The national roadmap for RDI creates opportunities for more intensive cooperation between enterprises and research
Finland’s competitiveness and wellbeing are built on competence, research and innovations. Finland’s rise from the emergency caused by the pandemic and success in global competition require the production of new knowledge, innovations that bring social benefits and added value, and a high level of competence.
The RDI roadmap has been prepared to promote the achievement of this goal and the resulting sustainable growth, as well as to create an operating environment that encourages both Finnish and foreign companies to invest in RDI activities in Finland. The aim is for Finland to remain at the forefront of both the production of new knowledge and the development and application of technology.
The first update of the roadmap was completed in December 2021.
Strategic development targets
The roadmap identifies three interlinked strategic development areas: competence; a new partnership model; and an innovative public sector. They implement the goals of the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Gov-ernment to make Finland the most attractive and competent environment for experimentation and innovation in the world, producing sustainable solutions to societal challenges.
Competence
The targeted growth or RDI activities also requires a significant increase in the national level of competence and education. As R&D funding doubles, there will also be a need for many more highly educated experts and other RDI professionals. This challenges the education system from early childhood education to higher education insti-tutions.
New partnership model
Finland has good starting points to succeed as a leading country in competence and innovations. Companies are key research partners and engines of making choices for higher education institutions and research institutions. In order to strengthen, broaden and increase the effectiveness of the competence spearhead, research and the net-works that utilise it must be grouped into larger competence centres and ecosystems.
Innovative public sector
Promoting RDI is a common task for all branches and levels of government. Strengthening Finland’s competitive-ness requires that measures promoting RDI activities in different sectors or levels of government are mutually supportive and parallel.
Read more about the strategic development targets on the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
More information:
Maija Lönnqvist - maija.lonnqvist(at)gov.fi
Kirsti Vilén - kirsti.vilen(at)gov.fi