26 February 2003
Inquiries: Mr Tero Luhtala +358 9 1734
3327, tiede.teknologia@stat.fi
Director in charge: Ms Kaija Hovi
Government investment in R&D set to stay at EUR 1.4 billion in 2003
The Finnish government will invest EUR 1.417 billion in research and development this year. This is only EUR 25 million more than in 2002. Research expenditure will grow by 1.8 per cent in nominal terms, but decrease by 1.2 per cent in real terms. Government research expenditure as a proportion of overall government spending stands unchanged from the previous year at 4.4 per cent. The data derive from Statistics Finland's publication "Government R&D funding in the State Budget for 2003", produced jointly by a network of experts from different administrative branches.
Research expenditure will go up most, or EUR 20 million, in the administrative branch under the Ministry of Defence. There will also be increases in R&D expenditure under the Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Foreign Affairs and Interior.
The proportion of general university funding of total research and development funding will remain unchanged from the previous year at 27 per cent. The funding of the Academy of Finland and the National Technology Agency Tekes, which award competitive funding, will remain largely unchanged. There will also be no increase in the funding of research institutes. As in the few years prior to this, the funding of Tekes, the largest funding organisation, will again total EUR 400 million, which represents 28 per cent of total research and development funding. The funding of research at university central hospitals will decrease by EUR 8 million because of an appropriation transfer. Budget funding of universities will go up slightly, but the growth in the other research funding awarded by ministries will be more observable at EUR 23 million.
Government R&D funding in 2003
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| R&D funding EUR million |
Share of total R&D funding, % |
Change from previous year in nominal terms, % |
Change from previous year in real terms, % |
|
| Major administrative branches | ||||
| Ministry of Education | 592.0 | 41.8 | 1.5 | -1.5 |
| Ministry of Trade and Industry | 487.9 | 34.4 | -1.0 | -3.9 |
| Ministry of Social Affairs and Health | 111.9 | 7.9 | -8.0 | -10.7 |
| Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | 90.9 | 6.4 | 4.5 | 1.5 |
| By organisation | ||||
| Universities | 386.7 | 27.3 | 2.4 | -0.6 |
| University central hospitals | 48.7 | 3.4 | -14.1 | -16.6 |
| Academy of Finland | 185.1 | 13.1 | 0.1 | -2.8 |
| National Technology Agency Tekes | 399.3 | 28.2 | 0.2 | -2.7 |
| Government research institutes | 234.0 | 16.5 | -0.1 | -3.1 |
| Other R&D funding | 162.9 | 11.5 | 16.4 | 13.0 |
Source: Government R&D funding in the State
Budget for 2003. Statistics Finland
Further information available at: www.stat.fi/yr/tttiede_en.html