Budget Cuts Threaten Continuation Of Swedish Institute In İstanbul

Budget cuts proposed by the Swedish Ministry of Education are putting at risk the livelihood of the Swedish Research Institute in İstanbul, in addition to those in Athens and Rome.

The Swedish Research Institute, located in Dragoman House on the same grounds as the Consulate General of Sweden in Beyoğlu, was founded in 1962. With the new Swedish government's proposed budget cuts the grants that are given to Mediterranean research institutes will continue in 2015 but will be halved in 2016, and all funding will be withdrawn by 2017. These proposed budget cuts do not directly mean the end of the research institutes because the institutes could potentially find funding elsewhere, but the possibility of sourcing the finance for the maintenance of the building, rent, salaries and other expenses is slim.

The director of the research institute, Dr. Birgit N. Schlyter, spoke with Today's Zaman explaining the difficult fiscal situation they are facing. “According to what was written in this proposal, they are trying to reallocate money, which is quite normal, and what they proposed is a large plan for research in particle physics near Lund University. I do not know the details of it, but I do know that it will be huge and that there are European corporations that are interested in this development,” she said.

The research institute hosts scholars who come for workshops; they also provide scholarships with the aim of promoting Swedish and Nordic research in Turkey, the Near East and Central Asia, in the humanities and social sciences.

Administrator at the research center Helin Topal also spoke with Today's Zaman, outlining the actions they have taken against these budget cuts. “A petition has been circulating in Sweden, and there are nearly 13,000 signatures on it so far. We, have started a campaign here within our academic circles that we are going to add to the Swedish one,” she said.

Topal added: “We are hopeful. The decision will be made in December so we shall see what will happen then.”

Zeynep Karataş (Cihan/Today's Zaman)