Information on Finnish research is now available in one place – research.fi online service launched
The new service at research.fi brings together in one place information about research carried out in Finland. It shares the data and makes it accessible to everyone in an easy form. The service, launched on 9 June, benefits researchers, the media, businesses, organisations, decision-makers and citizens interested in research.
“People in Finland have high regard for science and research. It is important respond to people’s desire for information and to make research-based knowledge more easily available to everyone. The easier it is for people to access research-based knowledge the greater its impact,” Minister of Science and Culture Hanna Kosonen says.
At present, the service contains information on the Finnish research system, publications by Finnish organisations, projects funded through public and private research funding, statistical data on human resources, financial resources for research and bibliometric data on publishing activities.
In the future, the service will expand through the introduction of new data sets and data coverage will be more comprehensive. The service will include information on researchers operating in Finland, on the research data and material produced by them and on other research activities.
“I’m delighted about the launch of research.fi, among other things because it will serve the Year of Research-Based Knowledge which we will be celebrating in 2021. One of the important objectives of the Year is to increase the visibility and impact of research-based information,” says Minister Kosonen.
National research information hub facilitating the flow of data
The research.fi service builds on the national research information hub, which brings together information in services maintained by universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes and research funding agencies. Besides making it easier to find information, research.fi streamlines the flow of research-related information between different organisations, makes it easier to use the information and reduces the administrative burden of researchers.
The service also provides a unique data and knowledge base that supports decision-making in science policy. It makes it easier to assess the impact of research and to make decisions on research policy. Since this kind of service does not exist elsewhere, it is also a frontrunner by international standards.
Work on the research information hub first started in 2017. Led by the Ministry of Education and Culture, the project has been executed by CSC - IT Centre for Science Ltd. CSC has also helped to bring together different actors.
“This is the first time that information on Finnish research has been brought together in such a comprehensive way. The service draws on years of extensive national cooperation between different actors in the field of research,” says Development Manager Hanna-Mari Puuska from CSC.
The Academy of Finland will provide information on funded projects to the online service. While first only the most recent research projects will be shown, eventually research project data will be available as far back as 2005. The Academy of Finland has also been involved in producing the visual images for the service, which describe Finnish science and research in figures. The visual images illustrate research funding, human resources and publishing activities, for example.
Inquiries:
Ministry of Education and Culture: Jukka Haapamäki, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 330 088, [email protected].
Academy of Finland: Otto Auranen, Senior Science Adviser, +358 295 335 141, [email protected] (Figures on Science and Research); Director Reino Viita, +358 295 335 134, [email protected] (information on the project)
CSC: Hanna-Mari Puuska, Development Manager, +358 50 3818 568, [email protected]