, the President of the Academy of Finland, said: “Questions that have to do with research careers, for instance, are hugely important and must be jointly addressed by universities, research institutes and funding agencies.”

The updated strategy points out that climate change and other current global sustainability challenges underscore the need for scientific research in the world today. The science community will have a key role in resolving these global challenges.

References in the strategy to open science, data management and analysis and the role of research infrastructures reflect the changes that are happening in ways of doing science. The strategy also underlines that the Academy of Finland’s operation depends on the expertise of outside reviewers, its officials and staff members.

Read the Academy’s strategy here.