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Sweden
BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE OF SCIENCE IN SWEDEN
In Sweden, the Riksdag (Parliament) and Government have overall responsibility for higher education and research, which means that they make decisions on aims, guidelines and the allocation of resources. Education and research fall under the brief of the Ministry of Education and Research. The Government's policy regarding research and development covers two policy areas: business and industry on one hand, and research on the other. The Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications and the Ministry of Education therefore co-operate closely con¬cerning R&D. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education is the central government agency responsible for matters concerning higher education, but universities and other higher education institutions in Sweden are autonomous agencies, directly responsible to the Government.
The objective for Swedish research policy is to be a leading research nation, where research of a high scientific standard is conducted by high quality education and lifelong learning for growth and justice. Research and development have had a high priority in Sweden in recent decades. Swedish expenditure on R&D amounts to almost four percent of its gross national product, which corresponds to about EUR 820 per capita. The business sector accounts for three-quarters, and the higher education sector for just under a quarter, of this spending. Companies largely fund their own research but receive some contributions from the central government and abroad.
The development of basic research in Sweden is financed and promoted by the Swedish Research Council. The Bulk of Swedish research, 75 percent, is financed by companies. Research funded by the state accounts for around 22 percent. Public-sector funding of R&D takes place both through grants paid directly to higher education institutions, and through support from research councils and sectoral research agencies. In addition, there are a number of public research foundations: altogether, these provide research funding in excess of SEK 1.6 billion annually. The Swedish Parliament grants R&D funds within all the ministries' spheres of responsibility.
The male-female breakdown of students entering research programs is basically balanced, with 49 percent women and 51 percent men (2006).
Education and research in Sweden mainly takes place at the higher education institutions. In Sweden there are 39 universities and institutions of higher education, whose primary tasks are to provide undergraduate and postgraduate education and to interact with the surrounding community. Swedish universities have a broad international co-operation in the field of science and research. Most of the universities and institutions of higher education have international co-operation agreements, including with Belarus.
The aim of Swedish development co-operation in the field of education and research is to promote mutual understanding of the countries' respective cultures. This support, which is largely managed by the Swedish Institute (SI - http://www.si.se), goes to educational initiatives of various kind.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCIENCE & RESEARCH COOPERATION
SWEDEN - BELARUS
The Swedish Academy of Technical Sciences (SATS) and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) in 2004 concluded Agreement on scientific cooperation, that among others provides mutual scientific visits realization on terms of financing stay expenses by hosting Academy.
A number of Agreements and Protocols on cooperation is signed on the level of scientific institutes and universities of two countries.
Since 2001 through the Calls of Belarusian Republican Fund on Fundamental Research (BRFFR) 4 Belarus-Sweden research projects bilaterally financed have been fulfilled.
Public-sector funding of R&D takes place both through grants paid directly to higher education institutions and through support from research councils and research agencies. In addition, there are a number of public research foundations. Funds are granted within all the ministries' spheres of responsibility. By far the largest share of publicly funded research is carried out at higher education institutions and only a small proportion at research institutes, which distinguishes Sweden in an international comparison. Besides the public fund providers, there are private funds, foundations and fundraising organisations. Examples for available funding for science and research co-operation are:
The Visby Programme
Funding for projects and networks at an academic level between Sweden, Belarus, Estonia, Lat-via, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Support is intended to stimulate greater long-term co-operation between universities/university colleges and institutions/enterprises. Individual schol-arships are intended for students and researchers at advanced university level.
Nordplus
The Nordplus Framework Programme offers financial support to a variety of educational cooperation between partners in the area of lifelong learning from the eight participating countries in the Baltic and Nordic regions. Participants from the participating countries (Denmark - including Greenland and Faeroe Islands -, Estonia, Finland - including Aland -, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) are eligible for financial support from Nordplus. Participants from other countries may take part in programme activities, but are not eligible for financial support from the programme.
STINT
The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT) provides grants and scholarships to contribute to the widening of the networks of Swedish academia. The mandate of STINT is to support the internationalisation of Swedish research and higher education.
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION?
Ministry of Education and Research http://www.sweden.gov.se
The International Programme Office for Ed-ucation and Training
A Swedish government agency that comes under the Education and Culture Department supporting schools, universities, companies, organisations and individuals in order to help them participate in international cooperation initiatives.
http ://www.programkontoret. se Mobility Centre Sweden
A portal with on-line information and practi¬cal assistance for researchers moving to and from Sweden. On this site you can read further about Swedish research, research opportunities, available jobs, responsibilities of Parliament and Government, and see lists of research insti-tutes and universities.
http://www.researchinsweden. se
The Swedish Research Council
The Swedish Research Council provides support for basic research in all academic disciplines. It presents the main research financing bodies in Sweden and accurate calls for applications and participates in many international organizations and programmes.
http://www.vr.se Forskning.se
A nationwide website providing information on research and research findings in Sweden.
http://www.forskning.se
Nordplus
Nordplus is the Nordic Council of Ministers' most important programme in the area of life-long learning. Within the Nordplus programmes, students and teachers in schools and higher education can apply for funding for different types of exchange activities. http://www.nordplusonline.org/ The Visby Programme
The Visby Programme's main objective is to strengthen co-operation and network building between Sweden and Belarus, Estonia, Lat¬via, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Ukraine in the field of education. The Visby Programme supports institutional co-operation and indi-vidual exchanges at all educational levels above compulsory school.
http://www.si.se
STINT - The Swedish Foundation for In-ternational Cooperation in Research and Higher Education
http ://www. stint, se SWEDEN.SE - The official gateway to Sweden
http://www.sweden.se
Nordic council/Nordic Council of Ministers
Official co-operation in the Nordic region http ://www.norden. org What is it like to study in Sweden?
For information about how to apply for scholar¬ships for students/researchers coming to Swed¬ish Universities, please see
http://www.studyinsweden.se
© National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 2011
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