Utilising R&D knowledge at R&D policymaking in Finland: problems and

promises

INTOSAI WG Key National Indicators Helsinki April 2011

Timo Oksanen, Principal Performance Auditor, PhDNational Audit Office of Finland

2

The focus of the presentation:

The basics of Finnish R&D policy as a background and starting point of knowledge

R&D -indicators: a shot in the dark at the R&D policy or a new path in to the light?

Development projects

3

Public investments … as the key drivers of Finnish economy and society

MASIS –report 2011, 16

1.3 National challenges, opportunities and trajectories

“Public investments in research and education have traditionally been seen as the key drivers for success of the Finnish economy and society, and the current economic down turn has nothing but reiterated this viewpoint. …"

4

The starting points of the Finnish R&D –policy (EU MASIS report 2010)

1. Continuing consensus

about science and innovations as a strategy for national success.

2. High trust in the institutions of science and technology.

3. Exclusive-corporatist science and technology

policy culture.4. “Evaluation culture and

practice in policy issues encourages us to forget things instead to look back evaluatively”. (Prime

Minister´s Office´s Paper -10)

5

Our current knowledge beyond the R&D indicators? (Lena Tsipouri: Evaluation Conference 2006, London)

1. Positive correlation between R&D and GDP growth in Europe (Fagerberg and Verspagen)

2. Positive correlation between basic research and GDP in the USA (Lichtenberg, Grilliches)

3. Strong correlation between Synthetic Innovation Indicator and GDP/head in the EU-25 (Trendchart)

4. 30% of world convergence explained by innovation (UNIDO)

6

But…, there are black boxes beyond the R&D indicators

"The relationship between RTDI inputs and well-being outputs remain largely a black box“

" … but the original black box is getting more transparent: science-based and radical innovations are captured by patents, publications, citations etc; But when it comes to more difficult issues (generation of externalities), we still have to learn more than what we know…

7

The dark side of the indicators: you have to look at the right way and long enough…, but what to do 2012-2013?

1. how to use the R&D money today?

2. how to investigate? and when? 3. what´s the best way to engage intangible assets (human and social capital) with

tangible assets (technology, €)? 4. how to assess the impacts of both of them

at the turbulent environment of R&D? 5. how to indicate that right means are used at right time and right place to get

the ends? etc.

8

A new path in to the light 1? Examples of development projects …

S&TI POLICYVINDI http://www.aka.fi/Tiedostot/Tiedostot/Julkaisut/06_08%20VINDI.pdf

RESEARCH FI. http://www.research.fi/

TIMANTTI http://www.tekes.fi/fi/gateway/PTARGS_0_201_362_613_1536_43/http%3B/tekesali1%3B7087/publishedcontent/publish/fi_content/call_for_bids/2010/tpliite6.pdf

UNIVERSITIEShttp://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Julkaisut/2007/Yliopistojen_yhteiskunnallinen_vuorovaikutus.html?lang=fi&extra_locale=en

GOVERNMENT http://www.findikaattori.fi/

9

A new path in to the light 2 ?...

WORKSHOPS

OECD Norway, 2010: Performance-based Funding for Public Research in Tertiary Education Institutions

http://www.oecd.org/document/3/0,3746,en_2649_34293_44904003_1_1_1_1,00.html

Finland, Hanasaari 2011 (January, March): A Finnish workshop as a collaborative audit approach to meet the demands of complexity: the case of innovation 

10

A new path in to the light 3 ?...Workshops for SAOs and for the development indicators?

- rather a reflective mirror than a method in sensu stricto

- rather a new horizon to assess the quality of current audit approaches than a new member at the family of audit approaches or method in sensu largo

- rather way of solving problems effectively (?) with R&D actors than approving audit approaches and methods

- rather a new tactic to encounter complexities of R&D evaluation than a new audit strategy

- rather a intresting new path to approach the economical and social responsibility of the R&D actors than a clear step for SAO´s to strenghten judicial and administrative accountability of R&D actors

THANK YOU!