The research bill is produced every four years and sets out the government's direction in research policy for the coming years. The Swedish National Union of Students is represented on the research committee, which is an advisory body for the production of the bill, by Linnéa Carlsson. She is the former chair of the SFS doctoral committee and a current doctoral student at Högskolan Väst.
SFS has also submitted a written submission to the government, which you can read below. Here are some of our calls:
- Promote the connection between education and research.
SFS urges the government to adopt a holistic perspective where research, innovation and education are treated in a comprehensive approach. At the system level in higher education, however, there is an imbalance between education and research. Research and education at the doctoral level account for 58 percent of the costs in the universities' total operations, while education at the undergraduate and graduate levels makes up 42 percent. More researchers should be given the opportunity to teach, which will benefit students, but also academic excellence in the long run. - Long-term financing
SFS proposes that the government opens up to allowing higher education institutions to reallocate funds from education to research and vice versa in the form of a collective grant. In addition, we propose that the number of research financiers be reduced, and that the proportion of basic grants be increased. This would reduce bureaucracy and allow researchers to focus on their core mission. - Internationalization
Sweden needs to become more attractive as a country to attract young researchers and people with postgraduate education. SFS proposes an investigation with the task of, among other things, shedding light on the reasons why international doctoral students and researchers are leaving Sweden to a large extent. The investigation should also propose measures to ensure that more people with postgraduate education can obtain permanent residence permits.
Tip! In the latest episode of Högskolepodden We discuss research policy with Professor Mats Benner.