Research for the future

2007.04.13 by Hilde Pettersen

- Millions of kroner in State research funds will create new enterprises, products and services. We expect that the SFI centres will become so strong that they change the research landscape and result in important ties with international research communities.

The three Tromsø centres have received their SFI plaques. From left: Director Lasse Lønnum, University of Tromsø; Professor Gunnar Hartvigsen, Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory, Professor Trond Jørgensen, MabCent; Professor Bjørn Olstad, FAST; and Jarle Aarbakke, Rector of UiT. Photo: Jan Fredrik Frantzen.

As the Research Council of Norway signed contracts with the three northernmost centres for research-based innovation (SFI), the message was clear:

- “New knowledge will form the basis for future innovation. The best will work together with the best to create internationally competitive businesses,” emphasized divisional director Ragnhild Solheim, the Research Council of Norway's representative at the ceremony in Tromsø.

Knowledge builder

Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory is one of three SFI centres in Tromsø. Rikke Lind, State Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Industry, highlights the centres as important knowledge builders for the future. The millions of kroner from the Research Council will be supplemented by large amounts from businesses and research institutions that are partners in the initiatives at the individual centres.

- “The confidence now evident in the research community in Tromsø through the SFI centres has a solid foundation. Through hard work, research results, and competition, you have shown that you are foremost in the country in your fields. This results in funding, prestige, and not least, expectations that top-class innovation will emerge from the process,” says Rikke Lind.

Managers and researchers at Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory. From left: Administrative Head Sture Pettersen, researcher Vedad Hadziavdic, Academic Head Gunnar Hartvigsen, researcher Daniel Nygård and researcher Geir Østengen. Photo: Jan Fredrik Frantzen.

Stable operating context

Among the heads of the centres that have now been secured a sound and stable operating context for the coming years is the administrative head of the Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory, Sture Pettersen.

- “We are located in one of the largest and most compact communities in health and ICT in Norway, and we will build on the effective teamwork that we have developed with our partners.

- “We intend to contribute to more active use of technology within health. I am firmly convinced that – through user-friendly and simple systems which patients can handle themselves – we can motivate people to take greater care of their own health in a professional manner.”

The other two SFI centres in Tromsø that signed contracts were MabCent and Fast.

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