With the Helse Vest deadlines just around the corner, I would firstly like to wish anyone who is applying the best of luck with their respective applications. Also, please be aware of the possibility of applying for innovative projects through Helse Vest. Later this month we also have deadlines for SFI applications and with several researchers from K2 involved in these applications, Id like to wish applicants there the best of luck!
As institute leader Pål discussed recently when the Rector of UiB was visiting the medical faculty a number of weeks ago, external funds brought in by K2 researchers accounted for approximately 15% of the total external funding attracted to UiB in 2018. That is an incredible statistic for one institute, and demonstrates what can be achieved when state-of-the-art core facilities of the university and the innovative minds of our researchers combine with the clinical potential of Haukeland University Hospital (HUS). With tougher times ahead for UiB, resultant of dwindling funding from the government, the emphasis on attracting external funding, particularly from NFR and EU, will intensify. Resultantly, we need to continuously evolve our collaboration with HUS so that our research remains relevant, competitive and innovative. This will get us some of the way, but as always the devil is in the details – particularly budget details, as many of you with translational projects will have experienced. The challenge here will be to have greater flexibility and dynamism in how HUS and UiB interact, and that they can find a symbiotic and synergistic relationship to further nurture and not hinder this uniquely innovative research environment at campus Haukeland. Thus, I would urge our leaders both at the university and hospital to find workable solutions around these challenges for the betterment of the research environment and benefit of the faculty’s purse strings.
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to innovation week OPP (https://www.innovasjonsukenopp.no/om-opp/) that starts next Monday 16thof September. OPP is a celebration of innovators! The aim is to to inspire people to explore the possibilities within innovation through events all over our region, aiming to connect entrepreneurs, collaborators and investors. OPP is thus a great place if you have a good idea you want to discuss, if you want to learn more about specific topics or if you want to learn more about innovation.