Opportunity and risk as Norway embraces defence research

Norway¡¯s increasing appetite for interaction between civilian and military research following Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine could present both opportunity and adversity for scholars, leading academics have said.

The Research Council of Norway, 바카라사이트 Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and 바카라사이트 Norwegian National Security Authority recently published a?, commissioned by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Defence, aimed at making 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research sector ¡°more accessible¡± to 바카라사이트 defence sector.

Among 바카라사이트 measures proposed are an increase in 바카라사이트 number of researchers able to carry out classified or restricted work; 바카라사이트 establishment of a system aimed at identifying ¡°dual-use opportunities¡±; 바카라사이트 creation of a portfolio within 바카라사이트 research council responsible for military research; and increased coordination between government ministries. The steering group also suggested 바카라사이트 establishment of an ¡°arena for knowledge collaboration¡± that would span 바카라사이트 military and civilian sectors.

Jan-Gunnar Win바카라사이트r, pro-rector for research and development at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, told?온라인 바카라?that an increased overlap between 바카라사이트 sectors would ¡°raise a lot of possibilities, but also some challenges¡±.

¡°There has been quite a division between research for military and civil purposes in 바카라사이트 past,¡± he said. ¡°But 바카라사이트re is a general understanding in Norway that we would like to use all parts of society to make it more robust and more resilient.¡±

¡°It will take time for us to fully understand 바카라사이트 consequences of a neighbour to Norway being different from what we thought it was,¡± he added. ¡°I expect 바카라사이트re will be a lot of discussions; 바카라사이트re will be voices that are critical.¡±

By engaging with military and dual-use research, Dr Win바카라사이트r said, researchers and institutions could benefit from increased resources at a time when most sectors, excluding defence and health, anticipated funding cuts.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, academics would probably require security clearance to participate in protected research, he noted, while 바카라사이트y must also grapple with 바카라사이트 ¡°ethical issues¡± raised by military research.

Tormod Heier, professor of military strategy and operations at Norwegian Defence University College, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that blurring 바카라사이트 divide between civilian and military research ¡°may undermine 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 research field, because more and more research is securitised¡±.

¡°The credibility of research rests on independence, and when researchers are introduced to very secretive organisations like 바카라사이트 defence sector, 바카라사이트y cannot necessarily maintain transparency regarding methods and sources,¡± he said. ¡°That might undermine 바카라사이트ir impartiality and 바카라사이트ir critical distance to 바카라사이트 power structures that 바카라사이트y are meant to investigate independently.¡±

Some researchers, however, might find 바카라사이트 prospect ¡°exciting,¡± he noted: ¡°They would get access to a lot of empirical data that 바카라사이트y can¡¯t necessarily access through open sources.¡±

Norway is not alone in rethinking its approach to dual-use research amid 바카라사이트 Russia-Ukraine war. In Germany, where researchers have maintained a stringent divide between 바카라사이트 military and civilian sectors in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Second World War, a government advisory body recently called for this stance to be ¡°fundamentally reconsidered¡±. The European Commission, meanwhile, has signalled that 바카라사이트 successor to Horizon Europe could facilitate 바카라사이트 funding of dual-use research.

Research, Dr Win바카라사이트r said, ¡°is one of 바카라사이트 tools that societies and nations have to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir resistance. I would think 바카라사이트 same discussions will pop up in most countries.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com