Written by Andaç Baran
17 Jun 2016
Sweden: A country where top talents from every countries enjoy high life satisfaction and generous benefits.
From very beginning, Sweden has always been one of perfect destinations for people in business world who dream big and have enough courage. However what about research or science? Is the country also a good destination for people who seek for scientific/academic profession rather than business related? How does the future of Swedish research look like? Is the country ready for future obstacles and potentials? Short answer to these questions is yes. But how come?
The Swedish Research Council released a new report in the last March showing and stating all of possible changes and how the country is ready for them. In this report, the Swedish Research Council presents its goals and recommendations for the Swedish research system based on extensive research overviews and structural analyses of various aspects of the system. If you want to be a part of Swedish research ecosystem after your graduation, this post may be your guide. Alternatively, you can visit Vetenskapsrådet website and check the whole report.
The report lists Sweden’s goal to embrace research:
- In the increasingly tough global competition, Sweden is strengthening its position as a leading research country.
- Sweden concentrates its strengths within a number of key research fields based on national research agendas.
- The number of world-leading Swedish research environments will raise during the impending ten-year period.
- Promising recent PhD graduates gain international experience in order to broaden their competence and expand their networks.
- Promising junior researchers have the opportunity to establish themselves as independent researchers and lead research projects.
- Promising junior researchers have the opportunity to consolidate their research initiatives in order to establish themselves at the highest level.
- Sweden’s research infrastructure and Swedish participation in international research infrastructure makes internationally leading research possible.
- Direct government funding for research is being utilized in a manner that is effective for the country, as it is allocated in accordance with a model which promotes better quality and profiling of Swedish research.
- Research funding bodies work together to a greater extent to improve the coordination of research funding.
- Research findings are applied effectively to bring about societal, economic, cultural and environmental improvements.
- A gender equal research system
When you take a look at these national level goals, you may easily see that the country is setting research agenda to increase funding of researcher-initiated basic research, targeted initiatives; to expand research environment and career support; to embrace national and international cooperation and collaboration, to bring a gender equal research system.
If you are joining us in the next August to seek an academic future or if you are still searching for a program and a university to apply the next year, Sweden sounds like a good idea! What do you think?