Proposals for national strategic choices for RDI policy and activities circulated for comments 

The Research and Innovation Council requests comments on the strategic choices for RDI policy and activities to be submitted between 26 February and 10 March. The preparation group of the Research and Innovation Council decided on the proposals for choices to be circulated for comments at its meeting on 25 February.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government is committed to the national target of increasing Finland’s research and development expenditure to four per cent of GDP by 2030. The Government aims to accelerate sustainable economic growth with record-high additional investments in the R&D activities of higher education institutions, research organisations and businesses. 

Based on earlier parliamentary work, the multiannual plan for the use of central government research and development (R&D) funding outlined that Finland’s future success will be built with the strategic choices for R&D activities.

National strategic choices for the RDI policy and activities will be made during spring 2025 under the lead of the Research and Innovation Council. The aim is for the Research and Innovation Council to outline the choices before the mid-term policy review in March and to approve the report on them in June 2025. 

As part of the process, the proposals for the strategic choices are being circulated for comments between 26 February and 10 March and an open stakeholder event on them will be organised on 28 February. Proposals for the choices have been formulated in the preparation group of the Research and Innovation Council and in the Council’s Secretariat. The final set of choices will be modified and specified based on the feedback received from the consultation.

Preparation of the choices started in an open seminar on 8 November 2024, followed by a stakeholder survey in late November–early December. The matters emphasised by the stakeholders included the importance of a long-term perspective, effectiveness, and the role of experts, and they also made proposals for the themes of the choices.

Choices support long-term outlook

The allocations of additional R&D funding are outlined by the multiannual plan for the use of central government R&D funding approved by the Government in June 2024. National strategic choices for RDI policy and activities will be made alongside the multiannual plan and based on it. 
In the preparation of the choices, use has been made of the strengths identified by the Research Council of Finland and Business Finland, the choices already made in the RDI system and information from the foresight work. 

The choices do not extend to the level of specific sectors or technologies. The choices are interlinked and partly overlapping. Effective RDI activities will also be created between them.

In future, national strategic choices for RDI policy and activities will support the long-term outlook needed for companies, investments, research and development activities, and scientists. Strategic choices bring resources together and strengthen RDI activities and cooperation between RDI actors in the selected areas. 

They support the strategic decision-making, policy measures and work to influence EU processes by the Government and different administrative branches. They also support the choices made by RDI actors and stakeholders, the allocation of funding, and the development of the system.

Strategic choices are part of the development of the RDI system and R&D funding as a whole, in which a researcher and company-centred approach will continue to be the main rule in future. A comprehensive and balanced approach in accordance with the parliamentary outlines will be followed in matters related to R&D funding.

Inquiries: Secretariat of the Research and Innovation Council, Johanna Moisio, Secretary-General, Jussi Alho, Chief Specialist, and Harri Länsipuro, Chief Specialist.