Public basic funding to research institutes and research groups

The public basic funding is to be used for long-term knowledge and competence building that is relevant for current and future users. Thirty-three research institutes and groups are currently covered by "Retningslinjer for statlig grunnbevilgning til forskningsinstitutter og forskningskonsern" (in Norwegian at regjeringen.no).

The public basic funding is disbursed by the Research Council and has a fixed component and a performance-based component. The purpose of the results-based part is to stimulate a good balance between quality and relevance. It is calculated on the basis of scores on indicators such as national contract income, international income, scientific publications, participation in doctoral education and patents and licenses.

Requirements and supplementary rules

Public basic funding may only be awarded to research institutes and groups that meet the requirements set out in Section 4.1 of the Guidelines. In consultation with the Ministry of Education and Research, the Research Council has adopted four qualification indicators to elaborate on some of these requirements. The qualification indicators are described in more detail in the Guidelines for Public Basic Funding to Research Institutes and Research Groups - Supplementary Rules (pdf in Norwegian). 

Specifically about subsidiaries

The public basic funding to research organisations that are subsidiaries in a research group, or that are owned by another research institute, is disbursed to and used by the parent company (cf. the parent company). Section 5.3 of the Guidelines). The Research Council has clarified what must be fulfilled in order for a subsidiary to be covered by the basic grant scheme so that the parent company can use funds from its own basic grant in the subsidiary.