“We are disappointed that seed funding is not part of the national budget for 2016. This would be an important restructuring measure for our region, which is the only one in Norway without public seed funding”, says CEO Anne-Grete Ellingsen at GCE NODE.
Minister of Education and Research, Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, presented the national budget on behalf of the government in Kristiansand Wednesday morning.
“The Minister understands the issue and presented a strong argument for seed funding. Strangely, he forgot to bring the money for it”, says Ellingsen.
She has noted that the Christian Democrats and the Liberals have expressed support for seed funding in southern Norway, as an important counter-cyclical measure to a situation where many lose their jobs.
“I am still hopeful we can find a good solution”, says Ellingsen.
