Strategic research funding granted for research supporting economic growth and future work

Five consortia were granted funding in the SRC programme Skills, Labour Supply and Migration in Future Finland (SKILLS). The research to be conducted within the programme examines ways and means to ensure a favourable development in Finnish society by securing a sufficient supply of labour and skills in the future. A total of eleven different research fields and 16 organisations are represented in the SKILLS consortia.

Five consortia were granted funding in the SRC programme Economy and Welfare in an Era of Strategic Competition (WELEC). Research under this programme focuses on how and by what means the economy can develop favourably and lay the foundations for prosperity in changing circumstances. A total of 15 research fields and 17 organisations are represented in the WELEC consortia.

SRC Chair, Professor Mikael Fogelholm said: “These programmes create new solutions to boost future economic growth, competitiveness, productivity, skills and employment. The funded projects focus on demographic projections, sustainable integration of human capital, new perspectives on health and care services, systemic changes, and even the space economy. They emphasise the interdisciplinary nature and societal impact of SRC programmes, and with AI as the cross-cutting priority, also technological innovation.”

The SRC also appointed programme directors for both programmes. Mika Nieminen, Adjunct Professor at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, was appointed programme director of the WELEC programme, and Ville-Pekka Sorsa, Research Director at the University of Helsinki, was appointed programme director of the SKILLS programme.

The programme directors will assume their duties at the same time as the research projects are launched and will focus on strengthening the societal impact of the programmes.

More information

• Funding decisions: Skills, Labour Supply and Migration in Future Finland (SKILLS)
• Funding decisions: Economy and Welfare in an Era of Strategic Competition (WELEC)
• questions about the programmes: Tuomas Katajarinne, Senior Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 067
• Questions about the programme directors: Siru Oksa, Senior Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 125
• Contact us primarily via the helpdesk