Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research Activity Report 2006

– The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research • Activity Report 2006Background and purposeThe Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research was founded in1994 with a founding capital of SEK 6 000 million from the formerso-called wage-earner funds. The purpose of the Foundation is tosupport research in natural science, engineering and medicine thatwill strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness. The Governing Board of11 members is appointed by the Swedish government. Suceedingformer Prime Minister Mr Ingvar Carlsson and former Minister forForeign Affairs Ms Laila Freivalds, the Chairperson as of 2004 is MsLena Hjelm-Wallén, former Deputy Prime Minister.At present the Foundation is financing around 60 large researchprogrammes and 200 framework grants and research projects. Upto and including 2006 the Foundation has decided upon supportfor research amounting to SEK 9,2 billion. Through active capitalmanagement and previously favourable developments on thestock exchange the capital has grown and in January 2007 was SEK10,4 billion even though SEK 7,6 billion had been paid out up tothen. In 2007 the Foundation anticipates paying out around SEK700 million. The budget for new commitments for 2007 is SEK 550million and the preliminary budget for 2008 is also SEK 550 million.The Foundation’s operations will in the long run lead to its capitalbeing totally used up.The Foundation’s statutes lay down that it is to promote thedevelopment of vigorous research settings of international class andof significance for Sweden’s future competitiveness. By strategicDisbursed by SSF 1996–2005 and expected disbursement 2006–2009with a budget for new funding of SEK 550 M/year 2006–2009120010008006004001996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Unallocated (approvedfunding, not yet areadesignated)Other (mostly allocatedexternally)Production andProcess TechnologiesMicroelectronicsMaterialsInformation Technologyand AppliedMathematicsLife ScienceTechnologiesLife SciencesSecretariatand CapitalManagementresearch is meant research that is judged to be of future advantageto Sweden. The Foundation judges advantage on the basis of oneor more of the following considerations:Research, the results of which may serve as a basis for thedevelopment of existing or new companies; well-educated graduates,who through broadened and improved graduate trainingare attractive for employment primarily in the industrial and publicsectors, but also in academia; the ability of internationally highclassresearch environments to attract uniquely qualified researchersand international investments to Sweden; research that servesas a focus for international cooperation, whereby knowledgeof interest to Swedish industry can be accumulated. All of this alsocontributes to a higher quality of life via more employment opportunities,improved working conditions and better health, as well asto a more sustainable society.The Foundation employs many different forms of support.Three forms of grant dominate – grants to strategic researchcentres, framework grants and grants to outstanding individualresearchers.Strategic research centres are focused research settings of thehighest scientific standards with great strategic relevance and asignificant degree of renewal. They often comprise several researchteams connected across their disciplines by the scientific andtechnological problems to be addressed.Framework grants are a flexible mode of support for more limitedresearch initiatives in strategically important areas, their durationoften being three years. The grants and their administrativestructure are smaller than those for strategic research centres andnetwork programmes.Attention is being given to the importance of the individual intwo ongoing programmes aimed at young researchers for the purposeof enabling them to launch independent research initiativesas a part of a strong research environment: Firstly the Ingvar CarlssonAward, a repatriation grant which is aimed at highly qualifiedSwedish-trained PhDs who, after a postdoctoral period abroad,wish to return to Sweden, and secondly Individual grants forfuture research leaders (formerly nicknamed ”INGVAR” grants),which are aimed at particularly promising young researchers withleadership potential at a somewhat more senior level than in theformer programme.In addition, an individual programme aimed at clearly establishedresearchers, Senior Individual Grants (SIG), has been carried out intwo slightly different forms.The Foundation is headed by an Executive Director, ProfessorLars Rask, reporting directly to the Governing Board. The executivedirector is supported by a secretariat of 16 persons and a draftingorganisation that can call upon a large number of Swedish andforeign researchers and representatives of industry and thecommunity.