We are establishing a committee for engineering sciences

The division was proposed in the Government’s Research and Innovation Bill 2024. The Government points to the rapid technological development, and the need for major investments in the field of technology. Against this background, the Government proposes that the Swedish Research Council’s Scientific Council for Natural and Engineering Sciences shall be divided up into two parts: one for natural sciences, and one for engineering sciences. In this way, both areas will have greater opportunities to focus on their own specific needs and challenges.

The division will be done in two steps

Establishing a new scientific council is a process that takes time. But even now, the Swedish Research Council is establishing a committee for engineering sciences.

“We want to create the best possible opportunities for the new initiatives in technology. For this reason, we are now establishing a committee that can focus on the new assignments until such time as a scientific council is in place,” says Katarina Bjelke, Director General of the Swedish Research Council.

During a transition period, the Committee for Engineering Sciences will be tasked with looking after three new initiatives in the technology area. Marika Edoff, Professor of Solid State Electronics at Uppsala University, has been appointed as Secretary General for Engineering Sciences.

“This is a job that needs to get going quickly. It is about excellence clusters for ground-breaking technology, research in the mining area, and basic research in nuclear technology,” says Marika Edoff.

Collaboration between subject areas is important

Katarina Bjelke emphasises the importance of continued close collaboration between natural sciences and engineering sciences.

“We must make absolutely sure not to lose this. We also need to develop the collaboration further between the other scientific councils and committees. The formats for doing more joint work are currently being discussed,” she tells us.

The current scientific council continues as before during the transition period

The current Scientific Council for Natural and Engineering Sciences will continue its activities as usual during the transition period. The Commitee for Engineering Sciences will not be responsible for the calls that are currently managed by the Scientific Council for Natural and Engineering Sciences. Only when two scientific councils are in place with members appointed via electors will a division into different review panels be effected, for natural sciences and for engineering sciences.

The Swedish Research Council is now awaiting a change in its instruction and an ordinance establishing the new scientific council. Once the formalities are completed, the usual process for appointing members of the two new scientific councils via electors will take place. New members of the Swedish Research Council’s scientific councils are always appointed via an election process where the higher education institutions first appoint electors to represent Sweden’s researchers. Thereafter, the electors choose who will be the new members. The plan is for the election of members to take place in 2027, and for the two scientific councils to be in place by 1 January 2028.

Read the interview with Marika Edoff, Secretary General for Engineering Sciences

How members of the board and scientific councils are appointed