NEWS
The first five years of EcoChange have come to an end, and the strategic research programme has been evaluated. The expert panel praise the strategic programme, and point out the management, the international collaboration and the close contact with stakeholders as important success factors.
Professor Agneta Andersson, coordinator for the strategic research programme EcoChange. Photo: Kristina Viklund.
In 2008 EcoChange was launched, together with a number of other research programmes at Swedish universities. This was a result of the Swedish Government’s decision to invest in strategic areas where Swedish research was of the highest international standard or was assessed to have the potential to be so. In total, 43 research environments were funded, and EcoChange was one of them. The funding was tied to an instruction to the universities to build up research within the strategic area to the highest international level.
Now the first five years of EcoChange have come to an end, and the strategic research programme has been evaluated. The evaluation has been lead by an international expert panel, which has had expert scientists recruited for the inital assessment. In the EcoChange programme Umeå University and Linnaeus University are partners, and the the programme also collaborates with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish Museum of Natural History. It is hosted by Umeå University, and coordinated by Professor Agneta Andersson. Vice programme coordinator is Professor Catherine Legrand at the Linnaeus University in Kalmar.
Forward thinking management
Water sampling in the Bothnian Bay. Researcher Owen Rowe together with colleagues, working within the EcoChange programme. Photo: Mikael Molin.
Being involved in the EcoChange programme as a communication officer, I feel very proud when reading the evaluation report. In the report, EcoChange is described as a research programme with an impressively forward thinking management team, and with international collaboration which is effective in all dimensions. The expert panel has also noted that EcoChange has developed impressive knowledge exchange and collaboration with key governance agencies. The success is, among other factors, explained by an effective organization stucture, a detailed planning, and good communication within the programme. The formation of a stakeholder panel to oversee and guide the research programme has been highly significant, and has provided a strong model for research impact.
Stimulating environment
The expert panel points out that EcoChange provides a very stimulating environment for young researchers, with international and multidisciplinary research that has a real connection to the end-user. Finally, the expert panel states that EcoChange so far has been a very effective investment for Sweden, with gains on numerous fronts in a societally important research area.
Added value a strength
The statements made by the expert panel must be very satisfying to the coordinators of the programme. I have asked Agneta Andersson some questions about EcoChange, the ongoing research and the future. I start with asking her what she considers to be the most important strength of EcoChange.
"It is clearly the added value", says Agneta. "With the funding of the program we were able to establish new inter-disciplinary collaborations and perform high-risk marine research. EcoChange gave us a unique possibility to build up collaborations with different academic and societal organizations as well as with industry and enterprises."
Close contact with stakeholders
The stakeholders have had a key role in the management of EcoChange. I ask Agneta to explain how this has influenced the research.
Irene Bohman, South Baltic Water District Authority and Tommy Hammar, County Administrative Board Kalmar, at an EcoChange conference. Close contact with stakeholders was pointed out as a success factor. Photo: Kristina Viklund.
"EcoChange has a reference group consisting of stakeholders and policymakers in Sweden and Finland. We have had regular meetings with the reference group to discuss their knowledge needs and relevant research needs. This has been a very valuable and fruitful alliance, which we hope will result in improved ecosystem-based management of the marine environment. For example, our research shows that a high proportion of northern pike is born in freshwater and that their homing behaviour creates spawning barriers and different life history traits. The results can be used for management of pike by creating/restore wetlands as spawning and recruitment areas."
Hints about the future
According to the evaluation report, EcoChange has a clear plan for the next five years. So, I wonder how the plans are, and which areas will be most important to work within if EcoChange will receive further funding.
"Our strategy for EcoChange “phase 2” is to build upon our strong competences in food web interactions, microbial ecology, biogeochemistry and environmental chemistry", Agneta says. "We will also strengthen our competence in modelling and bioinformatics. The research will be developed in support of the Swedish environmental objective Clean coastal zone for a vivid society. It will for example be important to increase the knowledge of coupled land-coast-offshore interactions, emergent chemicals and eutrophication in a changing climate."
Text and Photo: Kristina Viklund, Information officer EcoChange
