Welcome to

Christina AbildgaardActing Executive DirectorDivision for Strategic Priorities

New White Paper on research – ”Commitment to research”

Norway is to become a leading research nationTotal R&D expenses 3% of GDP by 2010, of which 1% from public sourcesThe fund for research and innovation to reach NOK 50 bill. by January 2006

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Ireland (2001)

Norway (2003)

Canada (2003)

UK (2002)

Austria (2003)

France (2002)

Germany (2003)

Denmark (2002)

USA (2003)

Iceland (2002)

J apan (2002)

Finland (2002)

Sweden (2001)

Govern-ment

Industry Other/foreign

Funding sources

A need to increase private R&D-funding

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1

1,2

1,4

1981 1991 2001

Quality: Relative citation index in four Nordic countries

FinlandSweden

Denmark

Norway?

The Research Council of Norway is a strategic governmental agency

Adviser to the government on reseach-policy issuesFinance and stimulate public and private R&DCreate arenas for cooperation and knowledge distribution

Biotechnology in The Research Council of Norway

Division for Stategic PrioritiesDivision for Innovation

Division for Science

2004: 565 mill. NOKBasic research – strategic programmes –User driven/Applied researchFUGE – functional genomics – the most important programme

The White Paper – Priorities

INTERNATIONALISATION

BASIC RESEARCH (with emphasis on research quality and math and sciences)

RESEARCH-BASED INNOVATION

Energy and environment FoodOceans Health

ICT New materialsNanotech. Biotechnology

Functional

Genomics in Norway

Functional genomics in Norway

Budget of 180 mill. NOK 2004Main objectives and priorities:

Stay abreast of inter-national development and become attractive partners for international cooperation Basic science, medicine, marine researchIndustrial developmentEthics and society (ELSA)

International co-operation

EU Program activity – high success rate in 6FP 30 ERA-net – 3 on biotechnology

ESFESRF - GrenobleEMBL/EMBCBilateral co-operationThe North America strategy

Focus:Scientific excellence, technological opportunities, business relevance

Biotech Norway 2020: Strategic recommendations

The BioAdventure: Political decisions – concerted effort – same force as the oil adventure

The whole value chain, with FUGE as the engine Quality, national priorities, competitive strength Sustainable biopolicy, long-term innovation policy International exchange of competence

A BioSeed fund for life science and biotechnology – framework for innovation and business developmentNorway’s trademark in biotechnology: Environmental and ethical concernsInternationally harmonized national biotechnology legislation BioNorway – A communication platform

Unite the Norwegian biotechnology sectors Enhance international visibility

Good luck with this conference – and future cooperation!

Chairman:Professor Ole Petter OttersenUnversity of Oslo, Chairman of the FUGE board

Biotech Norway 2020:Main challenges for Norwegian biotechnology:

Achieving political consensus on a common effort in biotechnology

Establishing coordinated and effective instruments for all phases of biotechnology business development

Communication: Making biotechnology more visible in all relevant industries, businesses and public sectors.

Thematic priorities for Norway??By what – and how....

Competitive strength?Options and possibilities?

Analysis and diagnostics

Excellent research

Medicine, Pharmacy, health

Marine, aquaculture and food

Industrial process

Biotech Norway 2020: Strategic recommendations (wording from project booklet!!)

We must agree, by political decisions, to a concerted effort in biotechnology. We must create a BioAdventure with the same force as the oil adventure:A national effort must encompass the whole value chain, with FUGE as the engine. Key words are quality, national priorities and competitive strength in the global arena.A science and technology minister must safeguard sustainable biopolicy, long-term innovation policy and international exchange of competence.The Research Council and Innovation Norway must coordinate biotechnology instruments nationally and internationally.A BioSeed fund for life science and biotechnology must be established, together with a good framework for innovation and business development.Environmental and ethical concerns must emerge as Norway’s trademark in biotechnology.International collaboration must lead to harmonised and simplified national biotechnology legislation.A communication platform BioNorway must unite Norwegian biotechnology and enhance international visibility.