Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research Activity Report 2006

The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research • Activity Report 2006 – A new strategy for the foundationPhoto: Katarina WosThe activities ofthe Swedish Foundationfor StrategicResearchare regulated byits statutes, mostrecently revised in1997. Accordingto the statues, thepurpose of thefoundation is tosupport researchin the natural sciences,engineeringand medicine.The foundation should promote the development ofstrong research environments of the highest internationalstandard of importance for the developmentof Sweden’s future competitiveness. Basic as well asapplied research can be supported, as well as all areasin between. The foundation should focus researchgrants to promote the establishment of internationallycompetitive research centres or areas.In April 2006, the Governing Board of the Foundationapproved a strategic plan that implements theideas in the statutes. The interpretation of the key conceptsstrategic research and competitiveness is decisivefor how the Foundation will carry out its task. In thestrategic plan the Foundation defines strategic researchas research that will be beneficial for the country. Benefitcan be judged on the basis of one or more of thefollowing criteria: research that could form the basisfor the development of existing or new companies;research that produces PhDs who, thanks to improvedPhD programmes, are attractive for employment by industryand society at large, but also by universities andresearch institutes; the ability of internationally highclassresearch environments to attract highly qualifiedindividuals and investments to the country; researchactivities that are part of international collaborationsthrough which knowledge of importance for Swedishindustry can be gained. Competitiveness is judged onthe basis of comparisons of how Swedish research andresearch results stand up to international comparison.The Foundation does not assume long-term responsibilityfor financing any particular research areas butfunds time-limited research activities and shifts its focusover time between different research areas and programmeforms based on evaluations of research needsand research opportunities.In addition to exhibiting scientific excellence in aninternational perspective, research activities supportedby the Foundation should in the future be applicablewithin knowledge-intensive and high-technology areasor societal sectors in Sweden. For all research projectssupported by the Foundation, a plan should be drawnup for how research results will be of benefit, for exampleby technology transfer, establishment of demonstrators,or by protection of immaterial propriety rights.Priority will be given to research activities that can beexpected to find application in the following areas:• Biotechnology, drug discovery and development,medical technology/bioengineering