GU:s strategy for work with profile areas.

Unclear implementation of profile areas

Which areas should be designated as special research areas at the University of Gothenburg? This issue will be investigated in the autumn. This is a new system for the distribution of research funds that the government plans to launch in 2024.

But there is much that is still unclear, such as how the assessment process will work and how much money is really involved.

IT WAS ON December 17, 2020, that the government presented the research and innovation bill, Forskning, frihet, framtid – kunskap och innovation för Sverige (Research, freedom, future – knowledge and innovation for Sweden) Among other things, an amended model was proposed for allocation of the research funds that are currently distributed according to bibliometrics and external grants. The government wants to introduce a system where higher education institutions apply for funding for special research areas areas instead, according to a model developed by the research funders, the Swedish Research Council, Formas, Forte and Vinnova, states Carina Mallard, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research. – The bill has led to a lot of work at the various faculties. In September 2021, they submitted 19 proposals for special research areas to the Research Board. On June 1 this year, we received a report from the funders that cleared up some ambiguities, and the further processing of the application for special research areas has since been discussed by the Research Board, the Management Council and the University management. We have now put together a procedural document.

The next step is to update, rework and possibly merge some of the proposals, which the faculties must have completed by September 19.

– AFTER THE RESEARCH Board has compiled the material, it is time for the faculties and the university's International Advisory Board to rank the proposals, based on the funders' three assessment criteria: the scientific quality of the research, the quality of the collaboration with wider society, and how well the research areas match the university's strategic work for increased quality in research and collaboration.

This work should be completed by mid-October. Then the Research Board and the Management Council will consider the different rankings and agree on a proposal that the vice-chancellor will then decide on, says Carina Mallard.

– DURING THE AUTUMN, the Swedish Research Council will also further clarify its instructions regarding what the application should look like, which of course we will also work on. In January, the higher education institutions will send a brief description of the specializations in the research areas to the Swedish Research Council. This will then form the basis for the appointment of the international panel of ten people who will rate all the proposals. And relevant experts, who will assist the expert panel, will also be appointed to assess the scientific quality. Given that there are 27 higher education institutions in the country that will have the opportunity to apply, and that the larger universities at least are likely to submit more research areas, this will not be an easy task.

A complete application comprising a maximum of 30 pages must be sent to the Swedish Research Council sometime in the spring, exactly when is not yet clear. The expert panel will then take a position on the applications according to the three assessment criteria, which will be graded according to a three-point scale. Obtaining the highest grade according to all three criteria corresponds to 9 points. – The special research areas of the higher education institutions will be assessed separately; thus it is not a matter of comparing the different higher education institutions with each other or ranking the individual research areas themselves. In December 2023, the panel's opinion will be compiled, and in January 2024, the Swedish Research Council will submit a proposal to the government on what investments should be made.

ACCORDING TO THE government, a special research area must consist of both research that is already firmly established and research that is judged to have a strong potential to develop high scientific quality. Collaborations between different higher education institutions must also be possible, so this profiling is not about increasing competition. An international focus will also be highlighted.

Although there is a process for how the applications will be managed, there is still

Carina Mallard thinks there are many question marks concerning the implementation of research areas.

much that is very unclear, Carina Mallard points out.

– FIRSTLY, WE DO not know how many research areas a major university with a broad scope like the University of Gothenburg can attain, although we think it is about five. And secondly, the budget framework is unclear. According to previous information, it involves SEK 500 million per year, which will be distributed to the various higher education institutions, but whether it is a question of new money or a redistribution of the faculty funds we already receive is unclear. We also do not know whether the funds will be distributed per higher education institution, regardless of how many research areas the higher education institution is assigned, or whether the funds will be allocated to each research area, which in that case benefits the higher education institutions that are assigned a lot of research areas. Furthermore, there are other circumstances that increase the level of uncertainty, such as the general election in September and pivotal events around the world that may completely change the conditions for the government's investments in research.

THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG’S TIMETABLE:

September 19: Deadline for the faculties to submit revised proposals for special research areas.

September 26–October 1:

Each faculty and the University of Gothenburg's International Advisory Board will rank all the proposed research areas that have been received. October 18–27: The Research Board and the Management Council will consider the rankings and submit proposals for decisions, which the vice-chancellor will make on October 27. The application will then be prepared. January 2023: A summary application will be sent to the Swedish Research Council. Spring 2023: The finalized application for special research areas will be sent to the Swedish Research Council. Spring 2024: The government will make a decision.

What does the university management in general think about the investment in special research areas?

– We believe that it will lead to more control of the universities that is not necessary. Moreover, the applications will result in a great deal of extra work at all levels: for the faculties, for the university management and, of course, for the Swedish Research Council. We are of course pleased that the government wants to invest in research, but it would have been more efficient to spend the money on the model that already exists. Despite our doubts, our aim is to work very hard on our application and to make it as good as it can possibly be.

Text: Eva Lundgren Photo: Johan Wingborg

FACTS

The government's investment in special research areas will entail a new model for quality-based distribution of research grants. These are strategic investments of the highest quality that the higher education institutions themselves will define. The Swedish Research Council, Formas, Forte and Vinnova have developed the model. The applications can relate to both new and established areas. They will be assessed by an international panel according to three criteria: the scientific quality of the research, the quality of collaboration with wider society and how well the research areas align with the university's strategic work for increased quality in research and collaboration. The goal is for the model to be introduced in 2024. The plan is to evaluate the investment after 6–7 years.