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Sweden looks to boost 'cutting edge' research

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Sweden looks to boost 'cutting edge' research

The Swedish government has announced plans to spend three billion kronor ($451 million) for advanced research over the next ten years, explaining the country’s current output lacks a “cutting edge”.

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“It is obvious that Swedish research has solid breadth – but the cutting edge is too blunt,” education minister Jan Björklund wrote in in the Dagens Nyheter newspaper (DN) on Thursday.

He explained that the three billion kronor investment would go towards advanced research for the most talented young researchers, the recruitment of international researchers, and the possibility of investing in high-risk research.

"We have consciously focused on expanding the scope of the research, and that's fine, but to achieve major breakthroughs requires a concentration of resources," Björklund told the TT news agency.

"The most talented researchers need to get more resources than others in order to achieve success. And it is quite clear that cutting-edge research is expensive."

Björklund explained that the investment would be concentrated in the fields of medicine, technology and science, but that humanities and economics will also receive funding.

Furthermore, plans were announced for a youth research project run by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet), which will receive 50 million kronor each year.

Björklund adds that the government also plans to reduce the current bureaucracy that hinders research, and that the economic framework and priorities for the next four years can be expected in the budget proposition.

TT/The Local/og

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