Elite program for young researchers proposed

Sweden's higher education and research minister proposed launching an elite program for young scientists on Wednesday, citing the need to improve Swedish research.

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In an article on Dagens Nyheter's opinion page on Wednesday, Krantz wrote that the proposed elite program would give young researchers the chance to receive good funding for a certain amount of time and greater freedom to develop their research.

Scientists will be recruited from different scientific disciplines. When fully developed, the program is expected to include around 100 scientists. The inspiration for the proposal comes from a similar project in the US, which has produced good results.

Krantz wrote in the opinion piece that Sweden is one of the countries which invests the most in research and development, but has not succeeded at all in taking advantage of the extensive investments.

Marie Granlund, the Social Democrats' education policy spokeswoman, believes the advisory group of researchers to the government has done a good job, but the government has not impressed.

"This is a bit of Krantz playing Santa Claus when the proposals can be implemented in only three years," she said. "In the meantime, we have had proposals on investing in young researchers that the centre-right government has voted against."

She added, "As for government investment in basic education, the government has done nothing there."

However, the Swedish Association of University Teachers (Sveriges universitetslärarförbund, SULF) is receptive to the group's proposal, although one important point is missing, according to SULF President Anna Götlind.

"A requirement for the elite researchers is that they want to receive an undergraduate education linked to research-related education," she said in a press release.

"The group appears to have completely overlooked the need for resources linked to research tied with funding for undergraduate education. Without an academic undergraduate education of the highest class, it will not produce elite researchers," she added.