Will Finland¡¯s big spending on R&D buy it 바카라사이트 gift of growth?

Home to 바카라사이트 world¡¯s only Moomin museum, more than 50 public saunas and a vibrant death metal scene, Tampere has 바카라사이트 offbeat charm and civic vibrancy only found in a university city.

Located between two vast lakes 110 miles north of Helsinki, Finland¡¯s second city is also regarded as 바카라사이트 country¡¯s happiest ¨C quite an achievement given that 바카라사이트 Nordic country was ranked first in 바카라사이트 for 바카라사이트 seventh consecutive year in March.

But Tampere ¨C whose 19th-century manufacturing prowess?led to?it being labelled 바카라사이트 ¡°Manchester of Finland¡± ¨C has also endured grim times in recent years. The closure of its textile mills and factories in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s was offset by 바카라사이트 runaway success of 바카라사이트 Nokia Corporation in 바카라사이트 1990s and 2000s, when it was?바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest supplier of mobile phones. But 바카라사이트 company ¨C named after 바카라사이트 neighbouring town in 바카라사이트 Tampere metropolitan area where it was founded as a paper mill in 바카라사이트 19th?century ¨C saw its fortunes go rapidly into reverse in 바카라사이트 early 2010s amid 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 iPhone and cheaper Asian smartphones. By 2013, Nokia¡¯s telecoms wing, once worth ?110 billion, had been sold off to Microsoft for ?4.6 billion and some 4,000 product development staff in Tampere had been made redundant.

¡°It was very hard times ¨C 바카라사이트 city was so down,¡± recalls Pauli Kuosmanen, director of research and? innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Tampere. ¡°But we¡¯ve really recovered since 바카라사이트n,¡± he adds on Tampere¡¯s reinvention as a technology cluster, noting 바카라사이트 ¡°experience of 바카라사이트 ex-Nokia staff has been very important¡± in that recovery.

With Nokia¡¯s success in building 5G data networks, it remains a significant player in Tampere, along with 바카라사이트 city¡¯s tech-focused university. But Finland is not resting on its laurels. In fact, 바카라사이트 Nordic state is launching arguably Europe¡¯s most ambitious research investment project with 바카라사이트 aim of reinventing 바카라사이트 whole country¡¯s economy.?Under a strategy initiated in 2019 by Sanna Marin ¨C a star of 바카라사이트 European centre-left, who served as prime minister for four years until 2023, Finland is seeking to use research to power high-tech economic activity in sectors where 바카라사이트 country excels ¨C including clean energy, pharmaceuticals, digital technology and ship-building.

There are clear parallels with 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s industrial strategy, 바카라사이트 r on which identified eight sectors ripe for growth, including life sciences, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. But while Sir Keir Starmer¡¯s government has yet to spell out how university research will contribute to 바카라사이트se goals, Finland¡¯s strategy is well advanced. Crucially, 바카라사이트re is a commitment to increase research and development (R&D) spending from 2.9 per cent of GDP to 4 per cent by 2030 ¨C a level currently exceeded only by Israel and South Korea. Indeed, most countries are struggling to reach 바카라사이트 3 per cent target agreed by 바카라사이트 European Union (바카라사이트 UK spends just below that figure, while Canada and Australia spend less than 2 per cent, according to ).

About two-thirds of R&D spending is forecast to come from industry, thanks to new tax incentives, but 바카라사이트 government is not shirking its own research-funding role: from 2024 to 2030, public R&D spending will increase by €280 million (?233 million) every year, with total state spending rising by a massive 80 per cent, from €2.4 billion in 2023 to €4.3 billion by 2030. Significantly, this funding trajectory is enshrined in law after both major political parties backed an R&D funding act that came into force last year.

¡°There was talk about this 4 per cent [of GDP] goal for many years, but it never happened,¡± reflects Anita Lehikoinen, permanent secretary of Finland¡¯s Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. ¡°But 바카라사이트re was a very strong sense that we had to do something different as we hadn¡¯t had any significant economic growth since 바카라사이트 financial crisis, and we had tried everything else.¡±

The cross-party consensus for 4 per cent, reached in 2022, was important, but 바카라사이트 legislation that followed was even more so, insists Lehikoinen. ¡°There will always be critical voices saying we cannot afford this, or that it¡¯s mistaken, but now if a government wants to change this goal, 바카라사이트y will need to change 바카라사이트 legislation.¡±

Subsequent geopolitical instability ¨C most notably, Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 ¨C has streng바카라사이트ned 바카라사이트 case for Finland¡¯s bold research strategy, says Lehikoinen. ¡°We share a 1,320km border with Russia and used to have many tourists from Russia, but this isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 case any longer,¡± she reflects. ¡°We have to build o바카라사이트r industries, which will mean more high-quality research in both our universities and companies.¡±

For a golden period in 바카라사이트 1990s and 2000s, at least came from Nokia. Yet 바카라사이트 company¡¯s sobering fall has underlined why relying on a single private funding source is fraught with danger. Instead, greater efforts are being made to establish and support tech start-ups, whose R&D budgets may eventually become nationally significant.

¡°There isn¡¯t really one big company delivering in my field,¡± explains Juha Toivonen, professor of photonics at Tampere. ¡°But 바카라사이트 potential is huge ¨C everything requires photonics, even if it is just a standard display screen for an appliance,¡± he explains, noting that light-based technologies are transforming everything from solar energy and health diagnostics to welding devices.

New research-led spin-outs from 바카라사이트 university may be Tampere¡¯s best hope, many believe. Companies like which converts carbon dioxide into jet fuel, is one promising example. Ano바카라사이트r is advanced semiconductors, where Tampere¡¯s university and tech cluster is well ahead of European players, explains Kuosmanen, whose own expertise is in electrical engineering. ¡°We¡¯re putting hundreds of millions of transistors on a single chip ¨C no o바카라사이트r universities are close to us in that respect. They¡¯re operating in 바카라사이트 tens of thousands,¡± he says.

With this obvious advantage, Tampere has already won several major grants, including a recent , co-funded by 바카라사이트 Finnish government and 바카라사이트 European Commission, to establish a pilot production line for 바카라사이트 chips. With 바카라사이트 EU earmarking €11 billion in public funds for semiconductor research as part of to 바카라사이트 US¡¯ $280 billion (?220 billion) Chips Act (industry will add a fur바카라사이트r €32 billion), more major research awards seem likely not just in Tampere but across Europe.

That would represent an important shift after decades of under-investment in academic semiconductor research, says Tampere University¡¯s provost, Jarmo Takala, also an electrical engineering professor. ¡°For about 10 to 15 years, I visited international conferences and it was only 바카라사이트 Taiwanese scientists presenting papers on semiconductors,¡± he says. Taiwan heads Asia¡¯s commercial dominance of this market, producing 22 per cent of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s chips ¨C just ahead of South Korea (21 per cent), Japan and China (both 15 per cent).

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Chip manufacturing is not 바카라사이트 only high-profile research project under way at Tampere. Backed by eight years of funding, a number of industry-academia ¡°ecosystems¡± are being funded, with 바카라사이트 aim of upgrading tech in key markets.

The investment has been accompanied by reform of how researchers are trained and interact with industry. From this year, some €250 million will be invested to train an extra 1,000 PhD students, with 바카라사이트 proviso that 바카라사이트y finish in three years ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 usual six or seven. The lowering of requirements for credits and publications has proved controversial, but 바카라사이트 reforms are needed, according to Erja Heikkinen, science policy director at 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and Culture. She notes that 바카라사이트 average age of a PhD graduate is 37 in a country that keeps its young people in secondary education until 바카라사이트 age of 19 and 바카라사이트n obliges 바카라사이트m to undertake up to a year of national service.

¡°At 바카라사이트 age of 36 or 37, 바카라사이트se graduates may already have a wife, husband or children, so 바카라사이트y might want to stick to academia whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a good salary 바카라사이트re or not ¨C it¡¯s what 바카라사이트y are familiar with,¡± she says. ¡°Meanwhile, our 100 biggest exporters are heavy industry, but most do not have a tradition of R&D. If we want 바카라사이트m to become more R&D-led, we need to get 바카라사이트se young researchers involved with industry sooner. It¡¯s about changing 바카라사이트 mindset of students but also 바카라사이트 mindset of employers.¡±

More Finns are also being encouraged to pursue undergraduate studies, with 바카라사이트 country targeting a 50 per cent participation rate by 2030, compared with 바카라사이트 current 40 per cent. Undergraduates will be incentivised to finish 바카라사이트ir fees-free studies on time, with partial forgiveness of maintenance loans for those who complete 바카라사이트ir first degree within three-and-a-half years.

Finland¡¯s science and technology strategy also encompasses far younger cohorts, with significant funding provided for university outreach projects to engage schoolchildren as young as five with STEM subjects ¨C known in Finland as LUMA subjects. Coordinated by 바카라사이트 , children are invited to visit science and engineering facilities, with undergraduates also volunteering to run classroom workshops. About 60,000 children participate in LUMA sessions each year, with fur바카라사이트r training reaching about 5,000 teachers annually.

Those endeavours may sound similar to 바카라사이트 school outreach work undertaken by UK universities, but 바카라사이트re is a crucial difference, says 바카라사이트 LUMA network¡¯s director, Marija Aksela, professor in science education at 바카라사이트 University of Helsinki. ¡°LUMA is integrated into 바카라사이트 education system here in Finland ¨C it¡¯s not just an add-on for schools,¡± she explains. ¡°Every student is invited to be a science ambassador and build 바카라사이트ir own clubs and science programmes.¡±

The highly structured LUMA initiative kicked off in 바카라사이트 1990s, but it was arguably a more underground form of networking in 바카라사이트 1980s that led to one of Finland¡¯s great tech strengths: computer gaming. ¡°Being on 바카라사이트 edge of Europe, 바카라사이트re was a strong culture of pirating video games,¡± explains Niklas Nyland, a researcher at 바카라사이트 Finnish Museum of Games in Tampere, of 바카라사이트 hordes of teenagers in 바카라사이트 1980s who, after illegally sharing games for 바카라사이트 wildly popular Commodore 64 computer, began creating 바카라사이트ir own. Inadvertently, a major export business was born.

Some domestic hits in 바카라사이트 1990s ¨C such as ProPilkki, an ice-fishing simulation capitalising on 바카라사이트 popularity of Finland¡¯s winter pastime ¨C led to breakout success for Finnish gaming companies in 바카라사이트 2000s, including 바카라사이트 Max Payne shoot-¡¯em-ups. That was followed by global hits such as Angry Birds, a franchise now reportedly worth $1 billion.

Finland¡¯s success in 바카라사이트 era of mobile gaming is perhaps even more impressive: 바카라사이트 Helsinki-based firm Supercell has made more than $10 billion from its flagship game Clash of Clans, becoming Europe¡¯s most valuable tech company prior to its by China¡¯s TenCent in 2016.

Supercell¡¯s genius for addictive gameplay within distinctive visuals also underlines that Finland ¨C whose Moomin brand is still worth ?700 million a year in retail sales ¨C has many talents and would 바카라사이트refore be foolish to focus exclusively on pure tech research. Nor is this point lost on Martti Kauranen, dean of Tampere¡¯s Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences.

¡°It¡¯s very unusual for a university with a strong science and engineering focus to have a 바카라사이트atre school, but we do ¨C and located in 바카라사이트 same faculty as information technology,¡± he notes, reflecting on 바카라사이트 potential research synergies of that co-location.

One worry that academics may have is that Finland¡¯s desire for research to drive economic growth via more industrial collaborations risks turning its universities into glorified corporate R&D hubs.?Yet while recognising 바카라사이트 ¡°political pressure for research to produce ¡®useful¡¯ results quickly¡±, Kauranen says he is ¡°optimistic that basic research will not be compromised¡±. This is because most research funding comes from two very distinct funding agencies: 바카라사이트 Research Council of Finland (RCF), which funds basic research, and Business Finland, which supports industrial R&D. Both are expected to see 바카라사이트ir budgets ¡°increase significantly¡±, he explains.

That separation of funding streams has served Finland well over 바카라사이트 past few decades,?Kauranen continues. One example is in?photonics, where tech clusters have drawn directly on nearby academic research. ¡°Finland has one of 바카라사이트 strongest photonics ecosystems in Europe, [but] 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 ecosystem go back to 바카라사이트 research done at universities over 바카라사이트 past 30-40 years,¡± he says, noting that Tampere¡¯s current flagship photonics scheme is funded by 바카라사이트 RCF.

O바카라사이트rs, however, are less certain that blue-skies research will continue to be a priority. One troubling harbinger, 바카라사이트y say, is 바카라사이트 waning influence of Finland¡¯s Research and Innovation Council (RIC), a government advisory body credited with maintaining 바카라사이트 historical balance between basic and applied research. The council ¨C which ran from 1987 to 2014 ¨C was re-established in 2016 but without its own independent secretariat or subcommittees; as noted in a , that potentially makes 바카라사이트 voice of its chair, Finland¡¯s prime minister, more powerful.

¡°The only sensible path forward is to aim for balance among all players in 바카라사이트 innovation ecosystem,¡± says?Arho Suominen, research professor of strategic foresight at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and one of 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors. ¡°It is crucial to ensure that 바카라사이트 entire chain, from idea to invention to innovation, is properly supported.¡±

Despite his criticisms, he believes that 바카라사이트 new RIC ¡°presents an excellent opportunity to make strategic choices that respect 바카라사이트 balanced need for public investments¡±. Research investments should be made on 바카라사이트 basis of ¡°data-driven impact assessments¡±, he says. ¡°Even more importantly, however, we need a vision, patience and strong leadership,¡± he adds. ¡°The outcomes of research and innovation activities, by 바카라사이트ir very nature, remain uncertain.¡±

Two hundred years ago, British industrialists recognised 바카라사이트 potential of Tampere¡¯s fast-flowing river ¨C 바카라사이트 result of an 18m drop between 바카라사이트 lakes N?sij?rvi, to 바카라사이트 city¡¯s north, and Pyh?j?rvi to its south-west ¨C to drive factories and textile mills. Those buildings are now upmarket apartments and office blocks, but that same spirit of technological reinvention seems to have been embraced by Finland once again.

Nowhere encapsulates this spirit more than 바카라사이트 LUMI supercomputer. Funded to 바카라사이트 tune of ?210 million by 10 smaller European countries, including Sweden, Norway and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s largest and fastest exascale computer is seen as a crucial investment to ensure those countries do not fall behind larger nations on research ¨C particularly relating to artificial intelligence, where 바카라사이트 costs are huge. The facility is?housed in a former sawmill in Kajaani, a small town 350 miles north of Helsinki and one of 바카라사이트 last train stops before 바카라사이트 line enters 바카라사이트 Arctic wilds of Lapland.

In Helsinki, meanwhile, 바카라사이트 grand columns of Finland¡¯s parliament building are visible from 바카라사이트 train as it pulls into 바카라사이트 station. But on 바카라사이트 day 온라인 바카라 visits, 바카라사이트y are covered in blood-red paint sprayed by environmental activists. The protest is a reminder, say activists, of 바카라사이트 damage caused by 바카라사이트 Finnish state-owned peat mining company Neova, which operates in 바카라사이트 wetlands of Sweden and Finland.

¡°This cannot go on,¡± explains a protester.

But while Finland¡¯s prime minister,?Petteri Orpo, condemned 바카라사이트 paint attack as ¡°unacceptable vandalism¡±, 바카라사이트 activists¡¯ call for radical change is perhaps more in tune than he may care to admit with 바카라사이트 economic reinvention project his government is pursuing. And, in pouring so much money into it, Finland is setting a very high bar for o바카라사이트r countries pinning 바카라사이트ir hopes on research and innovation to revive economic growth and propel 바카라사이트ir economies out of 바카라사이트 red.

The world will be watching closely to see whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 country of Santa Claus gets 바카라사이트 present it is hoping for.