Nordic-Baltic Cooperation in the field of research: Towards common research space?

Susanna Sepponen, NordForsk

01-05-2020

NordForsk

The Nordic Collaborative Tradition

• The Nordic countries have collaborated extensively through the Nordic Council (parliamentarians) since 1952 and the Nordic Council of Ministers since 1971 • Five countries; Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden • Three autonomous areas; the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland 01-05-2020

NordForsk

NordForsk

NORIA: the Nordic Research and Innovation Area

In an extended Europe, regional research cooperation becomes increasingly important

The establishment of a Nordic Research and Innovation Area (NORIA) strengthens the Nordic region in Europe/globally • • Noria has two pillars: Nordic Innovation Centre (NICe) established 1.1. 2004 NordForsk established 1.1. 2005 by the Nordic Council of Ministers 01-05-2020

NordForsk

NordForsk in Brief

Board

:

9 members & 7 observers appointed on an institutional basis: - National Research Councils (5), Higher education institutions (3) , 1 representative from industry. Observers: Nordic council of Ministers, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Åland, and one observer representing he Baltic states (currently Mr. Meelis Sirendi, Estonian Science Foundation) • Secretariat in Oslo, co-located with Nordic Innovation Centre and Nordic Energy Research • Basic budget from the Nordic Council of Ministers: appr. 15 mill Euro making it the largest Nordic institution. Additional funding from national agencies

www.nordforsk.org

NordForsk

Objectives

NordForsk facilitates cooperation in all fields of research and research driven innovation when this adds value to work being conducted in the five Nordic countries

• Identify

important research priorities

suitable for joint Nordic efforts, and provide arenas for cooperation. •

Financial support

to such efforts, together with national research financers – based on national priorities. Add value to national activities.

•

Policy advice

- serve as advisory body to the Nordic Council of Ministers. Establish fora for debate on research policy issues. Create dialogue and understanding between Nordic research and policy communities.

5 01-05-2020

www.nordforsk.org

NordForsk

Framework for Nordic/Baltic cooperation

• Baltic observer status on the NordForsk Board • Long tradition of Baltic participation in Nordic funded research activities (networks, research courses etc.) • Nordic Council of Ministers’ guidelines for cooperation with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania 2009-2013: • High priority on cooperation with partners in the Baltic Sea Region • Value of cooperation lies in both its quality and the parties’ commitment • Nordic-Baltic is a partnership on an equal footing, where each party covers its own costs

www.nordforsk.org

NordForsk

Nordic-Baltic joint funded research programmes

• NordForsk funded NORIA-net coordination instrument aims at developing joint actions within research policy and –funding • Two of the first NORIA-nets started in 2007 included participation from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and have resulted in joint funded research programmes : • A Nordic-Baltic Research and Innovation Programme on Living Labs (partner: The Research Council of Lithuania) • Citizens‘ Services - Turning public-private outside-in (partners: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia)

www.nordforsk.org

Top-level Research Initiative

-A major Nordic venture for climate, energy and the environment

Global Challenges Economic growth Climate change Energy security

Goals

• • • • Constitute a central, coordinated part of the Nordic efforts towards research and innovation on climate, energy and the environment.

Develop favourable conditions for collaboration between research and innovation organisations and institutions in the Nordic countries.

Contribute to an increased coordination and professional leadership of the Nordic research- and innovation initiatives within energy, climate and the environment.

Act as a platform for further international collaboration.

• • • • • •

Top-level Research Initiative Programmes

The initiative consists of the following six sub-programmes: Effect studies and adaptation to climate change Climate change’s interaction with the cryosphere Integration of large-scale wind power Sustainable biofuels Nanotechnology and energy efficiency Carbon capture and storage Within the framework of these six themes, the initiative also includes: A Advanced climate modelling B Social sciences and humanities C A focus on the Arctic area

Contributors – common pot

•

Established by a prime ministers decision

•

National contributors, by GDP

Denmark: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Finland: Academy of Finland and Tekes Iceland: The Icelandic Centre for Research RANNIS Norway: The Research Council of Norway Sweden: The Swedish Research Council, Formas, Swedish Energy Agency and VINNOVA

In addition substantial finance of national activities

•

Substansial contribution from the NCM/the Nordic Institutions

Essential driver

Historic Nordic initiative

Total Funds for the program (5 years, MEURO) National funds Funds from the Nordic Council of Ministers Funds from Nordic institutions 50 30 6 14

TRI as a Model for Europe?

• • • • • • TRI involves cooperation across sectors in society at the agency level i.e. between research, innovation and energy institutions TRI encourages academia –industry collaboration (public-private partnerships) The TRI instruments pave the way for transfer of competencies across the Nordic region Cooperation of this kind can build trust and dialogue between groups in society which previously did not understand each other. The cross-border common pot system Cross-border governance

NordForsk

Why join forces?

• Enhance scientific quality • Reduce fragmentation- task distribution/sharing of labour • Create critical mass within different scientific fields and in terms of investment • Increase visibility, attractiveness and contribute to the overall branding of the region • Ultimately – to provide the basis for knowledge-based industry

Regional research cooperation is not an alternative to European or international cooperation, it complements

national cooperation

01-05-2020