Are Finlands rapid university reforms headed for a crash landing?
The Finnish Government is planning radical reforms to universities, including mergers, increased independence from state funding, and increasing the proportion of GDP spent on R&D to 4 per cent. However, there are significant concerns over a perceived neglect of basic research and plans to create an “MIT of the Nordic Region” by merging three Helsinki universities. Research Europe 242 1 November 2007 p.14, 15 21 Proportion of Swedish GDP spent on R&D is falling Although Sweden’s R&D spending last year increased by 4.4 billion kronor compared to 2005, this represented a decrease as a proportion of GDP – a fall which Statistics Sweden attributes to the rapid growth of the economy. Research Europe 242 1 November 2007 p.14 22 Norway needs 520m euros to reach 2010 R&D goal Norway’s goal of public spending on research reaching 1 per cent of GDP by 2010 means an extra 4 billion kroner (€520 million) of public funding will be needed in 2009 and 2010. Additionally, total research spending
