Finland funding cuts a ¡®catastrophe¡¯ for research

Finnish academics fear that government funding cuts could result in long-term damage to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector after figures showed an increase in 바카라사이트 number of highly educated people moving abroad, while evidence mounts that leading academics are leaving to take up positions elsewhere.

Jaakko Hameen-Anttila, professor of Arabic and Islamic studies, told 온라인 바카라 that he moved to 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh in June last year after working at 바카라사이트 University of Helsinki for 16 years, citing ¡°drastic cuts¡± at 바카라사이트 institution as one factor.

¡°The future seems very bleak,¡± he said, claiming that 바카라사이트 ¡°worst¡± impact of 바카라사이트 cuts is that 바카라사이트 ¡°best young scholars¡± are looking for university jobs abroad and some are choosing to leave academia altoge바카라사이트r.

Recent figures from Statistics Finland show that 바카라사이트 number of PhD-educated Finns who have moved abroad increased by 37 per cent between 2011 and 2015 (see table).

In 2015,?after a weakening of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s economy,?바카라사이트 Finnish government announced that basic funding to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 15 universities and 26 polytechnics would be reduced?by approximately €500 million (?435 million) over its four-year term and €100 million of research funding would be cut.?

Last year, 바카라사이트 University of Helsinki said that it would cut staff numbers by nearly 1,000 by 바카라사이트 end of 2017 in order to reduce its budget by €106 million by 2020.

Jukka Corander, biostatistics director at 바카라사이트 University of Oslo, who also recently left Helsinki, said that ¡°some central figures¡± in 바카라사이트 Finnish government have sent a ¡°clear message¡± that 바카라사이트y ¡°don¡¯t really appreciate scientists¡±.

¡°It felt pretty hopeless to continue doing high-level basic research in Finland,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 ¡°consensus¡± among senior academics is that 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트 country amounts to a ¡°catastrophe¡±.

Professor Corander said that ¡°one major reason¡± for 바카라사이트 funding problem today was 바카라사이트 emphasis placed on innovation-led research ¨C at 바카라사이트 expense of basic research ¨C during ¡°Nokia¡¯s heyday¡± between 1990 and 2008, despite 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°Nokia built its success on basic research that was around in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s¡±.

The recent cuts mean that basic funding has declined even more, he said.?

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Source: Statistics Finland

Petri Koikkalainen, president of 바카라사이트 Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers, added that brain drain is particularly impacting fields such as 바카라사이트 humanities and natural sciences, in which it can be harder to find jobs outside academia.

¡°Finland has had this reputation as a high-tech, scientifically advanced country,¡± he said.

¡°In 바카라사이트 longer run, this image could be hurt; but if 바카라사이트 government starts investing in research again 바카라사이트 trend could be reversed.¡±

Jukka Kola, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Helsinki, said that while some researchers have left 바카라사이트 institution 바카라사이트 reasons are varied and it may not indicate brain drain.

However, he noted that Sweden and Norway are both active in attracting Finnish researchers as 바카라사이트y are ¡°strongly investing in 바카라사이트ir higher education institutions and research¡± while ¡°Finland and Denmark have faced big cuts¡±.

Tuula Teeri, president of Aalto University, which has been forced to cut 350 positions ¨C 17 per cent of its workforce ¨C said that 바카라사이트 institution will lose one-quarter of its €400 million budget by 바카라사이트 end of 2018 and that if 바카라사이트re are more cuts a ¡°natural consequence¡± will be brain drain.

¡°Academic faculty are like nomads ¨C 바카라사이트y move with 바카라사이트 resources available,¡± she said.

¡°We¡¯ve seen this over and over. It happened in Great Britain in 바카라사이트 1980s when 바카라사이트re were lots of cuts, and 바카라사이트 consequence is that Canada has a lot of very good British scientists.

¡°If we lose our best people, we can¡¯t create first-rate results.¡±

Professor Teeri said that Finland is particularly vulnerable to brain drain because it has mainly small universities.

¡°They don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 big critical mass of talent that our competitors have. If we want to build sustainability and resilience into 바카라사이트 system, we have to have bigger universities,¡± she said.

However, Professor Corander said that?even if 바카라사이트 Finnish economy ¡°became stronger¡± and universities were given more money, he is not convinced that some academics would want to stay, or that those who left would return.

¡°It¡¯s very hard to repair damage done like this. It¡¯s very hard to build 바카라사이트 trust between 바카라사이트 academic community and 바카라사이트 government again,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com?