From 2021 onwards, the state has been channelling a significant part of the state budget intended for research and development through the ministries to improve Estonia’s research bottlenecks. The ambition of the state is to make research more cohesive with society and to increasingly involve researchers in solving the problems that the society is facing.
Looking back on almost three years of experience, the RDC recommended the launch of a cross-ministerial mission-driven programme instead of the current fragmentation of the R&D resources of the ministries. The programme would fund interdisciplinary research teams to work together to find solutions to specific problems with a high societal impact. When weighing the options between ministry-led and researcher-led solutions, members of the RDC found that bottom-up approaches lead to more innovative solutions, which are sorely lacking in Estonia. This kind of research funding has been used successfully in many other countries, but in our case, it would be an innovative approach, where real-life problems are solved in close cooperation between researchers, the state, and other stakeholders.
RDC considered it important that the measure would make the allocation of research funding to address societal challenges more transparent and respect the specificities of research. The terms of the new measure must be approved by the government. The calls for applications will open in 2024 and will be carried out by the Estonian Research Council.
In addition, the RDC discussed how to improve opportunities for researchers and businesses in the European framework programme
Speaking at the meeting of the RDC, Signe Ratso, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, pointed out that Estonia has implemented almost all of the proposals made in the international evaluation over the past four years. Estonia has also been very successful in terms of research and innovation funding received under the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. The European Commission estimates that by the end of this funding period, Estonia could reach half a billion euros in support.
The new planning period of Horizon Europe has just begun. The RDC considered it important to ensure equal opportunities for the participation of R&D institutions from all Member States also during this period. It is also important for Estonia to reduce the administrative burden associated with the further development of the measures. Any new requirements will disproportionately affect the smaller parties in the system, as everyone will have to find the resources to meet them. The council also agreed to change the way ministries allocate R&D funding to support participation in the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.
The Research and Development Council is a council advising the government, led by the prime minister and focusing mainly on the strategic issues of research and innovation policy.
Read more about The Research and Development Council: https://www.valitsus.ee/valitsuse-eesmargid-ja-tegevused/teadus-ja-arendusnoukogu-tan
Photos from the meeting: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stenbockimaja/sets/72177720312831247/
