The Competence Development Fund of Southern Norway

Priority criteria when processing applications

The amount applied for each year will probably exceed available funding. It will therefore be necessary to use priority criteria to evaluate the applications.

Fundamental criteria

The Competence Development Fund of Southern Norway's articles of association define four criteria that must all be met in order to come under consideration for funding:

• Raising of competence in the county of Vest-Agder
• Competence in a beneficial perspective
• University college or university level
• Applications from institutions (individuals are not eligible for funding)

Quality criteria

Special importance will be attached to the following eight criteria as a means of assigning priority between applications that fulfil the basic criteria.

Commercial potential

Successful implementation of the project will give commercial results in the form of jobs, good earnings for individual companies/industries or another type of economic activity.

Social benefit / potential

Successful implementation of the project will give social results in the form of improved living conditions, e.g. within sectors such as health, care, outdoor life, school/education and culture.

Internationalization

CDFSN will attach importance to cooperation applicants establish with international institutions, especially those that have a potential for strategic cooperation for players in the region. As part of its strategic focus, CDFSN is prepared to finance the import of experts and scientific expertise.

Contributions to the University of Southern Norway

CDFSN considers Agder University College to be a central player in the development of competence-based environments in the region. One therefore wishes to contribute to developing competence in selected areas at the university college so that it may as quickly as possible be able to satisfy the formal requirements for a university, but regard for the Competence Development Fund of Southern Norway's requirements for national and international cooperation and development of long-term skills development for the region's public and private enterprises.

Development of networks

CDFSN will attach crucial importance to the knowledge potential that can be developed in regional cooperation. The fund will activate and support meeting places in the region to contribute to making contacts and developing networks.

It is a requirement that both the university college and other competence-based environments develop cooperation with public and private institutions and companies in the region with a view to the development of knowledge-based value creation.

Co-funding

The Competence Development Fund of Southern Norway's funds are limited and no importance will be attached to the fact that applicants activate other investments in the projects, whether this be their own or external resources.

Entrepreneurship and innovation

In order to achieve knowledge-based value creation in the county, broad and deep efforts are necessary and there is no guarantee that every initiative will succeed. There is a need for strong entrepreneurial environments drive research, education and counselling.

Participation by women

Only to a limited degree do we find women in leading positions in the region One of the objectives of CDFSN is to give women greater opportunities for participation and .

See separate articles about strategy and action plans.