Background and aim
The principle of “Nordic added value” has been used since the 1990s as a means of articulating the political significance of Nordic co-operation and guiding funding decisions. In the Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers, the concept is part of a policy-oriented framework that justifies joint efforts at the Nordic level rather than undertaking activities solely at the national level. At the same time, the concept is operationalised in different policy areas of Nordic co-operation, both in the implementation and evaluation of activities. The concept has been perceived as somewhat unclear and lacking a unified definition, creating a challenge for its use in practice.
This report examines the concept of Nordic added value in Nordic research co-operation that is facilitated and funded by NordForsk under the Nordic Council of Ministers. Nordic added value is the key guiding principle of Nordic research co-operation from the implementation of research programmes to the evaluation of funding applications and monitoring of research impact. The report aims to enhance the understanding and operationalisation of the concept by examining it from both conceptual and practical perspectives. The report answers the following questions:
- What is the history of the concept “Nordic added value” in Nordic co-operation and Nordic research co-operation?
- How do different stakeholders of Nordic research co-operation define and operationalise the concept in practice?
- What are the challenges and possible solutions for defining or clarifying the concept of “Nordic added value” in Nordic research co-operation?
Methods
The methodological approach of the study is a combination of literature review, expert interviews and participant survey. The literature review covers relevant literature, reports, steering documents, websites and other sources of the Nordic Council of Ministers, NordForsk and other Nordic institutions. The expert interviews encompass 17 semi-structured interviews conducted with members of NordForsk programme committees. The data collected through an online survey consists of responses from 79 researchers, who participated in NordForsk-funded projects between 2018 and 2022.
Findings
The idea of Nordic added value refers to strategic co-operation on areas where a Nordic approach generates added value for the countries and peoples of the region. It links to both socio-cultural and economic values and is based on target-oriented management, where the success of a joint effort is judged against pre-defined goals. However, the concept is not static and its meaning has evolved alongside the trends in Nordic co-operation. At policy level, the principle of Nordic added value can today be defined as the positive effects of joint Nordic efforts that strengthen the Nordic region as a cultural and historical community, and as a locally and globally competitive and sustainable welfare society.
Several challenges link to the operationalisation of “Nordic added value” in
practice. First, different
Scandinavian concepts and their English translations, such as nordisk nytta (“Nordic
benefit/advantage/usefulness”) and nordiskt
mervärde (“Nordic synergy”), have been used at different times and in
different contexts to articulate the idea of joint Nordic effort,
contributing to the ambiguous character of the recently more established
English translation of “Nordic added value”. Second, value-based concepts are usually ambivalent as efforts to
define values often end up at a very abstract level. Third, the simultaneous operationalisation of Nordic added value in
different policy areas of Nordic co-operation inevitably generates different meanings, or
alternatively leads to relatively simple understandings of the concept. Fourth, the interpretation of Nordic
added value varies from person to person making it difficult to identify
comparative indicators to assess the added value of joint activities.
An examination of the practical level of Nordic research co-operation revealed that both science experts and researchers perceived Nordic added value as a largely clear concept and no particular challenges were identified in its operationalisation. At the same time, there were significant differences in the understanding of the concept. Four different ways of discussing Nordic added value emerged from the data:
- Nordic added value as a relative concept: The perceived added value of Nordic research co-operation depends on individual and disciplinary differences, and on whether the added value is expected to be generated for the academic or societal level. Activities that generate Nordic added value can be understood as both concrete/material and abstract/immaterial.
- Nordic added value as a multidimensional concept: Nordic added value refers to both a set of characteristics/preconditions that contribute to research and the contributions of research for the Nordic societies and the Nordic scientific community.
- Nordic added value as a relational concept: The benefit of joint Nordic effort is defined in relation to both national and European/global levels. These different levels are not mutually exclusive, but complementary.
- Nordic added value as a contested concept: Nordic added value may convey essentialising and prescriptive connotations of Nordic similarities, uniqueness and exceptionalism.
Attitudes, experiences and support for NordForsk as a facilitator and funder of Nordic research co-operation were found to be very positive among experts and researchers. Increasing the visibility and awareness of Nordic research funding was seen as a particular challenge for NordForsk.
Recommendations
The report shows the flexible, changing and adaptive nature of the concept of Nordic added value, meaning that the principle cannot be used in a static and normative manner throughout different sectors of Nordic co-operation nor within Nordic research co-operation. The report lays out four recommendations for the future use of Nordic added value that aim at contributing to the continuation and renewal of Nordic research co-operation:
1. Strategic Nordic needs and high scientific quality
- The combined objective of facilitating high-quality research and creating Nordic added value requires the identification of particular Nordic needs and strategic areas of expertise when designing research programmes.
- The dual role of Nordic research co-operation as facilitating both high-quality research and strengthening the Nordic community needs to be more openly recognised.
- Collaboration with non-Nordic partners contributes to ensuring research excellence but requires a better recognition of the added value that the participating countries contribute to and receive from the collaboration.
2. Balance between strict criteria and flexibility
- Nordic added value is not a static concept and its operationalisation must strike a balance between clear guidelines and flexibility.
- It is important for researchers to reflect on Nordic added value to ensure the renewal of Nordic research co-operation.
3. Symmetric communication
- A holistic understanding of Nordic added value should be promoted in communication with different stakeholders and across research programmes.
- Discussion of the objectives of Nordic co-operation and more comparative knowledge of Nordic added value in the different institutions would be beneficial.
4. Review of evaluation methods
- Nordic added value is primarily a qualitative concept. Qualitative monitoring of research impact would therefore be beneficial alongside existing quantitative practices.
- The relative and multidimensional character of Nordic added value needs to be considered in the different stages of project evaluation and assessment.