The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Finland
The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World
ISBN: 978-1-80382-702-5, eISBN: 978-1-80382-701-8
Publication date: 29 November 2023
Abstract
Finland aims to increase its research and development (R&D) expenditure to 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. The parliamentary working group proposed to advance Finland’s research, development and innovation objectives which are now strongly committed by the Finnish government. This will allow universities to invest in the research and innovation not only more in the future but also in the long-term and sustainable way.
This would also provide opportunities and challenge the national research management and administration (RMA) community to develop the RMA profession, not only to increase the number of RMAs, but also to better meet the more diverse and complex tasks of the future RMA profession. Finn-ARMA creates a good platform for co-operation between RMAs in various positions and for the professionalisation of the current community and its future new members.
Keywords
Citation
Backman, J., Haverinen, S. and Bingham, E. (2023), "The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Finland", Kerridge, S., Poli, S. and Yang-Yoshihara, M. (Ed.) The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 663-667. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80382-701-820231063
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024 Jaana Backman, Soile Haverinen and Ella Bingham
License
These works are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of these works (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
The Finnish Research Ecosystem
The Ministry of Education and Culture1 ensures the overall functioning of higher education and science in Finland. The Ministry is responsible for the planning and implementation of higher education and science policy, and it prepares the related statutes, national budget proposals and government decisions.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment2 is responsible for preparing and implementing Finland’s innovation policy. The Research and Innovation Council,3 chaired by the Prime Minister, coordinates the development of Finland’s innovation system.
In Finland, both public and private sectors invest heavily in R&D. In 2020, the total investment for R&D was 6.9 billion euros, with private sector funding constituting around two-thirds and public sector one-third of the total. The government is the main source of funding for universities. Additionally, private foundations support the research in many fields in Finland.
The Finnish higher education system consists of 13 universities and 22 universities of applied sciences (UASs) that operate under the Ministry of Education and Culture. The number of universities’ research staff in 2020 was approximately 24,700, of which 4,400 were teaching and research support staff.
Additionally, 12 public research institutes work under related ministries. Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)4 under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is a key cooperation partner for companies, research institutes, higher education institutions and policymakers both nationally and internationally. Other public research institutes are more mission-oriented, with a broad range of research objectives. Their mandate can vary from research (both basic and applied) to additional responsibilities, such as monitoring, data collection and management, certification and inspection.
Universities’ total R&D expenditure is about 1.4 billion euros out of which one-third is basic funding from the state. Most of the competitive project- and programme-based research funding comes from the Academy of Finland,5 Business Finland6 and European Union (EU).7
The Parliamentary Working Group on Research, Development and Innovation8 made a remarkable proposal for R&D funding at the end of 2021. It proposed a new legislative act9 (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, 2021) to increase funding. The parties in the parliament, all of which are represented in the working group, are committed to the target of raising R&D expenditure to 4% of GDP by 2030 and to increasing central government R&D funding as needed in order to meet the target. This would require an increase of the public R&D expenditure to 1.33% of GDP, assuming that the public sector accounts for one-third of R&D investments and the private sector for two-thirds. At the moment, the public R&D expenditure varies annually but is clearly less than 1% of GDP.10 The government has appointed recently a new Parliamentary Working Group on Research, Development and Innovation 2022 (RDI Working Group)11 to draw up a plan for research, development and innovation funding that extends beyond the spending limits period, and to follow the implementation of the decisions and policy outlines of the RDI Working Group 2021.
The Finnish universities welcomed the decisions of the government. Finland’s RDI investments are to be increased in the coming years towards the target of 4% of GDP. The massive cuts in science funding planned for 2023 will be reversed and an RDI tax incentive, making RDI investments tax deductible in companies’ taxation, will be introduced.
Evolution of the Profession in Finland
The RMA profession originated in Finland in the 1980s, when external research funding became more common, and the need for administrative support was identified. The concept of research funding was not new at that time although the amount of external funding at universities was small and managed by the researchers. There was a growing number of business-funded projects, which meant that legal issues became more important. As funding grew and diversified, more conditions had to be taken into account and interpreted into the relational context of the organisation.
The first RMAs were called Research Liaison Officers. RMAs focussed on the pre-award support, helping researchers to find funding opportunities and understand the funding guidelines as well as assist with technical issues. The tasks were quite administrative and reactive.
Legal Counsels were hired for research funding agreements and legal aspects. Next up were the Innovation Managers who were needed to support the technology transfer activities.
Over time, as the competition increased, pre-award tasks evolved strictly from administrative to support proposal writing and content development. Grant Writers and Grant Coaches positions were established. Research Funding Specialists were hired for other pre-award tasks. Project Coordinators or Project Managers were needed for administrative support in coordinated projects.
Participation in the EU’s research and innovation framework programmes brought many new compliance requirements. Organisations also had to take more responsibility to apply for and receive funding. For example, research ethics, open science and impact stood out. Large universities have RMA experts who focus exclusively on these issues.
The Finnish RMA Community
In Finland, Finn-ARMA12 is an umbrella organisation covering a multitude of RMA areas of interest. It brings together research administration and management experts from higher education institutions and research institutes in Finland. Finn-ARMA’s core mission is to promote co-operation, exchange information and enhance the professional development of its members.
Currently, the network has ca. 500 members working in ∼20 thematic groups where most of the actual activities take place. The thematic groups range from research funding to bibliometrics, research information systems, responsible research, research policy and so on. The network is open to all and there is no membership fee. The Finn-ARMA network co-operates with other national parties providing its expertise for joint projects and contributing to the general development of its field.
In Finland, there is no certification system for RMA. In many cases, having a doctoral degree is seen as an advantage in recruitment, but the hiring decisions are made case by case. To support the RMAs in their work, especially those in managerial positions, University of Tampere offers a national study module in HEI management and leadership, but only a minority of people working in RMA enrol to the study module.
Finnish RMA Demographics
As Finn-ARMA, the national network of research administrators, has approximately 500 members, and we estimate that half of RMAs in Finland belong to the network, the total number of RMAs is estimated roughly as 1,000. The research management community in Finland covers universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes and national funding bodies.
About three-quarters of RMAs work in research-intensive universities, and the rest of them work in universities of applied sciences or research institutes. Before their current position, they have most typically worked as a researcher, sometimes also in another public sector or in the corporate sector.
In terms of gender balance, the authors estimate that about two-thirds of RMAs are female. The international survey RAAAP-3 in 2022 (Kerridge, Dutta, et al., 2022) shows that the division between male and female respondents has been even wider. The proportion of female respondents was 88% and that of male respondents was 12% (n = 76).
According to the RAAAP-3 survey (Kerridge, Dutta, et al., 2022), almost two-thirds of the survey respondents have worked for less than 10 years and about 85% have worked for less than 15 years. The number of respondents in this survey was n = 76 for Finland. The number of RMA positions has increased in recent years, and this is also visible in the survey which indicates that over 26% of RMAs have been in position for less than 5 years.
In the above-mentioned survey, 40% of RMAs are in the age range 35–44, almost as many are 45–55 years old, 22% are 55–64 years old and only a small minority are 25–34 years old.
According to the RAAAP-3 survey, 91.9% are permanently employed and 73.3% work in research administration central offices.
Almost all Finnish RMAs have an academic background at the master’s or PhD level. Almost half of them have a doctoral degree while the other half have a master’s degree, with only a few exceptions having a bachelor’s degree only.
Their academic background is typically in Science or Humanities, but any discipline can provide a successful background for RMA work.
The Future of RMA in Finland
We estimate that the profession will more and more emphasise compliance in many ways: supporting open science, research ethics, responsibility, export control, etc. aspects which the surrounding society is expecting from the researchers, and where RMAs can help.
At the same time, we estimate more and more emphasis on supporting the societal impact of research: supporting multidisciplinary, innovations, outreach, etc. This is also something that the society is demanding from the universities and the research sector.
The role of the RMA has already shifted from administrative support to high-level expertise support, and this trend is continuing. The diversity of the RMA profession seems to be increasing, and the requests posed to RMAs are more and more complex. RMAs not only interact effectively with the research teams but are valued and trusted actors of those research teams.
Summary
In this chapter, we have seen that RMA originated in Finland in the 1980s, when the administrative support need was identified. Since 1980, the RMA profession has grown, diversified, shifted from administrative support to high-level expertise support and has become more professional.
References
Kerridge, Dutta, Fischer, & Oliveira 2022Kerridge, S., Dutta, M., Fischer, M., & Oliveira, C. I. (2022). RAAAP-3 HIBARMA main dataset. figshare. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21120058
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2021Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. (2021). Parliamentary RDI Working Group proposes legislative act to increase funding for research and development. https://stm.fi/en/-/10616/parliamentary-rdi-working-group-proposes-legislative-act-to-increase-funding-for-research-and-development
- Prelims
- Introduction and Structure
- Introduction to Part 1
- Section 1: History
- Chapter 1.1: The Contribution of International Donors to African Research Management
- Chapter 1.2: History of Research Administration/Management in North America
- Chapter 1.3: Research Managers and Administrators in Asia: History and Future Expectations
- Chapter 1.4: History of Research Management in Australia and New Zealand
- Chapter 1.5: History of RMA in Central and Eastern European Countries
- Chapter 1.6: The Development of Research Management and Administration in Europe: A Short History
- Chapter 1.7: The Establishment and History of the International Network of Research Management Societies
- Section 2: Context
- Chapter 2.1: A Novel Definition of Professional Staff
- Chapter 2.2: The Research Administration as a Profession (RAAAP) Survey
- Chapter 2.3: Routes into Research Management and Administration
- Chapter 2.4: Research Management as Labyrinthine – How and Why People Become and Remain Research Managers and Administrators Around the World
- Chapter 2.5: Where Do RMAs Work?
- Chapter 2.6: The Establishment of a Research Project Management Office at a Medical School in University of São Paulo, FMRP-USP, Brazil
- Chapter 2.7: RMA Education, Training and Professional Development in North America and Europe
- Chapter 2.8: Pathways Towards the Creation of RMA Associations
- Section 3: Identity
- Chapter 3.1: From Conceptualisation to Action – The Quest for Understanding Attitudes of Research Managers and Administrators in the Wider World
- Chapter 3.2: Exploring Forms of Knowledge and Professionalism in RMA in a Global Context
- Chapter 3.3: Understanding Organisational Structures in RMA – An Overview of Structures and Cases in a Global Context
- Chapter 3.4: Research-related Information Management: Reflections from Southern African Practitioners
- Chapter 3.5: Empirical and Empathetic Approaches Taken by Science, Technology and Innovation Coordinators in Southeast Asia
- Chapter 3.6: The Influence of RMA Associations on Identity and Policymaking Internationally
- Chapter 3.7: Evolution of Professional Identity in Research Management and Administration
- Section 4: Professionalism
- Chapter 4.1: Professionalisation of Research Management and Administration in Southern Africa – A Case Study
- Chapter 4.2: Professionalisation of Research Support in Hungary Through the Lens of the Non-research Specific Requirements of Horizon Europe
- Chapter 4.3: Professional Staff in Support Services in Education and Research – How to Connect Research with Practice
- Chapter 4.4: Professional Associations and Professional Development Frameworks
- Chapter 4.5: RASPerS: Prevalence of Occupational Stress and Associated Factors in RMA Professionals
- Chapter 4.6: A Profession in the Making: Insights from Western Balkan Countries
- Chapter 4.7: Key Perspectives for a Long-term Career – Statistical Analysis of International Data for a New Profession
- Chapter 4.8: Diversity and Internationalisation: A New Core Competence for Research Managers?
- Part 2 - Section 5: Country Specific Chapters
- Chapter 5.1: Introduction to the RMA by Country Chapters
- Africa
- Chapter 5.2: Research Management and Administration in Kenya in a Challenging Research Environment
- Chapter 5.3: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Nigeria
- Chapter 5.4: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in South Africa
- North America
- Chapter 5.5: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Canada
- Chapter 5.6: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in the Caribbean Community
- Chapter 5.7: Research Administration in the United States
- South America
- Chapter 5.8: Research Management and Administration in Brazil
- Chapter 5.9: Maturity in the Professionalisation of the Research Managers and Administrators in Colombia
- Asia
- Chapter 5.10: Development of RMA in China
- Chapter 5.11: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in India
- Chapter 5.12: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Japan
- Chapter 5.13: Development of Research Management in Malaysia
- Chapter 5.14: Research Management and Administration in Pakistan's Context
- Chapter 5.15: Research Management and Administration (RMA) in Singapore: Development of RMA Capability in Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
- Chapter 5.16: Research Management and Administration in Vietnam
- Australasia
- Chapter 5.17: The Emergence of the Research Management Profession in Australia
- Chapter 5.18: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Central and Eastern Europe
- Chapter 5.19: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in the Baltic Countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
- Chapter 5.20: RMA in Belarus: Not Yet a Full-Fledged Profession But an Important Part of R&D Activities
- Chapter 5.21: Research Management and Administration in Cyprus
- Chapter 5.22: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Czechia
- Chapter 5.23: Research Management and Administration in Poland
- Chapter 5.24: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Romania
- Chapter 5.25: Evolution of RMA in Slovenia
- Chapter 5.26: Research Management and Administration in the Western Balkans
- Western Europe
- Chapter 5.27: Areas of Research Management and Administration in Austria
- Chapter 5.28: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Denmark
- Chapter 5.29: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Finland
- Chapter 5.30: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in France
- Chapter 5.31: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Germany
- Chapter 5.32: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Iceland
- Chapter 5.33: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Ireland
- Chapter 5.34: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Italy
- Chapter 5.35: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in the Netherlands
- Chapter 5.36: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Norway
- Chapter 5.37: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Portugal
- Chapter 5.38: The Development of the RMA Profession in Catalonia (Spain)
- Chapter 5.39: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in Sweden
- Chapter 5.40: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in the UK
- Middle East
- Chapter 5.41: Research Management and Administration in Qatar
- Chapter 5.42: Research Management and Administration in Saudi Arabia: Transitioning From an Oil to a Knowledge-based Economy
- Chapter 5.43: Research Management and Administration: An Emerging Profession in the UAE
- Chapter 5.44: Reflections on Research Management and Administration in Various Countries Around the World
- Section 6: Reflections
- Chapter 6: Emerging Trends and Insights in Research Management and Administration
- Glossary
- References
- Index