The opportunity to meet and work with the enthusiastic and academically strong fellows during this period has brought me joy and inspiration. The fellows hail from more than 40 different countries around the world and many of them have already worked in one or two different countries before applying to the University of Oslo. It could be said that the fellows that come here are highly experienced researchers. They represent a change since I held my very first postdoctoral position in the mid-90s.
The University of Oslo has become more international and collaboration between sectors has become stronger. The Scientia Fellows programme has a particular focus on intersectoral collaboration. We can see that it is a driving force for strong international research, but it also contributes to increased collaboration with industry and research-driven innovation that benefits patients, the health system and society at large.
International mobility and financing
Scientia Fellows is an international mobility and career development programme supported by the EU, under the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions from the FP7 and Horizon 2020 programmes. The University of Oslo secured the most funding from the EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 and the Minister of Research and Higher Education, Ola Borten Moe, chose to highlight the Scientia Fellows II programme in the press release on Norway’s impressive strength in Horizon 2020. That was pleasing. However, the most important aspect is the research and internationalisation that the many researchers have contributed to their research groups.
The success of the Scientia Fellows programme is linked to our internationally strong research communities succeeding in securing research funding, both nationally and internationally. This enables the research communities to participate in the cost-sharing associated with a Scientia Fellow, as the programme is a COFUND, i.e. costs are shared between the EU (40%) and our research communities (60%). Our research communities also need to provide working capital for the individual fellows.
Scientia Fellows II contributes approximately 250 FTEs to research groups that conduct outstanding research within a wide range of selected fields within medical life sciences.
Since the launch of Scientia Fellows I, we have also seen a marked increase in the recruitment of computation-oriented researchers. The fellows help strengthen collaboration across different medical fields.
Positive and important ripple effects
The funding and career development requirements in Scientia Fellows I and II have helped us develop an excellent career development programme, the postdoctoral programme that Vice-Dean Eivind Engebretsen leads for our postdoctoral fellows. Another important factor was the establishment and operation of the Nordic School of Health Innovation in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Karolinska Institutet and the University of Copenhagen. Both of these initiatives include different courses to strengthen generic knowledge, leadership qualities, reflection on possible career paths and tools to turn research ideas into innovation. The Scientia Fellows programme also formed the basis for the establishment of the Greenhouse for Life Sciences, which will develop further knowledge, expertise and foster a culture that applies more of this knowledge. The Greenhouse is a collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, which has also been strengthened by the Scientia Fellows programme.
Excellent results and progress during the pandemic
In Scientia Fellows II, we have so far completed four rounds of recruitment and we have appointed 77 postdoctoral fellows. Three of these recruitment rounds took place during the coronavirus pandemic, which posed significant obstacles to international mobility due to travel restrictions, lengthy processing times with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and COVID-19 infections affecting both candidates and family members. Nevertheless, Scientia Fellows has managed to adapt and we have recruited talented researchers, a feat to be respected!
The adventure is far from over
The final Scientia Fellows II recruitment round has an application deadline of 30 April and the project will conclude in 2024. An interim evaluation took place last autumn and we were encouraged to apply for a third round. Perhaps the Scientia Fellows programme will continue to contribute outstanding research, internationalisation, collaboration between academia and industry, innovation and development at the Faculty of Medicine as we head towards 2030. Only time will tell!