Politicians visit Simula
The Minister of Children and Equality, and representatives from both Fremskrittspartiet and Høyre, visited Simula last week.
Minister of Children and Equality Anniken Huitfeldt greeted by Kristin Vinje
Minister of Children and Equality
The Minister of Children and Equality, Anniken Huitfeldt, Member of Parliament Marianne Aasen, and Political Adviser Tord Dale, all representing Arbeiderpartiet (The Labour Party), came to Simula Tuesday 1 September. The Minister has an interest in finding ways that can stimulate the industry to do more research. She wanted to meet the leader of Simula, Aslak Tveito, and the leader of Simula’s research education unit, Kristin Vinje, to learn more about Simula’s collaboration with industry. — Simula has a great deal of experience in cooperation with industry partners. We have achieved comprehensive collaboration with StatoilHydro and DNV (Det Norske Veritas), and we are working to expand the model, said Aslak Tveito.
The Minister showed great interest in the discussion. — Focus on research is an increasingly important part of our industrial policies. Through collaboration between public authorities and the industry, we want to strengthen this work, said Huitfeldt.
Huitfeldt and Aasen also wanted to learn more about User-driven Research based Innovation (Brukerstyrt Innovasjonsarena – abbreviated BIA), and scholarships for Industry PhDs. The BIA programme is organised by the Research Council of Norway, and Kristin Vinje is Chair of the programme board.
Høyre
Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide and Simen Gjersvoll Osland.
On Monday 31 August, Høyre (The Conservative Party) in Oslo and Akershus visited Fornebu. The visit was focussed on two parts of their politics; public transport and knowledge. The representatives came to see selected companies in order to learn more about them. At Simula, Aslak Tveito gave a presentation on the research and the activities of the centre.
Member of Parliament Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide's key interest is education and research, and she is Chair of the Storting’s Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs. Eriksen Søreide expressed that what she learned at Simula was of great interest. — I believe that cooperation between industry and the Norwegian research community should be, and will be, closer in the years to come. Simula provides a very good example of how this can be achieved, said Eriksen Søreide. In addition to Eriksen Søreide, party colleagues Michael Tetzschner, Hårek Elvenes, Simen Gjersvoll Osland and Benedicte Røer also attended the meeting. Kristin Vinje, Simula's Director of Research Education and active member of Høyre, also attended the meeting.
Fremskrittspartiet
Morten Høglund, Fremskrittspartiet.
Fremskrittspartiet (The Progress Party) recently suggested to reduce the State’s shares in several of the state-owned companies. The suggestion implies that the Party wants to sell 20 per cent of the State’s shares in Simula Research Laboratory. For this reason Aslak Tveito invited Fremskrittspartiet to a presentation about what Simula is, about the research activities and the relation to the State. Morten Høglund from Frp Akershus was happy to be invited, and came to Simula Friday 28 August. — Simula has been an important part of the establishment of IT Fornebu, and important for its’ success. I appreciate that I have been invited, and I find the information presented to me very interesting. It is not FrP's intention to reduce this type of research, Høglund stated.
Aslak Tveito was pleased that FrP accepted the invitation. — FrP wants to find out more about the activities at Simula prior to a possible sale of the State’s shares, and we have arranged to meet again after the general election, said Tveito.
For more information, please contact Professor Aslak Tveito, Managing Director.
Email: aslak@simula.no, +47 906 87 348 / +47 67 82 82 82.
