This represents a new type of task for the Research Council, enlarging the wide-ranging portfolio of international collaborative research programmes that is already in place, and that also encompasses India. The transfer is planned implemented by the end of this year.
Confidence in the Research Council
“It is not the embassy’s job to carry out extensive financial management. Our main responsibility is to cultivate the market in India. This requires a high degree of presence in order to gain access to such a complex society. We need to work ‘hands-on’ and have the cultural expertise to achieve this,” says Ann Ollestad, Norway’s Ambassador to India.
The ambassador is confident that the Research Council has the expertise as well as the capacity to take on this task. “We are doing this to improve efficiency. We have noted that India is an attractive partner country for Norwegian institutions, and Indian institutions and companies are showing great interest in Norway as well. We have our hands full with following up everyone and we cannot be burdened by administering the funding.”
“Is there support for this solution within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?”
“This is in keeping with the ministry’s strategy which aims to make the government administration more efficient. My hope is that our cooperation with the Research Council will be a linchpin in the critical efforts underway at Norad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to follow this up,” says Ambassador Ollestad.
Research in Norway’s India strategy
“In connection with the India strategy adopted in 2009, the Government set aside major funding for cooperation in the areas of research, technology and higher education. Important focus areas are climate change and the environment, energy and global health. The embassy has approximately NOK 50 million per year at its disposal for institutional cooperation, and the portfolio is targeted mainly at research and technology.”
Ambassador Ollestad points to Norway’s comprehensive agreement with the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) as a flagship of institutional cooperation. TERI has over 900 employees, is headquartered in New Delhi and has many regional offices in India as well as in London, Washington, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur. The institute is directed by Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, who serves as the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr Pachauri received the Nobel Peace Prize along with former US Vice President Al Gore in 2007. “The embassy will retain some funding for innovative cooperation on research and education, and this agreement will continue to be administered by the embassy,” she says.
“What is the background for the embassy’s expanded cooperation with the Research Council?”
“We’ve got more and more to administer. We have come to realise over time that the way we administer the funding for institutional cooperation could and should be done more efficiently,” says Ambassador Ollestad. “We have had a constructive dialogue with the Research Council about how we can administer our portfolio in connection with other activities in this field. The Research Council and the embassy have a lot to learn from each other. From our perspective, our cooperation gives Norway a higher profile within both research and higher education in India.”
More strategic use of funding
Ambassador Ollestad emphasises that the embassy expects that its high level of expertise will continue to be used – both with regard to conditions in India and how cooperation with Indian institutions can best be developed. “We receive many delegations that want to explore opportunities in India. In this context it is extremely valuable to be able to draw on our institutional cooperation in the areas of research and technology.”
“The new foreign policy entails more strategic use of financial resources. Aren’t you afraid that the embassy is now relinquishing its strategic potential?”
“No, we agree with the Research Council that we should strengthen the strategic use of funding. Of course the parties must work closely together on this, and the Government’s India strategy will provide the guiding principles for the embassy and Research Council alike,” says Ambassador Ollestad.
Nonetheless, she believes it was important that the embassy had strategic control at the start. “The collaboration has been successful because we have been able to take decisions quickly. A research programme is more difficult to use from a foreign policy perspective because state-to-state cooperation is less clear. With regard to large, important countries, it is crucial that we take some specific steps and demonstrate our desire to cooperate. It has also been significant that the prime minister views India as a key partner country for Norway.”
“What expectations do you have for the new scheme?”
“For this solution to be viable, we must ensure it results in effective administration and greater user satisfaction amongst the Indian institutions. The most important thing now is that the transfer is seamless so that the users are not affected by who ‘owns’ the funding. The Research Council must also develop a good platform for communication with the users. The test will be whether the users are satisfied – both in terms of processing time and communication.”
A lot to learn from India
According to Ambassador Ollestad, Norway has much to learn from India. “Research cooperation is also a platform for dialogue with modern India. Sixty percent of the population is under 30 years old, and many of these young people are pursuing higher education. Young, talented women are making their mark on the business sector and society as a whole. It is crucial to get involved at the ground floor with the rapid growth that is occurring in such a dynamic society.”
“India could comprise a vital innovation arena for the Norwegian business sector. We have managed to gain a foothold in the telecom industry. The process of establishing Telenor in India has been incredibly exciting. In India we have a market growing by 13 million subscriptions each month!”
Ambassador Ollestad also points out that acceptance of differences and multiculturalism are important values in Indian society. “We have a lot to gain from having a wide network of contacts in a society like this,” she believes.
Good match
“Is Norway attractive to the people of India?”
“The expertise that Norway possesses matches India’s needs very well,” the ambassador believes.
“Representatives from the Indian Ministry of Finance were in Norway recently for their annual consultation, and they said this is exactly the kind of cooperation they are seeking. If we are to take advantage of the momentum we have, we need to focus on the dynamics and the potential inherent in this situation.”
She sees exciting opportunities on the horizon in the areas of carbon capture and storage (CCS), green shipping, oil and gas, renewable energy and climate.
“We have a strategic collaboration with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) in several areas including peace operations and the role of the UN. When it comes to social research, the Indians are interested in topics such as democracy, inclusive growth and societal security.”