Research in Norway- Research Strategy for North America

Hans M Borchgrevink MD MHASenior adviserThe Research Council of Norway

Increased internationalization – a main priority in Norwegian R&D

Europe – participation in the EU framework programs (FP) since 1988, full member since 1994

Participation in several large facility programs and organizations (CERN, EISCAT, EMBL, EISCAT etc)

Long traditions in Nordic R&D-cooperation

Increased focus on bilateral R&D-cooperation with selected countries: USA, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and China

International R&D-cooperation

Between scientistsBetween institutionsBetween research programmes and directed internationalisation measuresBetween countries

Europe the main route North-America the strongest R&D-region Asia – the coming economic region

Norway’s new”Strategy for Scientific and Technological Cooperation with North America”launched Oct 2004 by the GovernmentTrans-atlantic R&D cooperation has long

traditionsThe strategy intends to

contribute to long-term escalation of R&D collaboration increase researcher mobility between Norway and the USA and Canadahelp enhance the quality of research and improve entrepreneurship and stimulate knowledge-based economic development in Norway

Which areas of R&D should be addressed?Potential R&D areas

includeEnergy, including hydrogen, CO2-sequestration, and new forms of energyOil & gasICTMaterials and nanotechMaritime technologyBiologi and biotechnology, including genomics, epidemiology and healthFood quality and safetyMarine technology, seafood

Climate researchPolar research Sustainable development and environmental impactSocial sciences including migration and multi-cultural societiesHumanities and cultureInternational politics, conflicts and peace processesDefense and terrorismSpace, including satelite and telecomunications

What’s in it for the USA and Canada?

Norway offers high-quality research frontline infrastructure

in several of these fields that might be of potential interest to US and Canadian researchers

Norway offers outstanding registries and databases

Areas focused in Norwegian R&D

Basic scienceR&D for Innovation

ICTMarin scienceMedicine and healthEnvironment and energyBiotechnologyMaterialsPetroleum

13 Norwegian centres of Excellence

Geohazards

Physics of geological processes

Study of Civil wars

Ships and ocean structures

Mathematics for applications

Biology of memory

Molecular biology and neuroscience

Centre and perifery in medieval Europe

Theoretical Linguistics

Integrated petroleum research

Aquaculture protein

Quality of Service in Communication Systems

Climate Research

RCN large-scale programmes

100 mill. NOK or more per year for a 10-year periodComprise basic and applied research and stimulate to innovation, value creation and commercialisationLong-term; a ten-year perspectiveSupport the national research policy – including the thematic prioritiesPromote multi- and interdisciplinarity, involve the divisions and be embedded in several sectors of societyA strong international approach

RCN large-scale programmes

Functional genomic research (FUGE) Nanotechnology and materials

(NANOMAT) Oil/gas- increased recovery and

efficient exploration (PETROMAX) Clean energy technology of the future

(RENERGI) ICT (VERDIKT) Aquaculture (HAVBRUK) Climate change and impacts in Norway

(NORKLIMA)

FUGEFunctional

Genomics in Norway

2002-2011

http:\\www.fuge.no

Foundation

Medical research

Marine research

Basic biologicalresearch (incl. bioinformatics)

Through regional, national and international efforts

High quality functional genomics research

Biobanks for health (2 plattforms)Bioinformatics (CBU)SNP technology (CIGENE) Microarrays (NMC)Proteomics (PROBE) Structural analysis (NORSTRUCT) Molecular imaging (MIC)Model organisms: o Transgene mice o Microbiology (CAMST)o Arabidopsis (NARC)o Zebrafish

Genomics (Salmon, Cod & Bovine)

FUGE: 13 Technology platforms

Which areas of R&D should be addressed? Norway is a small country with limited R&D resources. To get substantial impact, targeted funding should therefore operate in close cooperation with large programmes, CoEs and other established funding instrumentsScientific quality should be an essential criterion

The Research Council of Norway looks forward to increased R&D cooperation with USA and Canada