Research council too broad, finds assessment

The national research council Forskningsrådet should consolidate its funding programmes into fewer support schemes, according to an independent review.

The document, released on 3 March, recommends that the funding council needs a clearer focus on quality within its programmes, rather than trying to run too many funding instruments. Meanwhile, the government should also provide clearer direction to enhance research quality, and universities need to improve their organisation to promote research over teaching, the report states.

The study, titled Room for increased ambitions?, outlines the results of a study of the Norwegian research system by two researchers, which was commissioned by Forskningsrådet.