The working group Biotechnics 2000 deems continued funding to biotechnics and molecular biology necessary. The rapid development in the field, new technologies and methods and their implementation require that proficiency be maintained and strengthened. The Secretariat of the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education currently being established will be situated in Helsinki. Sc. has been appointed special adviser within the Ministry of Education's field of administration at the Finnish EU delegation in Brussels. The Ministry of Education hopes for increased dance funding next year.
More money is needed, for example, to stimulate touring.
The Ministry's plans and aspirations relate to a committee report on dance policy presented to Minister Lind n in November 1999 and the subsequent comments on it. Funding will be granted to 91 different activities, most of them already well established cultural events. About 400,000 young people in more than 90 countries take part in the International Award Programme every year. The 1999 statistics show a total of 63.8 million library visits, about 400,000 less than for the previous year. There were 12 library visits and 19 loans per Finn in 1999.