The President of the Tampere University Mari Walls and TREY Chair Iiris Taubert call on the Finnish government to secure funding for science in the budget negotiations on 7-8 September. According to the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, in 2022, the funding of the Academy of Finland will decrease by approximately 40 million euros compared to the current year. In addition, the there are previous financial cuts agreed in the spring.
Decreasing the funding for science contradicts the goals of the government programme: the government has set a goal of raising Finland’s level of expertise and increasing the share of research and development expenditure from the current 2.7 per cent of GDP to 4 per cent by 2030. Instead of cuts, funding should grow strongly so that Finland can reach the 4% target. The proposed cuts to the funding of the Academy of Finland affect especially researchers in the early stages of their careers.
In addition to researchers, cuts in research funding are hitting students hard. Funded researchers work as part of the academic community: in addition to doing research, they teach and guide students. “Cutting out of research is always also an educational cut, because high-quality research is the basis of our education,” emphasizes Iiris Taubert, President of TREY.
The President of Tampere University, Mari Walls, reminds that research and education are future investments in both well-being and the economy. “If we lag internationally behind in research and education, it is almost impossible to close the gap later. ”
As society recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, we need even more quality research, reliable information and quality education. The government should take steps to promote the credibility of science and education and reverse the proposed cuts.
More information: Specialist in International and Educational Affairs Aliisa Toivanen (aliisa.toivanen@trey.fi)