Statistical presentation

Data description

The statistics regarding public research and development (R&D) cover a large number of indicators describing the resources used with the focus being expenditures and personnel (in numbers and in full-time equivalents). The information is distributed by main sectors, types of expenditure, fields of science and type of research.

The most requested information is the total public sector expenditure on R&D. Under the Barcelona targets, Denmark aims to spend 3 pct. of GDP on R&D annually, one-third of which should be carried out in the public sector.

Another frequently requested measure is R&D personnel and the number of full-time equivalents used. Personnel are distributed by sector, scientific field, staff category, and gender. Full-time equivalents are distributed according to the same criteria as personnel, but also by purpose, and at universities additionally by staff category.

The statistics are compiled in accordance with the definitions and guidelines set out in the OECD Frascati Manual.

Classification system

Statistics on R&D in the public sector are published according to a number of various groupings and classifications depending on the type of R&D institution and the R&D personnel.

Sector

Eurostat:

• Higher Education (HE)
• Government (GOV)
• Private non-profit(PNP)

Denmark:

• HE: Higher Education (Split in to University Hospitals and Higher Education in published tables)
• GOV: Other government research institutions
• Sector research institutions
• PNP: Private non-profit organisations

In a few supplementary tables there are specific information for each individual university.

Personnel categories

Staff are first divided into national categories: Scientific staff (VIP), covering the international category Researchers, and Technical administrative staff (TAP), covering the international categories “Technicians” and “Other Support Staff”. There are three different personnel categories, depending on which sector you belong to.

Universities:

Videnskabeligt personale (VIP)

• Professorer
• Lektorer/seniorforskere
• Seniorrådgivere
• Adjunkt/Post doc. Forsker
• Ph.d.- og kandidatstipendiat
• Øvrige forskere

Tekniske administrativt personale (TAP)

• Scholarship
• Teknisk personale
• Administrativt personale

University hospitals:

Videnskabeligt personale (VIP)

• Professorer
• Overlæger
• Afdelingslæger
• 1. reservelæger/reservelæger
• Post Docs
• Ph.d.- og kandidatstipendiat
• Øvrige forskere med kandidatgrader
• Kliniske assistenter/forskningsstipendiater
• Forskere med mellemlange videregående uddannelser.

Tekniske administrativt personale (TAP)

• Scholarship
• Teknisk personale
• Administrativt personale

Other government sector:

Videnskabeligt personale (VIP)

• Forskere med Ph.D. grad
• Forskere med kandidatgrad
• Øvrige forskere

Tekniske administrativt personale (TAP)

• Scholarship
• Teknisk personale
• Administrativt personale

Sector coverage

Statistical units are according to the Frascati Manual classified in 4 sectors:

• Business Enterprise Sector
• Higher Education Sector
• Government Sector
• Private non-profit Sector

Of these, the statistics on R&D in the public sector cover the Higher Education Sector, the Government Sector, and Private Non-Profit Sector. The Business Enterprise Sector is covered by the statistics on R&D and innovation in the business sector.

Due to their affiliation with universities, university hospitals are included in the Higher Education Sector, which therefore encompasses the vast majority of R&D activities carried out in Danish hospitals.

The Government Sector includes smaller hospitals, museums and archives, as well as centers and sectoral research institutions that are neither market-driven nor part of the universities.

Private non-profit institutions are included in the public R&D statistics, as their activities generally correspond more closely to this sector than to the market-oriented business sector.

The sectoral distinctions between private non-profit institutions, public non-market institutions, and the market-oriented business sector are based on definitions from the National Accounts.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Research and Development (R&D): The term Research and Development (R&D) comes from the Frascati Manual made by the OECD. R&D is defined in the Frascati Manual as follows: “Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.” (Frascati Manualen page 44)

All R&D activities share the requirement that they must include a substantial element of novelty.

Type of Research and Development: Three types of R&D may be distinguished:

• Basis research: experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
• Applied research: original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
• Experimental development: systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Field of Science: The Frascati Manual generally prescribes that resource use in a statistical unit should be allocated according to an institutional approach. This means that each statistical unit is assigned to a single category based on its primary activity, and all R&D resources within the unit are allocated to that category.

Furthermore, the Manual specifies that the grouping used to classify activities in higher education institutions and the private non-profit sector is the Field of Science. For the remaining public sector (government sector), the Manual allows methodological flexibility. In Denmark, however, this sector is also divided according to the six Fields of Science to ensure consistency and comparability in the statistics.

The 6 Fields of Science are:

• Natural Sciences
• Engineering and Technology
• Medical Sciences
• Agricultural Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Humanities

R&D expenditures: According to the Frascati Manual expenditures are all expenditures for R&D performed within a statistical unit or sector of the economy during a specific period, whatever the source of funds.

The expenditures cover not only the direct costs for e.g. wages to researchers but also parts of the indirect costs such as IT-support, electricity and heating and various administrative services. In cases of problems with measuring precisely the indirect costs an estimate based on the relative R&D activity of the statistical unit may be applied. In that case a measure based on R&D personnel (full time equivalents) is recommended by Statistics Denmark.

Sectors: Statistical units are according to the Frascati Manual classified in 4 sectors:

• Business Enterprise Sector
• Higher Education Sector
• Government Sector
• Private non-profit Sector

The statistics on R&D in the public sector covers the last 3 sector mentioned.

Because of their relation to the universities the university hospitals are classified under the Higher Education sector, which hence cover most of the R&D activities in Danish hospitals. The government sector includes smaller hospitals, museums and archives and centers and sectoral research institutions not covered by universities. Private non-profit organisations are covered since they do not operate on the market. The main distinction regarding market and non-market activities is based on National Accounts definitions.

Statistical unit

In Denmark, most R&D activity in the public sector takes place within higher education institutions. Accordingly, the rules for this sector in the Frascati Manual are generally applied. Under these rules, a statistical unit is considered the smallest homogeneous unit primarily engaged in a single field of science, for which a complete or nearly complete set of input data can be collected.

In practice, this is typically operationalized as an individual institute, a larger research center, or, in the case of university hospitals, a single department. Some heterogeneity in the distribution of research across the six Fields of Science is accepted in order to maintain consistency in the type of statistical unit and to allow for the collection of reliable data.

It should be noted that, as a result, the public sector R&D statistics differ significantly from the statistics on R&D and innovation in the business sector.

Statistical population

The population to be measured is all non-market oriented government units and private non-profit units which are having R&D activities at a level of at least one person measured in full time equivalents. The size of the population is approximately 650.

Reference area

Denmark.

Time coverage

2007-2024

Base period

Not relevant for these statistics.

Unit of measure

All expenditures are measured in 1.000 DKK and personnel in numbers and full time equivalents.

Reference period

The statistics are compiled annually.

Frequency of dissemination

The statistics are published annually.

Legal acts and other agreements

The data are collected in accordance with section 8 of the Act on Statistics Denmark (Consolidated act No 599 , June 22, 2000) from 2007.

Data are collected in accordance with Decision No 1608/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2003 concerning the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology And Commission regulation (EC) No 995/2012 implementing Decision No 1608/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards statistics on science and technology.

Cost and burden

The response burden on public institutions is not calculated.

Comment

Further information can be found on the statistics’ subject page or by contacting Statistics Denmark.