SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH in FINLAND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH in Finland a Review of Its Quality and Impact in the Early 2000S
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SuTi_Englanti_Kansi_OK.FH10 Sun Nov 02 12:09:09 2003 Page 1 10/03 PUBLICATIONS OF THE ACADEMY OF FINLAND 10/03 SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN FINLAND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH in Finland A Review of Its Quality and Impact in the Early 2000s Composite Scientifi c Research in Finland A Review of Its Quality and Impact in the Early 2000s Editors: Timo Oksanen, Annamaija Lehvo & Anu Nuutinen Reports by the Academy’s Research Councils Biosciences and Environmental Research Research in Culture and Society Health Research Research in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Academy of Finland in brief The Academy’s mission is to fi nance high-quality scientifi c research, act as a science and science policy expert and strengthen the position of science and research. The Academy’s operations cover all scientifi c disciplines. The main focus of the Academy’s development activities is on improving opportunities for professional careers in research, providing resources and facilities for high-profi le research environments and making the best possible use of international opportunities in all fi elds of research, research funding, and science policy. The Academy has a number of funding instruments for various purposes. The Academy’s annual research funding amounts to about 185 million euros, which represents some 13 per cent of the Finnish government’s total R&D spending. Each year Academy-funded projects account for some 3,000 researcher-years at universities and research institutes. The wide range of high-level basic research funded by the Academy generates new knowledge. The Academy of Finland operates within the administrative sector of the Ministry of Education and is funded through the state budget. For more information on the Academy of Finland, go to www.aka.fi /eng. Translation: David Kivinen Layout: PixPoint ky Cover illustration: Hanna Varis (1988): ”The World” ISBN 951-715-466-6 (print) ISBN 951-715-467-4 (pdf) ISSN 0358-9153 Printed by Painotalo Miktor, Helsinki, Finland 2003 2 Scientifi c Research in Finland A Review of Its Quality and Impact in the Early 2000s Editors: Timo Oksanen, Annamaija Lehvo & Anu Nuutinen 3 Contents Foreword . 7 GENERAL SECTION 1 Research infrastructure and environment . 9 2 Research funding . 13 2.1 R&D expenditure and sources of funding in Finland . 13 2.2 Funding organisations . 19 2.2.1 Academy of Finland research funding . 19 2.2.2 Technology funding from the National Technology Agency . 21 2.2.3 Other funding bodies . 22 2.3 Higher education sector . 23 2.3.1 Universities and university hospitals . 23 2.3.2 Polytechnics . 26 2.4 Government research institutes . 26 References . .29 3 The human resources of research . 31 3.1 Research personnel . 31 3.1.1 International comparison . 31 3.1.2 Placement in different sectors . 32 3.1.3 Employment . 35 3.1.4 Mobility . 36 3.2 The researcher’s profession . 40 3.2.1 Science policy lines and objectives . 40 3.2.2 The professional research career: stages and avenues . 41 3.2.3 People with a researcher training in positions of expertise . 49 3.3 The researcher’s profession: under pressure of change? . 52 3.4 Conclusions . 53 References . .57 4 Measures of science policy aimed at supporting research . 61 4.1 Universities and their operating environment . 61 4.1.1 Boundary conditions for the national development of universities . 61 4.1.2 Operational and structural changes in universities . 62 4.1.3 Interaction with the rest of society . 65 4.2 Programmes . 68 4.2.1 Research and technology programmes . 68 4.2.2 Cluster programmes and centre of expertise programme . 76 4.2.3 Centre of excellence in research programmes . 80 4.3 Internationalisation of research . 81 4.3.1 National competitive funding from the point of view . 81 of internationalisation 4.3.2 Nordic cooperation . 81 4.3.3 European cooperation . 82 4 4.3.4 Global cooperation . 86 4.3.5 Finnish researchers’ international cooperation: how it has developed . 87 4.4 Research evaluations and the use of their results . 88 References . .93 5 Scientifi c and social impact of research . 99 5.1 Scientifi c publishing in Finland: an international comparison . 99 5.1.1 Evaluation of scientifi c outcomes and impacts in the light . 99 of publication numbers and citations 5.1.2 Publishing in Finland . 99 5.1.3 International comparison of publishing . 104 5.2 The social impacts of research . 114 5.2.1 The social impacts, outcomes and impact mechanisms of research . 114 5.2.2 How have the social impacts of research been described or assessed? . 115 5.2.3 Technological and economic impacts of research . 116 5.2.4 Mechanisms promoting the economic impacts of research and . 118 their problems 5.2.5 The political, regional, organisational and cultural impacts . 122 of research 5.2.6 Social innovations . 127 5.2.7 The social impacts of research: obstacles and bottlenecks . 128 References . 131 6 Conclusions . 135 Appendix 1. Description of the National Science Indicators database . 138 SPECIAL THEMES Gender in the Finnish research system . 140 Hannele Kurki The impact of social research . 159 Jorma Sipilä The social impact of research and knowledge application . 169 as seen from the vantage point of centres of excellence Timo Kolu REPORTS BY THE ACADEMY’S RESEARCH COUNCILS Biosciences and Environmental Research . 193 Research in Culture and Society . 225 Health Research . 257 Research in the Natural Sciences and Engineering . 281 5 6 Contents Foreword The Academy of Finland carries out a review of the state and quality of scientifi c research in Finland once during the three-year term of its Research Councils. The assignment is based on Government decisions concerning the development of education and research as well as agreements on target outcomes signed between the Ministry of Education and the Academy of Finland. The previous reviews were published in 1997 and 2000. The 2003 review is divided into a general section; special themes that complement the general section; and reports by the Academy’s four Research Councils. The main theme that cuts across the whole review is the impact of scientifi c research, which is approached from different angles. Other issues that receive in-depth coverage include the challenges related to human resources in research. The primary aim of the review is to serve the needs of national and international bodies and organisations responsible for science and technology policy as well as research funding. It also provides useful information for researchers and research organisations around the world. Work to compile the review has been carried out under the supervision of a steering group appointed by the Board of the Academy of Finland. The group was chaired by Anneli Pauli, Vice President, Research (Academy of Finland). Its other members were the chairs of the Academy Research Councils: Professor Riitta Keiski (Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering), Professor Arto Mustajoki (Research Council for Culture and Society), Professor Terttu Vartiainen (Research Council for Biosciences and Environment) and Professor Eero Vuorio (Research Council for Health); and Markku Karlsson, Senior Vice President, Technology (Board of the Academy of Finland) and Director Sakari Karjalainen (Ministry of Education; Director Juhani Hakkarainen until 30 April 2002). Programme Manager Tarmo Lemola and Professor Reijo Miettinen have served as permanent expert members to the steering group. The steering group has defi ned the objectives for the review, endorsed the plan for compiling the review, taken part in revising drafts and given advice to the Research Councils on how to prepare their reports. Science Adviser Annamaija Lehvo, Project Offi cer Anu Nuutinen and Science Adviser Timo Oksanen (team leader) from the Academy of Finland have compiled and written the general section of the report and edited the review. Information Specialist Maija Miettinen has provided expert assistance for the bibliometric analyses. In addition, Project Offi cer Siru Oksa and university trainee Sari Purhonen have assisted in the preparation of the general section of the review. The review has been translated from Finnish into English by David Kivinen. Tuulikki Toivonen has assisted in proofreading. 7 8 Contents 1 Research infrastructure and environment Researchers go about their job in an environment of great complexity. The Finnish research system comprises decision-makers and various advisory bodies (Parliament, the Government and its ministries, the Science and Technology Policy Council of Finland), funding bodies (such as the Academy of Finland, the National Technology Agency Tekes, the Finnish National Fund for Research and Development Sitra), and research organisations (universities, polytechnics, university hospitals, research institutes, business companies with R&D operations). Some of the work that research organisations and individual researchers do is steered by decision-makers and funding bodies, which in this narrow sense constitute the operating environment of research. That environment is further expanded when the research system is defi ned as part of the innovation system. In addition to decision-makers, funding bodies and researchers, the innovation system comprises business and industry as well as all the economic structures, political organisations and institutions that directly or indirectly exert an infl uence on research, which in turn reciprocates. Since the bulk of all scientifi c research is done in public organisations, the research environment comprises not only the research system and the innovation system, but also the public sector and society at large. Within this operating environment there are both factors that facilitate and protect research, and factors that restrict and control research. In Finland the freedom of science is constitutionally guaranteed. There is also legislation aimed at securing the fi nancial autonomy of universities (L 731/1999, 16 § and 123§; L 1052/1986, 1270/2001). Among the factors that restrict or control research are the priority defi nitions of science policy.