Jan Dietz, Special Adviser
OECD Symposium, Madrid, July 3-4 2008

Outline of presentation
 Overview of Norwegian funding system
 The role of the Research Council of Norway
 Some challenges…

Research in Norway:
Industry, higher education sector and institutes
12
10
8
6
4
Billion NOK (2000kroner)
2
0
1970 1980 1990 2000 ’05
Industry
Higher
Education
Institutes

Strong R&D and Innovation System
 Gradual growth in public R&D expenditure the last few years
 But Norway falls below OECD average
 Yet strong overall economic performance: high productivity, innovation in both old and new industries, etc.

Research in Norway:
Three different research sectors …
10000
5000
0
Industry Institutes Higher
Education

…. With different roles!
10000
5000
0
Industry Institutes Higher
Education
Development
Applied research
Basic research

Research and innovation policy - adviser to the government
Research funding
 Support basic research
 Implement national thematic priorities
 Support private R&D
Networking and dissemination
Internationalisation

The Research Council of Norway
Director
General
Staff
Division for Science
Division for Strategic Priorities
Division for Innovation
Division for
Administrative Affairs

The Research Council of Norway,
System of governance
Executive Board
Director
General
Staff
Division for
Administrative Affairs

Dialogue and
Policy
Development

Government White Paper Priorities
INTERNATIONALISATION
BASIC RESEARCH
RESEARCH-BASED INNOVATION
Energy and environment
Oceans
ICT
Food Health
New materials
Nanotech.
Biotechnology

The Council distributes about 30 % of public expenditures on R&D and funding received from all the ministries (2008)
The Research Fund
Transportation and
Communication
943
Misc.
122
233
1 240
Administration
Education and Research
Foreign Affairs
Environment
Health and
Care Services
Agriculture and Food
Fisheries and Coastal Affairs
147
180
219
248
368
287
439
1 154 Trade and
Industry
Petroleum and energy
Total 820 mill. Euro, administration incl.

Thematic priorities
Energy/ environment
Oceans Food Health
PETROLEUM
CLEAN ENERGY
CLIMATE
ICT
Technological priorities
ICT
New materials nanotechnology
Biotechnology
Ocean and coast
CLIMIT
Food programme
Health programmes
NANOMAT
Aquaculture
GENOMICS
Welfare and society
Public sector reforms

Important funding instrument:
Large-scale programmes
 Strategic, long-term knowledge development to meet national research-policy priorities
 Strategic and dynamic arena for communication and cooperation
FUGE
Functional Genomics in Norway
NANOMAT
Nanotechnology and New Materials
AQUACULTURE
An Industry in
Growth
RENERGI
Clean Energy for the Future
PETROMAKS
Optimal Management of Petroleum Resources
NORKLIMA
Climate Change and its Impacts in Norway
VERDIKT
Core Competence and Growth in ICT

Norwegian Centers of Excellence
Theoretical chemistry
Theoretical linguistics
Communication systems
Ships and ocean structures
Biology of memory
Geo- biosphere
Climate research
Medieval studies
Petroleum research
Economics
Mind in Nature
Ecology
Cancer biomedicine
Immune regulation
Biomedicine and IT
Neuroscience
Mathematics
Civil wars
Physics/Geology
Geohazards
Aquaculture protein

Centres for Research-based
Innovation
Integrated operations in the petroleum industry
Concrete – new qualities and uses
Medical imaging
Aquaculture technology
Future manufacturing solutions
Structural impact
Industrial measurement technology
Telemedicine
Marine bioactives and drug discovery
Next generation search engines
Natural gas –
Processes and products
Multiphase flow of complex fluids
Statistics for innovation
Stem cell based tumor therapy

Some Challenges
 Encourage greater interest in R&D in private sector
 Create incentives for public-private partnerships
 Soften existing system of earmarking
 Look beyond the Barcelona objective
 Improve cooperation and coordination in the innovation system

Some Challenges (2)
 Strike a balance between the twin needs for decentralisation and critical mass
 Address global issues
 Improve process of priority-setting