The matter in summary Maria Leptin, the president of the European Research Council, believes that Norway does not invest enough in basic research, which is long-term research without a specific goal. Leptin believes that Norway focuses too much on research with immediate effect, without taking into account future knowledge needs. Rector at the University of Bergen, Margareth Hagen, supports Leptin’s criticism and believes that basic research is important for Norway’s future preparedness. Research and Higher Education Minister, Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel, disagrees with the criticism and believes that Norway is strong in funding long-term and fundamental research. Leptin also criticizes that Europe is losing its competitiveness in research compared to the US and China, which Løkensgard Hoel agrees with. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – We must ensure that we have the knowledge we need in ten years’ time, says ERC president Maria Leptin to news during a visit to Bergen, where she was presented with a number of research projects that are being worked on at the University of Bergen (UiB). Leptin is sitting on a money bag of several hundred billion kroner in the budget that applies to 2021-2020. These are funds earmarked for the most outstanding research in Europe. It may be difficult for Norwegian researchers to gain access to that bag. Maria Leptin is president of the European Research Council. Photo: Brynjar Mangor Myrtveit Osgjerd / news Looking for basic research Maria Leptin believes that Norway is too poor to invest in so-called basic research. – There is a very strong focus on funding research that has a so-called immediate effect, which is visible right away, says Leptin. She calls for long-term research, where one does not necessarily know the goal or what the research will result in. Something as significant and important to humanity as penicillin was discovered almost by chance. The researchers did not know when they investigated the mold that this would turn into one of the greatest medical discoveries of our time, namely antibiotics. Antibiotics were thus discovered using what we today call basic research. Leptin emphasizes that Norway has good projects underway, but that they tend to be rather short-term. Photo: Ine Eriksen / Ine Eriksen, UiO Supported by the university – Without a prioritization of long-term basic research, we simply will not succeed. It is knowledge that is our strongest protection, and our safeguard for the future. So we fully share the criticism of Leptin, says Margareth Hagen. She is vice-chancellor at the University of Bergen, and supports Leptin’s statement about Norway’s investment in basic research. Investing in basic research will strengthen Norway’s preparedness in the coming years, she believes. Rector Margareth Hagen at the University of Bergen. Photo: Linnea Skare Oskarsen / news 50 years ago, it was not known what significance, for example, AI would have. In recent years, however, you have been able to see it, Hagen points out. – It is often in retrospect that one understands the value of basic research, because we do not know the challenges that will arise in the future. But we need the knowledge now as preparedness and as a basic tool. – Strong at financing long-term research Research and higher education minister, Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel, disagrees with the criticism from Leptin. Norway devotes a lot of public money to research each year, and is one of the leading countries in the world in devoting money to research, he says. – For our part, we believe that we are strong in financing long-term and basic research. He mentions, among other things, the FRIPRO calls to the Research Council, which gives money to the best research projects, regardless of what they are and without assessing their usefulness. In addition, Norway provides support to the Center for Advanced Research, which is long-term support of six to ten years. Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel, Minister of Research and Higher Education. Photo: Sandra Amalie Lid Krumsvik / news – We are well protected, but we must make sure that we also keep up that side of the research. Because we are completely dependent on the free, researcher-driven research. Precisely to acquire the knowledge base we need to solve the major challenges we face, he says. – Europe is losing its competitiveness Another criticism Leptin makes is that major powers such as the USA and China are beginning to overtake Europe in terms of research. – People like to say that Europe is a leader in research and development, but we are not. Leptin highlights, among other things, examples that both AI and electric cars do not come from Europe, but from competitors. – We are losing our competitiveness, she says. Løkensgard Hoel agrees with this. – Now the USA and China are competing to be superpowers in research, and Leptin is absolutely right that Europe is lagging behind. This means that the whole of Europe has to get more into the driver’s seat in more fields than today. Published 01.07.2024, at 12.40 Updated 01.07.2024, at 21.31
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– Not investing enough in long-term research – news Vestland
