Presentation at CGIAR workshop 24 September

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Presentation at CGIAR workshop 24 September

• Hans-Örjan Nohrstedt, 2008-09-21

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Formas

• In Swedish
• Forskningsrådet för Miljö, Areella näringar och
  Samhällsbyggande
• In English
• The Research Council for Environment,
  Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
• One of three governmental research councils

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Formas the mission

• Fund, communicate and evaluate research
• Promotion of international research co-operation
• Research of highest scientific quality
• Support a sustainable development
• Both basic research and need-driven research
• 720 MSEK per year for research funding

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Research funding characteristics

• 2/3 of budget in one annual call, 1/3 strategic
  targeted calls
• Bottom-up scientists propose the projects
• Severe competition success rate 10-15
• Universities, Institutes, Some authorities
• Normal project 3 yr, 800 000 SEK/yr
• Expected output sci publ, outreach, societal
  impact

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International research co-operation

• Formas international activities are intended to
• Promote international contacts and co-operation
  among scientists
• Bring home new knowledge from abroad
• Contribute to a wise international use of
  research funding resources
• Contribute to solving common international
  sustainability problems

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Sustainable development a global issue

• So far Formas has mostly funded research of
  Swedish or North European relevance
• 50 of Formas-funded scientists have
  international project co-operation, but few in
  third world
• Formas most recent research strategy intends
  to increase its engagement in research in and
  about developing countries co-operation with
  Sida/SAREC ought to be consolidated
• Formas considers the SLUs CGIAR initiative timely

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Formas Sida/SAREC joint calls

• Promote the interest among Swedish scientists to
  work in and with developing countries
• Sidas part ear-marked for co-operation with
  CGIAR-institutes only, Formas part open for
  others as well
• Two previous calls (2005, 2007)
• Some 60 projects funded (in total 40 MSEK)
• Formas expects a new call in 2009 for research
  2010-2011

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The SLU-CGIAR initiative

• Should be expected to result in many new good
  research ideas creating a basis for applications
  competing for additional funding in
• Coming joint Formas Sida/SAREC calls
• Swedish Research Links, partially relevant (Sida
  Vetenskapsrådet)
• Thus, a possibility to extend the budgetary frame
  of the initiative