Introduction
In 2009 the Swedish Research Council, Formas (Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning), VINNOVA (Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems), and the Swedish Energy Agency submitted recommendations on financing 43 grant applications for the 20 strategic research areas that the Swedish Government designated in the Government Research Bill A Boost to Research and Innovation (2008/09:50). The overall policy of the Swedish Government is to strengthen Sweden's position as a research nation and thereby increase its scientific competitiveness in a globalised world.
The 43 research environments are financed from 2010 and reached 1.35 billion Swedish kronor (SEK) in 2012. The funds are allocated directly to the higher education institutes (HEI).
The evaluation
The Swedish Research Council, Formas, VINNOVA and the Swedish Energy Agency have been commissioned by the government to conduct an evaluation of the strategic research areas. The evaluation will be reported to the government on May 1st 2015. A working group consisting of representatives from the Swedish Research Council, Formas, VINNOVA and the Swedish Energy Agency, and Forte as a consultation partner, was formed in 2013 to plan and implement the evaluation.
The evaluation will be conducted by experts with broad experience and expertise in management and planning of research, and with academic profiles that matches the broader themes of the strategic research areas. The panel will utilize the applications from the research environments, the follow-up studies from the strategic research areas (2010–2013), self-evaluations, bibliometric data and conduct hearings with university pro-chancellors and representatives of the research environments.
This part of the evaluation focuses on the management and planning of research when it comes to 1) Output and quality of the research
Striving for scientific excellence was the fundamental criterion for the review of all submitted applications for strategic research areas.
The assessment of research output in the evaluation will include the potential for development of the scientific environment, the prioritisation made among activities to generate conditions for research excellence, and strategies to increase international scientific competiveness in the research area.
2) Utilization and benefit of the research for society and industry
The research is expected to be of strategic importance for society and the business sector. The assessment includes the research environment’s capacity to generate benefits from research findings.
3) Collaborations
The research is expected to be of strategic importance for society and the business sector. This includes strategies for the engagement and participation of the business sector, industrial research institutes and other community organisations in problem formulation and implementation. The assessment in the evaluation includes strategic collaborations that aim to strengthen the research, its importance for society and the business sector and to further advance the research environment’s international standing.
4) The link between research and education
Instructions for the University Management self-evaluation:
• One self-evaluation per strategic research environment should be submitted
• Questions UM1 and UM2 are not research environment specific; the answer should be the same in all submitted self-evaluations regardless of which strategic research environment the self-evaluation represents.
UM 3–5 are specific to the strategic research environment at hand.
• The self-evaluation should be answered by the pro-chancellor of the host HEI in consultation with co-applicant(s)
• The name of the question (i.e. UM1 for example) and the question itself should be included in the submitted document with answers. The total length of the document should not exceed 14 pages including the questions.
• The self-evaluation(s) should be submitted as PDF-files saved using the acronym used in the follow-up studies (See Appendix 1) and submitted to eva.mineur@vr.se with a copy to anders.sundin@vr.se
Last response date is June 30, 2014.
Self-Evaluation Questions:
Name of strategic research environment: Acronym (See Appendix 1):
Host University:
Rapporteur (Name and title): Co-applicant(s):
UM 1) Are there differences in how the University supports the SFO-environments compared to
other priority research areas of the University that have not received external strategic funding? If there are differences, can you give examples?
Maximum 1 page for UM1
UM 2) What is the inspiration and the benchmark for the university’s Higher Education and Research Management, and why, in regard of
a) Maintaining or reaching research quality of the highest international standard and to reach an international leading position within their field of research.
b) Linking the strategic research areas with the needs of societal organisation and the business sector?
c) Cultivating collaborations with other universities and non-academic organisations?
d) Strengthening the link between the research and education? Maximum 2 pages for UM2
UM 3) What is the nature of support (for example recruitment strategies, management training, collaborations, infrastructures) from the host-university when it comes to the development and management of the strategic research environment in regard of
a) Maintaining or reaching research quality of the highest international standard and to reach an international leading position within their field of research.
b) Linking the strategic research areas with the needs of societal organisation and the business sector?
c) Cultivating collaborations with other universities and non-academic organisations?
d) Strengthening the link between the research and education? Maximum 2 pages for UM3a-d UM 4) SWOT analysis.
Please explore the Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats to the Strategic Research Area hosted by your university, in regards of
a) Maintaining or reaching research quality of the highest international standard and to reach an international leading position within their field of research.
b) Linking the strategic research areas with the needs of societal organisation and the business sector?
c) Cultivating collaborations with other universities and non-academic organisations?
d) Strengthening the link between the research and education?
Perform the SWOT-analysis with the insight of different stakeholders (Such as research managers, or co-applicant university representatives).
Maximum 4 pages for SWOT analysis (UM4)
UM 5) What is your plan for the long-term partnership and collaboration with the co-applicant organisation(s)