Strategic priorities in International cooperation Dr. Karin Refsnes Executive Director - Strategic Priorities The Research Council of Norway Co-chair – Joint Committee Cape Town, March 14-15, 2005

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 research Increased research for innovation Expanded dialogue between research and society Increased internationalisation of Norwegian research Do more to foster talent

International cooperation Enhance participation in international organisations Increase allocations for bilateral agreements with key research countries Increase co-financing schemes for EU-projects Open research programmes to participation by foreign researchers when appropriate Work to enhance Norway’s reputation as an attractive host country for foreign researchers Expand 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 effort Securing continuity in thematic areas in FP 6 and in instruments is of great importance Support is given to more emphasis on basic research and open competition between individual research teams at European level FP7 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 benefit A few new areas:  Oceans  Sustainable energy systems  The knowledge society

The "Oceans" – An economic area Ocean energy systems Marine geology geophysics Maritime transport, hazards and safety Marine tourism and leisure activities Fisheries Aquaculture Food safety and health Biotechnology and bioprospecting

Sustainable energy systems Increase use of renewable energy Activities related to hydrogen and fuel cells Increased 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 FP6 Investing 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, NOK per project (pilot projects, travel, conferences, seminars, networking etc.)  Support to initiating of projects, 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 scientists Between institutions Between research programmes and directed internationalisation measures Between 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 6FP High success rate – 28% Part of networks of high quality and position 27 national programs in ERA-NET Success 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

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 6FP High success rate – 28% Part of networks of high quality and position 16 national programs in ERA- NET Success areas:  Food safety and quality- marine food  Environment  Maritime transport  Energy

Norwegian – South African Co- operation in the EU FRP6 Research areaProgrammeApplicationsApproved ICTIST10 MaterialsNMP20 Food &FOOD21 food security EnvironmentGLOBAL81 Social SciencesCITIZENS10 International Co-operation INCO42