Challenges in maintaining world-class research

A forward-looking research strategy, with cross-party political support, more international exchange, and greater collaboration between the research world and the entrepreneurial sector can contribute to make Sweden a world-class science nation.

For Sweden to continue as a leading research nation, it must improve its research environment in several ways. This was the message from a seminar held by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise at the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA).

Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, President of Karolinska Institutet, noted that research policies in Sweden are characterised by shortsightedness and political division. In her view, this is due to the desire of every newly elected government to set their own stamp on research policy. “With this unpredictability, long-term planning to strengthen research environments becomes difficult”, she commented. Her solution is to create a forward-looking, long-term research strategy that all parliamentary parties can agree on.

Peter Honeth, State Secretary for the Ministry of Education and Research, however, was not completely convinced. His observation was that such a cross-party political agreement could lock research policy for too long a period. “Moreover”, he noted, “there are differences between the opposition (centre-left parties) and the governing (centre-right) coalition that would then become hidden”.

Tobias Krantz, Manager for Education, Research and Innovation at the Confederation took the positive view, stating that current conditions were ripe for a consensus view in research policy. But, he noted, greater political interest in research and innovation is required.

To this, Mr. Honeth replied that he believed weak interest in this area is simply the result of the political reality that research and innovation policy issues don’t win elections. However, he noted, these issues have become much more central in wider political disciplines.

Mr. Krantz could agree with this, though he suggested that now is the time for change and a greater emphasis on research. “This is decisive for the future of Sweden”, he noted.

The panel agreed that high quality research is necessary to support businesses as globalization keeps pace. Moreover, all agreed that this required regulatory changes to facilitate greater internationalisation of education and research.

Panel member Jan Carlstedt-Duke, Professor at Karolinska Institutet, held that Sweden has lost influence overseas. Its research is much less noted. “If Sweden is to have any influence, it must participate internationally and in harmony with the business sector,” he stated. Moreover, he advocated more two-way interaction where foreign researchers are actively recruited to Sweden, and Swedish researchers are encouraged to pursue their carriers in other countries.

All participants also agreed that collaboration between the research world and business was natural and self-evident. Most also wanted to see a system that promoted more dialog, where all involved can learn from each other, and help find what each other needs or wants to achieve. Ms. Wallber-Henriksson noted that, “Twenty years ago, academics was a closed world, where outsiders had difficulty in gaining insight. Researchers were barely interested in collaborating, and industrial research programs had very low status. But much has changed since then.”

One form of collaboration was noted to function well, namely between the smaller regional universities and colleges and their nearby businesses. This was highlighted by Madelene Sandström, Managing Director at the Knowledge Foundation (a major research funder), who noted that these institutional seats’ research efforts create a good climate for innovation, in collaboration with local and regional businesses sectors. The schools provide businesses with skilled personnel and offer new ways to tackle their problems. “Research efforts are influenced by demands in the business sector. And, these universities and colleges are crucial for Sweden,” concluded Ms. Sandström.

The seminar also introduce the anthology ‘Sweden on the Sidelines?’ published by the Confederation where leading representatives for Swedish research and development entities discuss their future challenges.

Source: http://www.svensktnaringsliv.se