1. NORWEGIAN STRATEGY FOR ICT RESEARCH
- a proposal
GOOPEN 2010, 19-20 april
Jan Rasmus Sulebak Special adviser, The Research Council of Norway
,

2. ”ICT-R&D” – Public investments in MNOK
(2005-2009)
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
”ICT-R&D”
Research Council 482 557 628 680 743
INOVATION NORWAY 67 95 112 137 134
Contribution EC ICT PROG. 154 154 97 146 184
Beløpet er i MNOK
“SKATTEFUNN “ 749 684 683 591 650
TOTAL 1 452 1 490 1 574 1 554 1711

3. Expenditure (MNOK) on ICT R&D
Universities, research institutes,
Business and industry
SECTOR 01 03 05 07 09
Universities and Research inst. 740 1 000 1 249 1 366
- Universities 310 285 468 541
- Institutes 430 715 781 825
Business and industry er i MNOK
Beløpet 3 950 4 050 5 196 6 534
Business and industry vs 16/84 20/80 20/80 18/82
Universities and institutes (%)
Total 4 690 5 050 6 445 7 900

4. R&D contribution from the Norwegian Research Council
ICT vs other thematic areas (2000-2005)

5. Background
June 2009, the Norwegian government decided to
develop a common national ICT research strategy.

6. Organisation
Governmental
institutions
Business and
industry
Universities and
Research institutes
Employers and
branch
organizations
Work The Norwegian
secretary
group
Research
Council
Ministry of Ministry of Ministry of Ministry of Ministry of
Government Education Trade and Transport and Health and
Administration and Research Industry Communication Care Services

7. Guidelines and restrictions
The strategy should:
• address the 9 research objectives stated in “Forskningsmeldingen”
Report NO. 30 (2008-2009) ”Klima for forskning”
• reflect the increased ambitions stated in the “IKT-meldingen”
Report NO. 17 (2006-2007) ”Eit informasjonssamfunn for alle”
• reflect the objectives stated in “Report of Innovation”
Report NO. 7 (2008-2009) ”Et nyskapende og bærekraftig Norge”

8. The strategy should
1) Define the national objectives for Norwegian ICT research
2) Recommendations and proposals for organisational, structural and
thematic priorities and actions necessary to achieve the objectives
3) Plan for implementation

9. The purpose of the strategy?
• Support R&D budget decisions - Government and ministries
• Reference document for the ministries own R&D strategies
• Framework for the Norwegian Research Council - programs and
instruments for ICT research.

10. The main deliverables
D1: Sketch – Norwegian ICT R&D strategy
(7th. January 2010)
D2: Final proposal - Norwegian ICT R&D strategy
(15th. May 2010)

11. Main activities
Establishing a Analysing the Detailed elaboration
knowledge base knowledge base and proposals for actions
Norwegian
ICT R&D
Needs of the Vision,
society objectives and Strategy for
overall Norwegian ICT
International strategy research
trends
Political
priorities

12. - Initial findings -
 ICT research is not a prioritised research area among the politicians
 Only a modest growth in the ICT R&D investments the last years
 Increasing need for ICT-research in Norway
 Problems with recruitment and access to qualified research personnel
 Several excellent but small and vulnerable research groups
 The ICT industry
 many small and medium scale companies
 innovation and development intensive but not very research intensive
 large growth potential within certain niche markets
 There is a lack of coordination among the main players in the research system
 Increased focus Internet technology, smart systems and “internet of things
“living labs” and user oriented open innovation

13. Preliminary
- strategic priorities -
 Develop a more network centric dynamic research system
 more optimal use of resources - personnel and money
 more effective coordination of resources among the players
Increased emphasise on user driven open innovation
 virtual networks and living labs
 ICT as a tool for ICT research!
 Scientific ICT expert teams
 across institutional boarders
 national resource – research and policy making
International collaboration and internationalization
 increase Norwegian research capacity
 stimulate networking

14. Preliminary
- strategic priorities -
 Multidisciplinary research
 to solve larger and more complex problems
 stimulate creativity and new ideas
 Strengthen the ICT research collaboration between Universities and
Business and industry
 more research intensive ICT industry
 stimulate business partnership –
 Prioritise the research efforts - strategic projects
 Larger and more ambitious projects
 Addressing societal challenges
 Generic research on specific topics of high national priority

15. Contact information
Jan Rasmus Sulebak
Norwegian Research Council
email: jrs@rcn.no
Mobile Phone: +47 93059350