Abstract
This chapter presents a brief history of how NordForsk’s research program the Responsible Development of the Arctic came to be launched. After 2011, when Nordic cooperation on Arctic issues was first raised, a range of preparatory and planning activities were organized by NordForsk. Four years later, these resulted in support for four Centres of Excellence with the highest budget so far allocated to a NordForsk research program. The chapter begins with an analysis of what was the state of science and society, both in the Nordic region and beyond, when the program was initiated. It then provides an overview of the essential features of the processes and organizational arrangements that led to the launch of the program. The analysis is focused on what made it possible for NordForsk to produce integrated knowledge of relevance that would provide a better understanding of the situation in the Arctic. It is argued that four cornerstones constituted the basis for accomplishing this. These were: (1) Key actors in the Nordic region and beyond who had started to realize that increased incentives for research cooperation across borders were needed; (2) There was dialogue and commitment to take joint action between policymakers in the Nordic research and political arenas; (3) Needs-driven and fundamental research started to be seen as two sides of the same coin rather than competing approaches; and (4) There was careful management of the processes from planning, to the production of new knowledge. Still another factor of critical importance was the work done by professional and dedicated people e.g. administrators, experts, advisors etc., who maintained pressure for reaching the goal of securing new knowledge of high scientific quality and relevance to change in and beyond the Arctic region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
- 2.
In 2011, The NiCe Board decided to change the name of the organisation to Nordic Innovation.
- 3.
The name NordForsk is in Scandinavian language referring to Nordic Research. (Nord is short for “nordisk” which translated to English means Nordic, and Forsk is short for “forskning” which translated to English means Research.) Thus, the name denotes that NordForsk’s mission is to fund Nordic research cooperation.
- 4.
The suggestion, in 2000, for establishing ERC was an inspiration for setting up NordForsk in 2005, but ERC actually became established later than NordForsk in 2007.
- 5.
In 2014, the number of members and observers were reduced and the Board is now composed of six members; one from each of the five research councils and one from the universities. The observers are four; one from NCM and one from each of the autonomous areas. Like other Nordic institutions NordForsk receives a yearly grant from the NCM and reports to the NCM for Research and Higher Education regarding how funds have been spent. The amount of co-funding from national research financiers has increased over time and is nowadays at least double the amount from NCM.
- 6.
Framework Programmes are funding initiatives created by the European Commission to support and foster research in the European Research Area (ERA). The specific goals and actions vary between funding periods. The 6th Framework programme (2002–2006) had a relatively modest budget of 16.3 billion Euros. In the 7th Framework Programme (2007–2013) funding was increased to 53.2 billion Euros, and the 8th Framework Programme (2014–2020) – which is called Horizon 2020 – has a budget 77 billion Euros.
- 7.
- 8.
The first was the European 2020 Flagship Initiative – Innovation Union (2010) which was followed by a report from the Commission soon thereafter “Grand Challenge, design and societal impact of Horizon 2020” (2010).
- 9.
- 10.
The information in this paragraph and the forthcoming one is based on notes from the ESOF meeting and on communication with Jerzy Langer regarding the accuracy of these.
- 11.
These were the Nordic of Excellence on “Stability and Variations of the Arctic Land Ice” and the Nordic Centre of Excellence on “Cryosphere Interactions in a Changing Arctic Climate”
- 12.
In this section, when references are not given in the text, the information is derived from the minutes of NordForsk’s Board meetings. In addition, information and analyses regarding first ideas and preparatory actions is found in Gustafsson and Røgeberg (2015).
- 13.
Information on the Montreal Conference is provided at: http://www.jpy.2012montrealca/
- 14.
Russian funders of research in this field had been invited, but were unable to attend the meeting in Montreal.
- 15.
A Nordic-Russian program in Higher Education and Research was started and is still ongoing. It is a now administered by NordForsk, and all the four Centres of Excellence within Responsible Development of the Arctic have collaboration with Russian researchers.
- 16.
This section is, when references are not given in the text, built on decisions made by the NordForsk Board or by the Director of NordForsk, and on minutes from the NORIA-net meetings and the reference group meeting. Both Senior advisor Marianne Røgeberg and the Director of NordForsk Gunnel Gustafsson took part in all NORIA-net meetings and in the reference group meeting. In addition, there were informal contacts between the Chairs of the expert groups and Gunnel Gustafsson and/or Marianne Røgeberg. The analysis is also based on observations during the meetings of the Chairs and on informal contacts with the Chairs of the expert groups.
- 17.
The Chairs of the expert groups were: Professor Birgitta Evengård for health and medicine, Professor Joan Nymand Larsen for social science and humanities, and Doctor Øyvind Paasche for natural science and technology.
- 18.
The Arctic Council meeting of Senior Arctic Officials was held in Haparanda in northern Sweden November 14–15, 2012.
- 19.
In 2015, the chairs of the expert groups co-edited a book which reflected their deepened insights of the importance of integrated contributions from different areas of competence; Evengård, Nymand Larsen and Paasche (eds.). This is an indication of unexpected insights that can come as a result of, often rather time-consuming deep-going discussions, between scholars who have the ambition to improve their understanding of what researchers from fields other than their own can contribute within grand challenges responding research.
- 20.
This was based on a presentation by Professor Bengt Sundelius regarding the forthcoming Policy Paper on Societal Security in the Nordic Countries (2013), and a research program with this focus was started already in 2013. Further information regarding Nordic co-operation on Societal Security is provided by Bailes and Sandö (2017), and in Sundelius (2011).
- 21.
The NordForsk Board decided to allocate 49 Million NOK from its own budget. After the transfers of money from the co-funding agencies to NordForsk’s “common pot”, this end up being more than double the sum provided by NordForsk. As each of the Nordic countries have their own currency and because the currency rates fluctuate a lot, the final contributions depended on at what point in time money are being transferred to NordForsk and when they are paid out from NordForsk to the grantees. NordForsk’s common pot was therefore at this point in time not exact, but estimated to be 116 Million NOK. The following financiers contributed to the NordForsk common pot: The Research Council of Norway, the Swedish Research Council, the Academy of Finland, the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, and the Islandic Centre for Research (RANNIS). It should be noted that there was a requirement that any NCoE, in addition to receiving grants from NordForsk, should contribute some of its own funding either as cash or in kind. The University of Greenland volunteered to provide in kind funding for two PhD students working within the Responsible Development of the Arctic.
- 22.
In this section, when specific references are not given in the text, the discussion is derived from decisions made by the NordForsk Board, by the Director of NordForsk or by the Program Committee. These are documented in minutes from PC meetings, the texts of research calls, applications etc. Senior Advisor Marianne Røgeberg and sometimes also the Director of NordForsk Gunnel Gustafsson took part in these meetings.
- 23.
The other members were: Christine Daae Olseng (Norway), Frej Sorento Dichman (Denmark), Þorsteinn Gunnarson (Iceland), and Lize-Marié van der Watt (Sweden). Currently, only those appointed by Denmark and Iceland are still members of the PC. The other members are now: Anna Kaijser (Sweden), Jon L. Fuglestad (Norway), Tine Pars (University of Greenland), Tuula Aarnio (Finland), and the Chair is now Rauna Kuokkanen (Finland).
- 24.
Professor Douglas Nord is the Chair of the SAB, and the other members are: Amy Lauren Lovecraft (University of Alaska), Roberta Marinelli (Oregon State University), Andre van Amstel (Wageningen University) and Antti Oksanen (Finnish Food Authority), who from 2019 has replaced Steven Cummins (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine).
References
Aho, E. (2006). Creating an innovative Europe. Brussels: Aho Group Report.
Andersson, J. (2000). 1950-talet. Tid att så – tid att skörda. In B. Sundelius & C. Wiklund (Eds.), Norden i Sicksack. Setréus Förlag: Stockholm.
Annerberg, R. (2015). Unique multinational cooperation in solving the climate crisis – A Nordic contribution. In NordForsk Magazine (pp. 174–175). Oslo: NordForsk.
Arctic strategies and Arctic research with focus on the Nordic countries (January 2013). Oslo: NordForsk.
Arnold, E. (2009). Evaluation of the sixth framework programme for research and technological development 2002–2006. Brussels: Report of the Expert Group.
Bailes, A., & Sandö, C. (2017). Nordiskt krisberedskapssamarbete: Haga-processen 2009–2015. In B. Sundelius & C. Wiklund (Eds.), Norden i Sicksack. Stockholm, Santérus Förlag.
Björkstrand, G. (2004). NORIA – Vitbok Nordisk forskning och innovation, huvudrapport. Copenhagen: Tema Nord/Nordiska Ministerrådet.
Europe 2020 flagship initiative – Innovation union (October 2010), communications from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Brussels: European Commission.
European Commission Green Paper, the European research area; new perspectives (2007). Brussels: The European Commission.
Evengård, B., Nymand, L. J., & Paasche, Ø. (Eds.). (2015). The New Arctic. London: Springer.
Falkner, K. (2015). International cooperation in the Arctic. In NordForsk Magazine (p. 18). Oslo: NordForsk.
Final report from the ongoing evaluation of the top – level research initiative; Executive summery. (2014). Copenhagen: DAMVAD.
Giddens, A. (1999). Runaway world. London: Profile Books Ltd.
Grand Challenge, design and societal impact of Horizon 2020 (2010). Brussels: European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation European Research Area, EUR 25271.
Gustafsson, G. (2014). Millennieskiftet – en ny era for forskningssamarbetet i Norden, in Nordisk Tidskrift, 2/2014.
Gustafsson, G. (2017). Nordiskt forskningssamarbete under 2000-talets första femton år. In B. Sundelius & C. Wiklund (Eds.), Norden sett inifrån. Stockholm: Setréus Förlag.
Gustafsson, G., & Røgeberg, M. (2015). New knowledge a pathway to responsible development of the Arctic. In B. Evengård, J. Nymand Larsen, & Ø. Och Paasche (Eds.), The New Arctic. London: Springer.
Hernes, G. (2011). We are in the midst of the greatest revolution in ideas since Copernicus. In NordForsk Magazine (pp. 26–27). Oslo: NordForsk.
Hernes, G. (2012). Hot topic – Cold comfort. Oslo: NordForsk.
Information on the Montreal Conference. (2012). https://old.nordforsk.org/en/news/ipy-2012-konferansen-i-montreal-nordforsk-i-dialog-om-stort-internasjonalt-samarbeid-om-arktis-2
Langer, J. (2011). View from the top, page 65. London: Research Europe.
Lund Declaration; Background Material. (2009). New worlds – New solutions; research and innovation as a basis for developing Europe in a global context. Lund 7–8 July 2009, Sweden. Stockholm: CM Gruppen, Bromma.
Lund Declaration; Final Report. (2009). New worlds – New solutions; research and innovation as a basis for developing Europe in a global context. Lund 7–8 July 2009, Sweden. Stockholm: CM Gruppen, Bromma.
Minutes from the NordForsk Board meetings 2011–2017, NORIA-net meetings 2012–13, the reference group meeting in 2013, the Program Committee Meetings 2013–2017 and documentation of call-texts, yearly reports from PC and SAB as well as decisions made by the Director of NordForsk 2011–2017. Oslo: NordForsk.
National Strategies and Roadmaps for International R&I. (2020). Brussels: European union, Directorate – General for Research and Innovation
NordForsk 10 years. (2015). Anniversary insert. In NordForsk Magazine 2015. Oslo: NordForsk.
NordForsk Strategy. (2011). Oslo: NordForsk.
Nordic Centres of Excellence in Arctic Research ‘Responsible development of the Arctic: Opportunities and challenges -Pathways to action – announcement text. (2014). Oslo: NordForsk.
Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective actions. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Program Memorandum. (2013a, February). On a joint Nordic initiative on Arctic research; draft version. NordForsk: Oslo.
Program Memorandum. (2013b, June). On a joint Nordic initiative on Arctic research; final version. NordForsk: Oslo.
Punkaharju Declaration. (2007). Sent by the Nordic prime ministers to the Nordic council of Ministers. The Nordic Council of Ministers: Copenhagen.
Riksgränsen Declaration. (2008). In a report to the meeting of the Nordic Prime Ministers. The Nordic Council of Ministers: Copenhagen.
Smits, R.-J. (2015). Nordic research collaboration seen from Europe. In NordForsk Magazine (pp. 4–5). Oslo: NordForsk.
Societal Security in the Nordic Countries. (2013). Policy Paper 1. Oslo: NordForsk.
Solving the Climate Crisis – A Nordic Contribution. (2015). Oslo: NordForsk.
Stafström, S. (2012). How to understand and adapt to climate change in the Arctic. In NordForsk Magazine (pp. 16–17). Oslo: NordForsk.
Sundelius, B. (2011). Nordic cooperation on societal security. In NordForsk Magazine (pp. 24–25). Oslo: NordForsk.
Sundelius, B., & Wiklund, C. (2000). Nordisk samverkan vid femtio. Visst finns det en framtid and Nordiskt samarbetskalendarium 1945–2000. In B. Sundelius & C. Wiklund (Eds.), Norden i Sicksack. Santérus Förlag: Stockholm.
Sundelius, B., & Wiklund, C. (2017). Quo vadis? Tretton insikter om Norden and Nordiskt samarbetskalendarium 2000–2016. In B. Sundelius & C. Wiklund (Eds.), Norden sett inifrån. Stockholm: Santérus Förlag.
Titelstad, G. (2015). NordForsk and the top-level research initiative 2005–2015 – The swan starts to fly. In Insert in NordForsk Magazine 2015 (pp. 13–16). Oslo: NordForsk.
Ulnicane, I. (2016). Research paper on the European research area initiative and the free circulation of knowledge. In Annex 1 to the European Parliament research service (EPRS), PE 581.382. Brussels: European Union.
Unpublished documentation from the ESOF meeting in Turin 2010, stored by the author of this chapter Professor Gunnel Gustafsson who was the Director of NordForsk 2011–2017.
Vis, C. (2011). Meeting grand challenges. In NordForsk Magazine (pp. 26–28). Oslo: NordForsk.
Walls, M. (2014). NordForsk Magazine (p. 2). NordForsk: Oslo.
Wiklund, C. (2000). Nordek – planen och dess föregångare. In B. Sundelius & C. Wiklund (Eds.), Norden sett inifrån. Stockholm: Santérus Förlag.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gustafsson, G. (2021). NordForsk as a Facilitator of Integrated Research on the Arctic. In: Nord, D.C. (eds) Nordic Perspectives on the Responsible Development of the Arctic: Pathways to Action. Springer Polar Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52324-4_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52324-4_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-52323-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-52324-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)