Investment plan

The disciplinary priorities of this Portfolio are strongly related to the thematic priorities, mainly the social sciences and medicine and health sciences. There is a new emphasis on the contribution from the humanities within the Portfolio, in accordance with the ambitions in the Government's white paper Meld. St. 25 (2016–2017) The Humanities in Norway. A central aim of the white paper is to contribute to greater mutual curiosity, exploration and proximity between the humanities and other subject areas and areas of society.

Interdisciplinary and transformative research is gaining attention both in Norway and globally as the emphasis on tackling complex real-world problems and conducting high quality ground-breaking research means that traditional monodisciplinary approaches are in many cases no longer suitable. In order to be able to address complex challenges, there is a need to ensure a stronger emphasis on innovative inter-disciplinary programmes, across a wide range of disciplines, and this Portfolio will encourage and support researchers intending to adopt interdisciplinary and transformative ways of working.

A new emphasis is placed on methodology using shared data, artificial intelligence and modelling. New communication strategies are needed with better use of innovative technology and approaches to ensure new knowledge learned is shared with all the relevant stakeholders using effective and relevant approaches and strategies.

The Portfolio prioritises thematic research within the areas of international relations, foreign and security policy, development issues with a focus on poverty reduction, climate change, migration, humanitarian need and global health. The following areas are considered to be of particular importance;

• World order and the international system
• System of government, democracy and human rights
• Foreign and security policy
• Peace and Conflict
• Poverty reduction
• Humanitarian efforts
• Global health
• Climate, environment and renewable energy

Changes in international politics and security and global development will profoundly influence and shape Norwegian security, politics, economic and societal development and business opportunities and practices. The Portfolio targets Norwegian research organisations, but the public sector, business and society at large must benefit from the research results. Research relevant for policy making and public administration, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, The Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) is an important priority. Other ministries, public agencies, business and NGOs will also benefit from the research funded by the Portfolio.

The Portfolio also prioritises research relevant for policy makers, services, the public sector and business in developing countries. Global health research ought to be conducted in close cooperation with relevant local partners and the public health sector to secure relevance and benefits for the users. Another important task for this portfolio is to promote research with the purpose of informing policymaking and to ensure Norwegian participation in the EU's framework programs.

The relevance of the structure of Horizon Europe for the Portfolio on International Relations and Global Development is primarily linked to Pillar 2 – Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness. This Portfolio will closely follow up on the framework programme's more specific priorities as they are developed and will strongly encourage relevant research groups to participate in EU-calls for proposals.

The investments

The investments so far are related to the activities under NORGLOBAL2, UTENRIKS, GLOBVAC and VISJON 2030. These activities, which each receives earmarked funding from ministries, have operated under time-limited periods.

NORGLOBAL2 started in 2016 and have framework agreements on funding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norad, with the amount of 592 180 543 kroner for the period 2016-2023.

NORGLOBAL has had joint calls with the education programme FINNUT, CHINOR and MARINFORSK. As a result of this NORGLOBAL is responsible for following up the CHINOR project and FINNUT is following up the education project. In the 2019 call it was allocated 20 million kroner to MARINFORSK and two projects are followed up by that portfolio.

The NORGLOBAL2 investments are as following pr. 30.09.2020

*43 projects include

• 3 network projects and 5 other support projects
• 1 CHINOR project 
• 1 project that is followed up by the education programme (FINNUT) with funds from NORGLOBAL. 
• Not included are two MARINFORSK projects that are funded with NORGLOBAL funds

UTENRIKS started in 2018 and have framework agreements on funding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence. UTENRIKS works with earmarked funding for the activities The High North, Russia and the Eastern Europe, Europe in Transition and Asia in a Time of Change. With the allocations related to the 2020 Call for proposals, it is expected that all funds for The High North, Russia and Eastern Europa and to Europe in Transition for the period (2018-2022) will be allocated to research contracts.

In additional to allocated funds from the Ministries, there are also funds from the activities CHINOR and INDNOR to the 2019 joint call (22 mill) and 31 million from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research to enhance research on the Humanities (2019-call for proposals).

The UTENRIKS investments are as following pr. 30.09.2020:

GLOBVACs second period lasts from 2012 to 2020. During this period GLOBVAC has received NOK 698 688 000 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and NOK 87 600 000 from the Ministry of Health and Care Services. NOK 10 million in unused funds were also transferred from GLOBVAC1 to GLOBVAC2. Together this amounts to a total budget of NOK 796 288 000 in total for this period.

With the allocations related to the 2020 Call for proposals, there will be no funds left for future calls unless the Research Council receives funding for a new period.

The GLOBVAC investments are as follows pr. 30.09.2020:

*88 projects include 

• 3 periods for the Norwegian Forum for Global Health Research 
• 1 Research School
• 40 Research projects
• 5 innovation projects in the private sector
• 6 personal PhD with mandatory stay in a developing country
• 9 young research talents
• 23 support for events
• 1 project: support for the GLOBVAC conference 2021

** This amount includes administrative costs until 2018 when they were separated from the yearly allocations from MfA and MHCS and allocated directly from the Ministry of Education and Research. The NOK 14,7 million in funding for 4 projects in the Research Council's Covid-19 Emergency call is not included in the "Total sum committed in contracts".

*** The rest of the funding from GLOBVAC2 (NOK 15 717 879 as per 30.09.2020) will, together with future funding, be allocated to successful projects in the 2020 call.

The VISION 2030 investments are as following pr. 30.09.2020: