Swedish budget disappointment

Swedish researchers have responded with a measure of disappointment to promises from the government that it will boost funding over the next 4 years.

In his annual government report to Parliament on Tuesday (September 14), Prime Minister Göran Persson declared: "Sweden shall be a leading nation for scientific research." He announced that the annual science funding budget of 20 billion Swedish kronor would be gradually increased by 2.3 billion kronor over the next 4 years.

"This is good news but it's not enough," Marie Wahrén chairwoman of the Junior Faculty at the Karolinska Institute, told The Scientist. "The conditions for Swedish researchers are poor and for young researchers the conditions are extremely poor."

Henrik Semb, a developmental biologist at Lund University, agreed that it is difficult to get funding for new research projects under the current situation.

"It is good news, and I hope this is a change in policy ...