The Research Council will fund research infrastructure that is nationally important through the National Financing Initiative for Research Infrastructure (INFRASTRUCTURE). Financial support for this initiative will be announced in the latter half of June. The aim is to help build relevant and updated infrastructure for national and international researchers and industry.
Vice-Rector at the University of Oslo (UiO) has asked the faculties to select among our infrastructure initiatives and together rank the applications. This is a necessary prioritization since the national system for funding of infrastructure is faltering. At our Faculty alone – although in collaboration with others – we have received initiatives for more than NOK 1.6 billion for the 2020-call. When we know that the Research Council's funding for the INFRASTRUCTURE call is close to NOK 1 billion, it goes without saying that it will be difficult in the future to provide support for our priority infrastructures.
The Research Council’s Evaluation Process
Because of the corona situation, the Research Council has extended the sketch deadline to May 27, with an application deadline of November 18. The announcement will cover all topics, disciplines and technology areas, including all types of research infrastructures of national importance and Norwegian participation in international research infrastructures. After an external scientific evaluation, the Research Council will make a strategic evaluation, which includes the national importance of the research infrastructure and strategic relevance in relation to Norwegian research priorities.
In order to influence this national prioritization, it is crucial that our researchers together with the departments and faculties are able to prioritize which of our own infrastructure applications are the most important.
The Faculty’s Prioritization Process
During the spring, the Faculty Management has made a thorough process together with the Department Heads. We have evaluated the reported initiatives in relation to UiO's roadmap for research infrastructure, which, although still under preparation, has come a long way and is well established at the departments. In addition, we have evaluated earlier infrastructure applications and set up clear criteria for the departments.
We have emphasized the departments' needs in view of research relevance, academic trends, the needs of the students and link to the department strategies, international obligations (e.g. ESFRI) and the status as core facility (apply for the life sciences initiatives), in addition to the Research Council's area strategy and roadmap.
Furthermore, our departments have assessed financial conditions, including the need for area and staff, user base and opportunity for rental income. Plans for national cooperation and accessibility have been a prerequisite. Business and societal relevance are areas that will be emphasized and have thus also been considered. We do not distinguish between infrastructures where we are project owners or participants. We have chosen to divide the initiatives in accordance with UiO's roadmap, i.e. into the categories MNT (mathematics, science and technology) and life sciences.
The initiatives of the departments were initially divided into three categories, according to the departments' own strategies and the established criteria. Based on this, three out of 20 initiatives were postponed to the next call (2022) for concept development. We also recommended researchers to consider strategic postponement of four additional initiatives, and are in dialogue with the Faculty of Medicine, NTNU and SINTEF.
Among the department’s top priority initiatives, the Dean has nominated a total of six with top priority for the central process, evenly distributed between MNT and life sciences. The other initiatives are nominated with high priority. Sketches shall be prepared for all nominated initiatives, and the Faculty supports the process by offering each initiative a project economist. The Faculty Management will then make sure that the sketches answer to the application criteria before they are approved by the Research Infrastructure Committee and are collectively sent from the University to the Research Council.
Why is it important to prioritize?
Processes such as this are not simple and will always create discussions. We are a large Faculty, with many disciplines, major investment needs and diverse interests. However, we are confident that it is important for research groups, departments and faculties to be able to select among the research infrastructure initiatives and make a prioritization among these.
Let me mention a few key arguments:
- Without an internal selection and prioritization process at UiO, we leave it to the Research Council to prioritize for us. When we know that there is not enough funding even for all top evaluated applications and that scientific quality is only part of the competition, there is every reason to make sure that we have an influence on the choices that are made.
- In addition, we may ask how many applications, submitted at the same time, that benefits our Faculty and UiO.
- It may therefore be wise to consider strategic submission of applications – coordinated within research groups, departments, faculties and at UiO. The value of planning long-term by moving some applications in time is something to consider.
Based on experiences of the present application process, we will work for a stronger national coordination of future applications for the INFRASTRUCTURE initiative. Thus, we facilitate strong research environments. The researchers and departments should contribute to this national coordination, in collaboration with the faculties and the University.