Research and Innovation Council discusses implementation of multiannual plan for R&D funding
At its meeting on 16 September, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo lead the Research and Innovation Council in discussions on the implementation of national policies for the use of R&D funding. The Research and Innovation Council was briefed by the Research Council of Finland and Business Finland as well as two organisations that are implementing significant national R&D projects.
The preparation of national strategic choices for RDI policy and activities is proceeding. The goal is for the Research and Innovation Council to decide on the strategic choices and their implementation in November.
Paula Eerola, President of the Research Council of Finland, and Lassi Noponen, Director General of Business Finland, explained how the policies laid out in the Government’s multiannual plan for R&D funding have been put into practice by financiers, both in their own activities and in cooperation with other organisations.
“The Research Council of Finland has developed R&D funding as a whole to more effectively promote the Government’s R&D policies. We are planning to channel a growing amount R&D funding to the promotion of cooperation and the utilisation of research results. This is being done, for example, through research flagships, research and technology infrastructure and targeted research programmes. We are also strengthening the foundation for RDI activities and fostering new expertise,” said President Paula Eerola.
Business Finland’s Director General Lassi Noponen described how the national R&D policies will guide Business Finland’s growing budget authority in practice.
“One example is that the national policies have led us to expand our Veturi programme funding, which has already been found to be effective. The companies participating in the Veturi programme have committed to increasing their R&D investments. This has achieved a 3.5-fold leverage effect for public investments. We also have examples of successful funding rounds for long-term research with clear commercial potential, for cooperation between research organisations of small and medium-sized enterprises, and for R&D activities in creative industries.
According to Noponen, Business Finland's new strategy puts an increasing emphasis on using its leverage to impact the amount of private R&D investments, the level of R&D ambition and the amount of innovation cooperation.
“Within the framework of the choices made at the national level, we will channel our efforts into developing existing strengths that are important to the Finnish economy and into accelerating new areas of growth,” Noponen said.
Research and Innovation Council briefed on effective R&D funding cases
The Research and Innovation Council was briefed on two R&D programmes: Metsä Group's and Fortum's joint Veturi project and the Finnish Doctoral Program Network in Artificial Intelligence (AI DOC) pilot project. Both are good recent examples of effective uses of R&D funding. Part of the central government’s additional R&D funding has been allocated to boosting Business Finland’s Veturi funding and to the national doctoral pilot.
Senior-Vice President Katariina Kemppainen, Group R&D, Metsä Group, presented the results and impact of Metsä Group’s and Fortum’s ExpandFibre Veturi project (2020–2024) to the Research and Innovation Council. The project has served as a jumping-off point for closer RDI cooperation for 107 different participating organisations. Public funding has contributed to enterprise-driven, high-risk research and development, to boosting private R&D investments and to a significant number of scientific publications, thesis projects and patents.
The Research and Innovation Council was also briefed by Aalto University Professor Arno Solin on the launch of the Finnish Doctoral Program Network in Artificial Intelligence (AI DOC) pilot. The pilot is a response to the high demand for AI expertise in Finland and is currently providing a shot in the arm to industries that play a key role in Finland’s economic growth. It involves cooperation with industry in the supervision of dissertations and to support the careers of post-graduates. The discussions held by the Research and Innovation Council focused on creating conditions to ensure that as many recent PhD graduates as possible remain in Finland and can use their expertise.
Inquiries: Johanna Moisio, Secretary General of the Research and Innovation Council, tel. +358 295 160 625, Prime Minister’s Office