Universitas Helsingiensis Quality needs no lobbing - EU research funds to Helsinki on the increase The University of Helsinki has succeeded in increasing its share of the European Union research budget of. The University is currently involved in 121 projects under the fourth framework programme. Among Finnish universities and research institutes it receives the second largest amount of financial support from EU research funds after the Technical Research Centre of Finland. Since EU research programmes usually focus on technology, this is a high achievement for a traditional multidisciplinary university. Helsinki University currently receives some 30 million marks annually from the EU, which corresponds to a tenth of the research funds not financed from the university s own budget.
Project expenses nevertheless exceed the profit.
The results of EU projects are nevertheless expected to provide economic benefits in the future. Ilmavirta stresses the fact that the Commission of the European Union does not support research for its own sake, but rather for its applications. Helsinki University is determined not to be pushed aside when it comes to the commercial application of any results. The secret of the university s success lies in a big investment in support measures which enable the scientists to find outside funding as easily as possible. Ilmavirta was appointed Research Liaison Officer in the summer of 1994, at a time when the university was rushing to meet the challenges of approaching EU membership, and the support organisation was quickly set up and ready for action.