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AROUND 700 scientific positions are being connected in Bergen, Norway to solve regional, national and global challenges in climate, environment and resources, technology and health, as part of the establishment of the Bergen Marine Research Cluster.
The cluster is a binding and strategic collaboration between eight marine research institutions with activities in Bergen.
"Here in Bergen, we have unique expertise and capabilities within marine research, which we will use to solve large-scale local, national and regional challenges," says Peter M. Haugan, the cluster's scientific leader, professor and head of the Geophysical Institute at the University of Bergen. "Through a binding and strategic collaboration, we are compelled to join together and we will gain greater effectiveness both nationally and internationally."
Christian Michelsen Research AS, the Institute of Marine Research, Helse Bergen HF, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Centre, National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood (NIFES), NOFIMA (formerly Fiskeriforskning), UNIFOBAS and the University of Bergen have entered into a binding collaboration under the name Bergen Marine Research Cluster. The partners see this as another step towards realising the vision of "Bergen - a European marine capital".
The partners want to strengthen the research co-ordination and profiling by exploiting better existing diversity, competence and infrastructure within marine research and education. The main objective is to strengthen marine R&D and education, and provide answers for regional, national and global challenges in climate, environment and resources, technology and health.
"The research institutions in Bergen stack up stronger in the battle to gain national and international projects when we join forces," says Haugan. "Collectively, we can increase the degree of innovation to answer industry and management challenges. Through this co-ordination, we will also derive mutual benefits from investments in new equipment and the like. Joint visibility also creates more resources in the work to recruit new students and scientists from within Norway and abroad."
The cluster's work is initiated by the team of directors on the board, and will be run by a committee comprising:
* Anne A. Hageberg, Christian Michelsen Research AS
* Reidar Toresen, Institute of Marine Research
* Einar Svendsen, Institute of Marine Research
* Alfred Halstensen, Helse Bergen
* Johnny A. Johannessen, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Centre
* Livar Frøyland, NIFES
* Ola Flesland, NOFIMA (formerly Fiskeriforskning)
* Eystein Jansen, UNIFOB AS
* Jarl Giske, University of Bergen
* Peter M. Haugan, University of Bergen (chairperson)
NOFIMA is among the research institutions now establishing itself at the Bergen Marine Research Cluster.
"We are looking forward to continuing the good collaboration we have already established with several institutions in the cluster," says Ola Flesland, NOFIMA's director of Ingredients and Marine Bioprospecting.
"We have high expectations that this collaboration will have a positive effect for us and that NOFIMA gains a good foothold in the marine research community in Bergen."
NOFIMA has plans to establish itself at Marineholmen within two years and as such physically become part of the research cluster being built there.
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