Long-term plan for research and higher education
In 2014 Norway got its first long-term plan for research and higher education, this is a ten year plan and will apply until 2024. I believe it was a very good decision by our Goverment to establish this plan, especially because research and education need a long-term perspective.
This plan have contributed to a more predictable future in Norway's research politics, which makes it easier for us to plan our work. A good example is the infrastructure program made by the Norwegian Research Council that seems to provide stable grants in the future. That these grants do not cover the need is another matter.
The connection between research and higher education
Even though the long-term plan for research and higher education is a benefit, it does have some weaknesses. That is why the Government decided to revise it. Relevant institutions sent their input and comments to the Ministry of Education and Research last fall. The revised plan is scheduled to publish during the fall of 2018.
There are reasons to believe that the revised plan will focus more on the connection between research and higher education than the original plan did. I hope this will be reflected in the Norwegian Research Council's fundings so that Norway is channeling more research funding directly to the research institutions and groups where there are students at all levels, ie. universities and university colleges. The main argument is that the most effective path to transport research results to society is through candidates who conduct research-based educations.
Digitalization
The revised long-term plan will most likely have more on digitalization than the original plan, mainly because digitalization cover more than ICT/informatics. However, it is important to point out that ICT/informatics are significant components in digitalization and efforts should be invested in these fields as well, cf. this article in Khrono last week (in Norwegian only).
It is not a big surprise that digitalization gets more focus in the revised plan. Since the first version of the plan was finalized five years ago a lot has happened in the digitalization field, especially when it comes to access to data. I will be surprised if the revised plan does not include suggestions within digitalization that is favorable to us.
Humanities and social sciences
A third aspect I would like to point out relating to the revised long-term plan is that last year the so called Humaniora-meldingen was published. This report should be of interest to people in science and technology because many fields in humanities are becoming increasingly data intensive, however not in the same scale as in science and technology. The Humaniora-meldingen in addition to other comments and inputs from relevant institutions will influence the revised long-term plan to bring more focus on digitalization in humanities and social sciences. How this will be done remains to be seen.
An immedate response is that this will create more competition for research funding and resources and that science and technology research will receives less funding and resources than we have today. I do not share that view. My opinion is that it is fair that humanities and social sciences get a bigger focus in the revised plan. That way, Norway has a comprehensive plan that substansiate the need for long-term planning and strenghtens the instruments for basic long-term research. Convergence is also prominent and in the future we will have more projects with participating researchers from different disciplines across the whole university.
Study start
I have not forgotten that we welcome new students every fall. Solveig is writing about study start in this news letter. I look forward to meeting our new students in the week to come.