The Chalmers Foundation has pledged to invest SEK 100 million annually for ten years, in a new initiative that will pave the way for groundbreaking research and strengthen Chalmers' contribution to societal development. The considerable investment will increase researchers' freedom and create better conditions for a long-term perspective, creativity and the ability for risk-taking in research.
Improving the conditions for free research is one of the fundamental parts of Chalmers' vision of a world-class university by 2041. To achieve this, the university wants to significantly increase the part of research funding that comes from the university as a whole. In addition to a basic grant from the state, external financiers, who often have a shorter time frame and a more precise focus, currently account for a significant part of the total research funding at Chalmers. The Chalmers University of Technology Foundation therefore has a goal to eventually establish its own, internal basic grant, and the new initiative is a first step towards this.
The foundation decision kicks off with an investment of SEK 100 million, and the goal is to continue the investment annually for ten years. Throughout the course of the ten year investment period, the aim is to provide twenty existing Chalmers researchers with funding for their research of SEK 5 million per individual annually, for five years. The scope may be even greater. After five years, the investment will be evaluated, and the ambition is then to increase the investment framework to approximately SEK 200–250 million per year.
Provides a long-term perspective and freedom
An important goal of the decision is to conduct high-quality, creative and innovative research, which is usually described in the university world as academic excellence. The initiative provides the opportunity to strengthen research with a longer time frame, which in the long term can make a big difference to society.
"Strong core funding is extremely important to create freedom and a long-term perspective in research. We are now facing an exciting opportunity to give promising researchers the resources they need to take on new challenges, dare to think big and take greater risks in their research," says Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology.
Sara Wallin, CEO of the Chalmers Foundation, emphasises that the solution to global societal challenges often lies in the field of technical and natural sciences. Chalmers has a key role in this, which she believes is further strengthened by the clear focus on internal basic funding.
"Groundbreaking ideas that come from research are an important basis for rapid technological development, sustainable transition and for being able to implement important societal changes. With this investment, it becomes even clearer that Chalmers is using its unique conditions to be able to contribute to the development of society to the maximum, and strengthen Sweden's part in meeting the global challenges," she says.
It is also hoped that the funding will help strengthen the joint commitment to the University's overall goals. When researchers receive long-term and stable resources, it facilitates focus on research, education and collaboration with society.
"There is an extremely strong culture at Chalmers that we want to take advantage of: striving forward is in our DNA, and with this investment we also want to strengthen the collective responsibility for Chalmers' development and goal fulfillment," says Sara Wallin.
More about Chalmers Group strategy and investment in core funding
- In February 2022, the boards of the foundation and the university adopted a new vision and group strategy for Chalmers. The overall aim is to strengthen and develop Chalmers into a world-class technical university by 2041.
- The recently decided foundation investment is part of the Group strategy and involves an investment of SEK 100 million in internal basic funding of the faculty, starting in 2025, and a focus on continuing the investment annually for ten years. The hope is to increase the investment to SEK 200–250 million annually after the mid-term.
- The investment framework also includes a start-up investment in the "Entrepreneurial Fellowships" programme, of a maximum of SEK 29 million over a three-year period. Thereafter, the continued financing of the programme will be made by other means.
Vision and long term strategy
Over the past two hundred years, technological progress has made a decisive contribution to a better life for humankind. However, it is that same technological development that is in many ways responsible for the serious situation our planet now finds itself in. Chalmers must therefore focus even more on the transition that is needed for sustainable change.
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