Midterm evaluation of the Centres for Research-based Innovation: All seven centres to continue
All seven Centres for Research-based Innovation (SFI) established in 2011 have been given a positive midterm evaluation by panels of international experts.
The panel evaluating the SFI CCI at work. From left: Professor Jan Engvall, Linköping University, Sweden; Professor Dr Rolf Krause, USI Universitá della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland; Professor David Williams, Loughborough University, the UK (panel chair); and Dr Mattias Lundberg, Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. The midterm evaluation forms the basis for determining whether to continue the individual centre for the remainder of the total eight-year period or to terminate the centre's activities after five years.
The Executive Board of the Research Council of Norway has decided to extend funding to all the SFI centres selected in December 2010 for the additional three-year period.
Experienced international experts
In March 2015, each centre was visited by an international panel comprising two generalists and two scientific specialists.
The scientific specialists had particular responsibility for evaluating scientific activity, whereas the generalists focused on the centres' organisation and operation. The generalists also helped to place the various centres in an integrated context across subject fields and disciplines in order to highlight important similarities and differences as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the individual centres and the SFI scheme as a whole.
Two centres must submit plans
The overall report from the evaluation states: "The evaluation team saw some world leading science and excellent industry-academia collaborations that were delivering significant impact to the organisations involved and to wider society."
Based on the panels' reports and recommendations, five of the centres have been granted an extended contract without having to submit new plans for approval by the Research Council. The two other centres will be given an extended contract provided that they submit a plan by 1 December 2015 for following up selected recommendations from the evaluation report. This plan must be approved by the Research Council.
The scheme works
"The evaluation confirms that the SFI scheme is functioning as intended and that the centres are carrying out a great deal of excellent work," notes Arvid Hallén, Director General of the Research Council of Norway. "In addition, the report provides useful, constructive feedback and recommendations for improvements to the individual centres and to the Research Council. This will be extremely helpful in the further development of the SFI scheme and other centre schemes," says Mr. Hallén.
SFI centres selected in December 2010 and launched in 2011
- Sustainable Arctic Marine and Coastal Technology (SAMCoT)
- Centre for Software Verification and Validation (CERTUS)
- Center for Cardiological Innovation (CCI)
- Sea Lice Research Centre (SLRC)
- Centre for Research-based Innovation in Sustainable Fishing and Pre-processing Technology (CRISP)
- Drilling and Well Centre for Improved Recovery (DrillWell)
- Center for Service Innovation (CSI
