Strategic priorities in International cooperation

Dr. Karin RefsnesExecutive Director - Strategic Priorities

The Research Council of NorwayCo-chair – Joint Committee

Cape Town, March 14-15, 2005

Administration Communication

Division forScience

Division for Innovation

Division for StrategicPriorities

Director General Staff International staff

The Research Council of Norway is a strategic governmental agency

Adviser to the government on research-policy issues

Finance and stimulate public and private R&D

Create arenas for cooperation and knowledge distribution

RCN – financing mechanisms

Funding from 16 different ministries and the Research fund for long term research and innovation

Researcher driven projects – 100% financed by RCN Large scale and long term projects to universities and

institutes Competence building projects in universities and institutes

– 20% financed by industry, 80% by RCN User driven innovation projects – 50-70% financed by

industry Centres of excellence (13), new round of CoE (8) and

Centres of research driven innovation (8) Basic funding to research institutes (65) Specific funding to young talented researchers Different types of seed money for bilateral cooperation Specific funding to institutes receiving funding from EU FP

Strategy for the Research Council of Norway

Enhanced quality in researchIncreased research for innovationExpanded dialogue between research and societyIncreased internationalisation of Norwegian researchDo more to foster talent

International cooperation

Enhance participation in international organisationsIncrease allocations for bilateral agreements with key research countriesIncrease co-financing schemes for EU-projectsOpen research programmes to participation by foreign researchers when appropriateWork to enhance Norway’s reputation as an attractive host country for foreign researchersExpand cooperation between research institutions in Norway and other countries by promoting network building and participatin actively in effort to shape the ERA and EU FP 7

Reflections from Norway concerning European research policy and FP7

Norway is committed to contribute to a stringer and more coherent overall Europaen research and innovation effortSecuring continuity in thematic areas in FP 6 and in instruments is of great importanceSupport is given to more emphasis on basic research and open competition between individual research teams at European levelFP7 should include more efficient ways of including third countries, both developing and emerging economies, as well as stimulating increased cooperation with USA, Canada, and Japan for mutual benefitA few new areas:

Oceans Sustainable energy systems The knowledge society

The "Oceans" – An economic area

Ocean energy systemsMarine geology geophysicsMaritime transport, hazards and safetyMarine tourism and leisure activitiesFisheriesAquacultureFood safety and healthBiotechnology and bioprospecting

Sustainable energy systems

Increase use of renewable energyActivities related to hydrogen and fuel cellsIncreased focus on petroleum research and development

Increased recovery from existing oil and gas fields

Finding and developing new petroleum resources

Technologies for safe capture, storage and use of CO2 - Kyoto perspective

The knowledge society

Renewd attention and broadening of the theme ”Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge based society” in FP6Investing in economic and social sciences and humanities, contributes to a better understanding of how to create a common knowledge base for governance, reforms and re-institutionalisation

Bilateral cooperation

RCN stimulates increased international cooperation with USA, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and China

Support to preprojects, 100.000 NOK per project (pilot projects, travel, conferences, seminars, networking etc.)

Support to initiating of projects, 500.000 per project

Under special circumstances, preprojects with other countries could be supported

Bilateral agreements administered by NRC

Egypt (1)France (6)Germany (3)Indonesia (6)Italy (2)Japan (2)China (2)

Russia (2)Singapore (1)South Africa (1)Taiwan (1)Thailand (1)USA (1)

Most agreements do not have specific funds attached to them. South Africa is the major exception.

International R&D-cooperation

Between scientistsBetween institutionsBetween research programmes and directed internationalisation measuresBetween countries

Europe the main route North-America the strongest R&D-region Asia – the coming economic region

International cooperation- challenges

EU – increasingly important High success rate in FP6

Bilateral agreements Europe, Asia, North-

America

Focus Scientific excellence,

technological opportunities, business relevance

Norway in 6FPHigh success rate – 28%Part of networks of high quality and position27 national programs in ERA-NETSuccess areas:

Food safety and quality-marine food

Environment Maritime

transport Energy

International R&D – cooperation- Important trends

Norwegian PhD-students abroad

Reductions in the spending - but more intensified

International co-writing of articles increases

The cooperation with USA is most important – and builds on long traditions

But the increase is towards Europe

PhD-students in USA constant, but decrease in students - they go to Australia

International cooperation is less extensive in Norway than in the other Nordic countries

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International cooperation- challenges

EU – increasingly important

High success rate in FP6

Bilateral agreements Europe, Asia, North-

America

Focus Scientific excellence,

technological opportunities, business relevance

Norway in 6FPHigh success rate – 28%Part of networks of high quality and position16 national programs in ERA-NETSuccess areas:

Food safety and quality-marine food

Environment Maritime transport Energy

Norwegian – South African Co-operation in the EU FRP6

Research area Programme Applications Approved

ICT IST 1 0

Materials NMP 2 0

Food & FOOD 2 1

food security

Environment GLOBAL 8 1

Social Sciences CITIZENS 1 0

InternationalCo-operation

INCO 4 2