Research in Finland

Finland operates a coordinated, high-quality research and innovation system anchored by the Research Council of Finland and supported by a national portal that aggregates research information, results and funding calls. Competitive, peer-reviewed funding spans all disciplines and career stages, and is complemented by national research infrastructure programmes and long-term excellence initiatives. A comprehensive calls calendar and structured guidance simplify discovery of opportunities and application requirements.

National instruments concentrate resources in areas with both scientific excellence and societal impact. The Flagship Programme pools expertise across fields to form high-level research and impact clusters, strengthening quality and long-term influence. Priority is also given to research infrastructures that enable advances across domains (e.g., materials, life sciences, data-intensive research), supported through periodic roadmap calls and development funding.

The Research Council of Finland provides competitive, peer-reviewed funding for researchers and research teams across all fields. Core instruments include:
• Academy Project Funding for research teams to conduct high-quality, curiosity-driven projects.
• Academy Research Fellowships supporting independent, early-career researchers to consolidate expertise and build international standing, often including mobility.
• Centres of Excellence and the Flagship Programme to foster long-term excellence and impact.
• FIRI (Finnish Research Infrastructure) calls for national and local research infrastructures, including roadmap updates and development projects.
A consolidated Calls for applications hub provides forthcoming and open opportunities, timelines and guidance. Reviewer guidelines and forms ensure transparent assessment criteria and quality control.

The funding portfolio supports progression from early-career independence to established leadership: Academy Research Fellowships enable independent research and career consolidation, while Academy Project Funding and long-term excellence instruments (Centres of Excellence, Flagships) provide platforms for team leadership and broader impact. Individual call pages specify eligibility, typical durations and expectations, including encouragement for international collaboration and mobility during the funding period.

Dedicated FIRI calls aim to strengthen infrastructures as collaborative platforms, explicitly encouraging cooperation with the business sector and the establishment of competence centres where research, education and innovation intersect. This approach supports translation pathways from discovery to deployment and deepens university–industry collaboration around shared facilities and data resources.

Finland invests in targeted schemes that explicitly promote international collaboration, including thematic calls (e.g., high-performance computing) and participation in European partnerships. Academy Research Fellowships also encourage mobility across international and sectoral borders, with the option to work abroad during the funding period.

1. Scan opportunities and timelines: consult the Calls for applications hub for forthcoming and open calls across instruments (projects, fellowships, infrastructures, excellence schemes).
   
   

2. Match host and instrument: identify a Finnish site of research (university or research institute) and align with the relevant instrument’s objectives, eligibility and assessment criteria.
   
   

3. Plan infrastructure access: review FIRI roadmap and development calls; where relevant, position the project within national or local infrastructure ecosystems.
   
   

4. Prepare a compliant application: use reviewer guidelines and instrument-specific instructions to structure the proposal and address evaluation criteria.
   
   

5. Track and compare funding calls across Finland: use Research.fi to view past, current and upcoming calls aggregated from Finnish funders.
   
   

 • Research Council of Finland — funding instruments, peer review, infrastructures, excellence initiatives: https://www.aka.fi/en/
• Research.fi — national portal aggregating research information and funding calls from Finnish funders: https://research.fi/en/