1. NordForsk: Funding for Nordic research collaboration
Kaisa Vaahtera
Copenhagen,
NOVA Startegy Seminar

2. Background of Nordic collaboration
Five countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden
Three autonomous areas: Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland
8 time zones, 26 million people, many official languages, 10th largest economy globally
Helsinki Agreement 1962
Nordic Council of Ministers 1971
Nordisk forskerutdanningsakademi (NorFA) 1990s
NORIA, Nordic Research and Innovation Area (White Paper, 2003, G. Björkstrand)
NordForsk 2005
Galdhøpiggen
2469
Kebnekaise
2102
Hvannadalshnjúkur
2110
Gunnbjørn Fjeld
3700
Halti
1328

3. Nordic Council of Ministers
The purpose is to work toward joint Nordic solutions that have tangible positive effects – Nordic synergies – for the citizens of the individual Nordic countries.
10 individual Nordic Councils of Ministers:

4. In Brief – Development of Nordic Research Collaboration
Tradition – Informal research collaboration
Societal preconditions - Governance structure and national research funding systems
Policy - Cooperation through FPs/ERA, Science Europe, ministerial collaboration and exchange of information
Research funding agencies level - Joint committees of the Nordic research councils (NOS-M, NOS-N, NOS-HS, NordHORCS)
Nordic institutional level - NordForsk as institutionalised collaboration (NCM)

5. NordForsk
Platform for joint Nordic research and research policy development in the Nordic countries
Established by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2005
Aim is to facilitate cooperation in all fields of research when this adds value to work being conducted nationally
Main stakeholders are the national research financing bodies in the five Nordic Countries
Basic funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers and additional funding by stakeholders, especially the Research Councils in the different countries (“The 2/3 principle”).

6. Vision Goal NordForsk Strategy 2015 - 2018
A Nordic region that is globally leading in research and innovation, with NordForsk continuously contributing to this.
Goal
To enhance the quality, impact and cost- efficiency of Nordic research and research infrastructure collaboration.

7. Principles in all activities
Conducting analysis of key issues on the Nordic science policy agendas
Requiring co-funding from at least three Nordic countries to start a large research and/or infrastructure programme
Establishing open calls for proposals with international peer review of applications
Conducting ex-post assessment of research and research infrastructure collaboration
Ensuring open access
Ensuring transparency
Improving gender equality
Providing support for mobility, higher education, international cooperation, research integrity and research-driven innovation in large programmes
Promoting Nordic research cooperation in a European and international context

8. Nordic cross-border research cooperation
Strengthening integrated cross-sectorial research with the aim to tackle societal challenges and ensure sustainable development
Health and Welfare
Societal Security
Responsible development of the Arctic
Adaptation to climate change
Green Growth / Bioeconomy
Creating critical mass in potentially excellent research areas
eScience
Neutron research
Gender in the Nordic Research and Innovation Area
Nordic languages, language communication and culture

9. Nordic research infrastructure cooperation
Increasing cross-border access to and joint use of existing research infrastructures in the Nordic region and globally
Nordic eInfrastructure Collaboration (NeIC)
Nordic Biobank Network
Nordic Trial Alliance (NTA)
Supporting the establishment of new Nordic research infrastructure cooperation
Facilitation of Nordic register-based research
- cooperation between statistical bureaus
- development of technical solutions by NeIC
- Nordic register pilots

10. Impact of Nordic research and research infrastructure cooperation
Providing Nordic policy-makers and users with new evidence- informed/tested knowledge
Improving knowledge about new results of Nordic research and research infrastructure cooperation on the science and society arenas by increased visibility
Creating opportunities for research-driven innovation

11. Funding principles Thematic research/infrastructure programmes
The Nordic financiers contribute to common pot of the programmes (usually funded 1/3 by NordForsk basic budget and 2/3 by national research financiers)
Main applicant to be based in co-funding Nordic country, partners from at least three Nordic countires
International cooperation encouraged in all programmes
All programmes open for participation of individual researchers from other regions (researcher mobility; guest researchers)
All programmes open to research teams and institutions from other regions, provided that these document their contribution to the project budget

12. Nordic Centre of Excellence
”Nordic Centres of Excellence are established to strengthen cooperation between outstanding researchers, research groups and research institutions within areas of priority for the Nordic countries. Nordic Centres of Excellence add value to research done in the countries and increase the impact of Nordic research in Europe and worldwide.”
Work based on a single research agenda, joint management, coordinated researcher training, communication, and research infrastructure collaboration.
Normally 5 years, more than 2,5 M€ Nordic funding
Standard procedure: Mid-term and final evaluation, regular meetings, communication, interaction with a Scientific Advisory Board etc.

13. Some ongoing/planned joint Nordic programs and initiatives
Bio-Economy
Education for Tomorrow
Gender in the Nordic Research and Innovation Area
Green Growth
Health and Wellbeing
Joint Nordic Initiative on Arctic Research
JPI Climate
Neutron research
Nordic eScience Globalisation Initiative (NeGI)
Nordic Infrastructure Collaboration
Societal Security
Top-level research initiative

14. Nordic Green Growth programme
“ Green Growth – Understanding Societal Challenges”, in the framework of climate change and energy challenges.
Joint programme between NordForsk, Nordic Innovation and Nordic Energy Research
Multidisciplinary programme combining natural sciences, technical sciences, social sciences and the humanities, aiming to provide new knowledge and education on how the Nordic countries can jointly advance long-term green growth in the region through research and innovation.

15. Nordic Joint Committee for Agricultural and Food Research (NKJ)
Established in 1965 as a coordinating body for the research councils and other funders within the agricultural sector in Nordic countries
Promotes and provides support for Nordic cooperation on research and innovation in the agriculture and food sector, including research on reindeer husbandry
Emphasis on cross-sectorial cooperation
Objectives:
To encourage cooperation and networks
To contribute to development of national, Nordic and European policy
To promote Nordic interests in the European research arena.
Related Nordic bodies under the Nordic Council of Ministers:
Nordic Forest Research Co-operation Committee (SNS)
Nordic Committee for Veterinary Scientific Coopration (NKVet)
Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists (NJF)

16. NKJ Calls for Funding
Call for networking activities in within agriculture and food research
The aim of the call is to:
increase North European regional synergy in the field
establish better contact between research communities in the Nordic countries
strengthen North European agriculture and food research and networking
Deadline for applications September 15
Network grants are for maximum 2 years.
The budget of the call is at least 1  NOK.
The maximum applied amount per one network should be approx NOK
A minimum of 50% self-financing component

17. NKJ Calls for Funding
Support for organising conferences, seminars and workshops
Biannual call
Next call after summer 2015
Joint call for funding for research networks between the NKJ and the SNS
Plans for a joint call in early 2016.
More information:

18. Thank you for your attention!