Finnish Academy Clarifies Research Funding Approach Amidst Criticism

In a recent opinion piece published in Helsingin Sanomat, Professor Jukka Konttinen raised concerns about a perceived structural deficiency in Finland's research funding landscape, suggesting that research he categorizes as 'applied science' falls through the cracks. Konttinen appears to believe that the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters should be allocating funds to areas it currently overlooks.

However, the Finnish Academy, through Jussi Vauhkonen, head of funding applications, has responded to clarify its operational principles. The Academy asserts that its mandate is to support all scientific research, irrespective of its direct link to practical applications. It maintains that drawing rigid distinctions between basic and applied research is unnecessary, as many scientific fields see fundamental questions emerge from the application of knowledge, fostering a dynamic interplay within the innovation chain.

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The Finnish Academy funds all scientific research regardless of its relationship to potential practical applications.

The Academy acknowledges Konttinen's point about the 'in-between' stage of funding, citing chemical process scaling as an example. To address this, the Academy highlights its Research to Business (R2B) funding, which aims to advance ideas stemming from Academy and Strategic Research Council-funded research towards practical use. Furthermore, doctoral students involved in such research can be employed through various Academy funding schemes, underscoring the institution's role in nurturing early-career researchers.

Vauhkonen stresses that the Academy's primary mission is to advance science. Funding decisions are guided by peer reviews that assess the scientific quality, feasibility, and multifaceted impact of research proposals. The Academy's governing bodies, composed of scientists themselves, make the final decisions, ensuring that the unique characteristics of different research fields, methods, and settings are thoroughly considered within the evaluation and decision-making process. This structured approach aims to maintain a robust and diverse research ecosystem in Finland.

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The Academy's funding decisions are based on expert reviews of scientific quality, feasibility, and impact.