Global collaborations

Formas works globally in various ways, including funding research in specific countries, often at the instruction of the Swedish Government, with the aim of bilaterally strengthening research policy alliances. It is also part of Formas’ global activities to work within different organisations to support opportunities for Swedish researchers to build collaborations and networks with researchers around the world.

India

Formas collaborates with the Swedish Energy Agency, Forte, the Swedish National Space Board, the Swedish Research Council and Vinnova to strengthen Sweden’s long-term research, innovation and educational collaborations with India. The background to this is the desire of the Swedish government to increase collaboration between Swedish and Indian scientists as India increasingly invests in research and development of strategic importance to both countries.

South Africa

Sweden and South Africa have a research collaboration agreement. One of the collaborations is a mobility programme for research exchange between the two countries. This has been initiated by The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT) and Formas is one of several participants providing funding from the Swedish side.

The Global Research Council is an organisation consisting of research funders from all over the world. Its purpose is to facilitate and improve collaboration between funders in different parts of the world and to enhance the role of research in society. Formas and the Swedish Research Council participate on Sweden’s behalf. Formas is a participant of the joint Sustainable Development Goals pilot call which aims to ramp up and work jointly toward realising Agenda 2030.

To augment the global network of Formas and the opportunities for Swedish researchers to participate in strategic collaborations, Formas participates in the Belmont Forum. This is an association of research funding bodies supporting environmental research and sustainable development. Its purpose is to support transdisciplinary research on global environmental and climate challenges. The Belmont Forum also coordinates strategies, offers experience exchange and joint learning and funding of common research programmes.

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, IIASA, is an international research institute that brings together prominent researchers to contribute with a systems perspective on complex societal issues such as energy conversion, global health and the conservation of biodiversity. The programmes include research on climate change, with its global challenges and solutions, as well as research for pathways to reducing poverty and securing food.

Formas is the Swedish member organisation of IIASA, providing funding and governance support to the institute. Formas also supports the participation of Swedish doctoral students in IIASA’s summer schools and, through our national and international research calls, provides excellent opportunities for Swedish researchers to collaborate with IIASA scientists.