Speech toThe Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce

Minister of Research and Higher Education Tora Aaslands speech to The Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), 3. oktober 2008, Radisson Plaza Hotel, Minneapolis, USA.

 

The importance of international collaboration in higher education and research for Norway

Vice-President Mondale,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

·       Thank you for inviting me to your lunch meeting. I have already had some very interesting days in Minot and Minneapolis. I have met people who are enthusiastic about Norway and collaboration with Norway in various fields. My encounters in the Midwest have so far been very inspiring, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today!

 

·       Of course, as Minister of Research and Higher Education, my main focus is foster high quality education and research. But in my opinion, collaboration in many different fields, such as education, research, culture, business development and trade, works together and promote each other.   

 

·       And we need to work together! We are facing tremendous challenges regarding how to develop the world and society in a direction of sustainability. Knowledge is fundamental, and research is the main tool to achieve this goal. We have to exploit our research potential. There are three main challenges that the Norwegian government answers to:

 

·       The most important challenge is climate change. We must strengthen research in the areas of energy and the environment. We must study the development of the climate, and find good solutions on how to handle CO2. I am proud to say that all parties in the Norwegian parliament have reached a political agreement (klimaforliket) on sustainable energy and the handling of CO2.  This implies that the Norwegian government will spend a minimum of 600 mill. NOK, or about 100 mill. USD, on research in this field before 2010.

 

·       Further development of the welfare state model is another important challenge. The Nordic model has attracted considerable awareness and interest internationally over the last years. This is due to the combination of high economic efficiency on the one hand, and economic security, a public sector of reasonable size and good public welfare arrangements on the other – so called ”flexicurity”. It is interesting to investigate what makes the success of this model, despite the predictions in economic theories. For the further development of the welfare society, important issues will be: participation of all groups of citizens, democracy, equality and sustainable development. Research is crucial if we are to succeed.

 

·       Innovation and entrepreneurship is the foundation of the welfare society, and necessary for continuous development. Higher education institutions, universities and university colleges, must cooperate with business and industry. The main role of the higher institutions is of course their role in educating young people and serving as a source of knowledge. But they also need to engage in projects together with external partners, that their insights and skills can contribute in many respects.

 

·       As an answer to these challenges, the Norwegian government has adopted a research strategy which focuses on natural sciences, technology and health.  One of the key tools is the strengthening of education in these areas, both as for quality and recruitment. Recruitment of researchers on all levels is crucial.  From Ph.D students to top qualified researchers. We have invested in 700 Ph.D positions over the last three years, and we will discuss the further challenges in the budget document for 2009.

 

·       We believe, like most advanced economies, that our future welfare depends on our ability to create and to use new knowledge. Given this belief, which is founded on historical experience, education and research need top priority on the political agenda.

 

·       There is already extensive collaboration between North America and Norway in the fields of research and technology. The current efforts to strengthen research ties between North America and Norway is based on the strategy for collaboration with North America in science and technology from 2004. For Norway, the United States is the single most important country for research cooperation. More than every fourth Norwegian article with international co-authorship has been written in collaboration with one or more researchers from U.S. institutions.

 

·       One of the corner stones of Norwegian research policy is to attract foreign scholars. Although my country is the smaller sister in terms of research volume compared to the US, we have excellent research groups within a variety of sciences. This might be in areas where quality may be combined with geography and where Norway has a comparative advantage - for example in marine research, polar research, petroleum and energy research and our long term data series in the fields of medicine and social sciences.

 

·       The creation of Centres of Excellence is, in our view, an important element in our work to enhance quality in Norwegian research. The centres are built up around researchers who have already demonstrated a potential for being internationally respected for their professional accomplishments. There are currently 21 centers, of which several have international experts among their staff.

 

·       The very first Kavli Prizes were awarded last month. I am sure that many of you know the story of Fred Kavli? He came to the U.S. in 1956 shortly after earning a degree in engineering physics from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim. Two years later he launched his own company, Kavlico Corporation, which, on the basis of his designs, patents and leadership, grew into one of the world's largest manufacturers of sensors for the aeronautics and automotive industries. He often says: "I could not, as a foreigner just three years out of college, have started my own business in any other country than the United States. For this I will be forever grateful."

 

·       He made his gratitude tangible in 2000 when he sold his company and established the Kavli Foundation, whose current assets total almost 100 million dollars! Instead of funding research directed at near-term payoffs, as most major funders do, he is supporting basic research aimed at eventually improving the quality of life for people around the world. The Kavli Prize honours science in three exciting fields not covered by the Nobel prize: astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience.

 

·       I noted with great interest that this years’ winners represent three continents. This illustrates the truly international character of science. But still, four of the seven laureates came from the US, which proves to illustrate the US strong position in science. (Names: Maarten Schmidt, California Institute of Technology, Louis Brus, Columbia University, Thomas Jessell, Columbia University, and Pasko Rakic, Yale University (US)).

 

This is why the Norwegian government wants to increase cooperation with the US in education and research. I believe US higher education institutions are very attractive partners for Norwegian universities and university colleges for several reasons:

·            Our close ties and long traditions for cooperation.

·                   The institutions in the US are predominant as regards innovative power and knowledge development.

·                   A common asset of leading researchers throughout the world is the network that they have built up through their contact with US academic institutions, where they derive new inspiration from collaboration.

·                   The resources available at major US research institutions place them in a class of their own.

·                   The universities have some of the best educational provisions available.

 

·       On this background, the Ministry of Education and Research develop a strategy to strengthen the higher education collaboration with North America: the North America Strategy for Higher Education Cooperation 2008-2011. It supplements the strategy for collaboration in science and technology from 2004.

 

It consists of the four following main elements:

·       Collaboration at government level

·       Strengthening of student exchange

·       Establishment of partnership schemes

·       Strengthening of information and network arenas

 

The strategy introduces concrete measures for all four elements, and I will elaborate somewhat on the establishment of partnership schemes. I view stronger international collaboration and partnerships between higher education institutions as increasingly important.

 

·       We have established a partnership programme (for four years) in order to provide for academic collaboration with the US and Canada. This Partnership programme is also the main priority in our strategic plan.

 

·       A main target in the strategy is to establish long-term collaboration between Norwegian and North American higher education institutions. By encouraging academically based collaboration rooted in the management of the universities and university colleges, we expect the collaboration to involve greater commitment and durability.

 

·       The Partnership programme is intended to encourage increased collaboration by building sustainable academic networks and strengthening exchanges between Norway and respectively the US and Canada. The programme includes twelve partnerships, that will get funding for four years.

 

·       A cooperation between the University of Minnesota and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is among the funded partnerships.

 

·       In addition to the mentioned elements and measures, I would like to say a few words about the establishment of the Honorary Consulate General here in Minneapolis, with Vice-President Walter F Mondale as the Honorary Consul General. Honorary Consul Gary Gandrud will head the work, and the consulate will work closely with the Embassy in Washington DC.

 

·       When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to convert the Consulate General in Minneapolis to an Honorary Consulate General, it sparked protests and concern that Norway’s ties with the Midwest and the Norwegian-American community would be weakened. However, it also resulted in creative efforts to develop a modern honorary consulate with the task of expanding cooperation between Minnesota and Norway in priority areas within higher education, research, innovation and business development.

 

·       Several Norwegian stake-holders, including my Ministry, will together fund two locally appointed specialist positions who are intended to promote education and research cooperation and innovation and business cooperation. The positions are intended to liaise between actors in Norway and cooperation partners in Minnesota. I am very pleased that Ellen Sue Ewald, who some of you might know, has accepted the position as Higher Education and Research Officer.

 

·       And I am certain that Vice-President Mondale’s personality, unique experience and roots in the Norwegian-American community will help him to further develop the longstanding and important relations and shared interests between Norway and the Midwest in his role as Honorary Consul General. 

 

·       I just arrived from a meeting with Vice-President Mondale at the Honorary Consulate General, and I am convinced that the consulate will do an excellent effort in facilitating the follow-up the two strategies for collaboration in research and higher education.

 

·       With the establishment of the Honorary Consulate General and the dedication of the consulate to higher education, research, innovation and business development, the role of the Midwest as the nave in the Norway – US knowledge cooperation, is emphasized. It is emphasized even further with our decision that the Transatlantic Science Week will be held in Minneapolis in 2009. I am very enthusiastic about the decision, and I believe it illustrates our expectations not just for the new Honorary Consulate General, but for the whole Midwest region.

 

Thank you for your attention.