SLOVENIAN RESEARCH AGENCY PRESENTATION Ljubljana, 2007

1. SLOVENIAN RESEARCH AGENCY PRESENTATION Ljubljana, 2007

2. SLOVENIAin the Heart of EUrope Basic data: Constitution: Parliamentary democracy Capital: Ljubljana (population 330 000) Area:20 273 km2 Population: 2.009.052 Population density: 98.0 per km2 GDP:27,6 mrd USD GDP per capita: 13.849 USD (2003) GDP per capita PPP:15.000 USD (1999) Annual real growth rates of GDP:2,3 (2003)

3. Young country with rich scientific culture! • The begining of science and technology to the late Middle Ages • University of Ljubljana - 1919 • Slovenian Academy of Science and Arts - 1938 • modern research institutes - after 2. world war • parallel and complementary concept of S&T policy from 60’s • autonomous institutional construction of S&T policy from 1991

4. Contents: • About Slovenian Research Agency • Some facts about theresearch system in Slovenia • Recent changes of the Slovenian science policy • Main research policy instruments • Research evaluation system of SRA

5. Logo of the SRA

6. A brief description of the SRA logo A graphic image of the manuscript of the Logarithm Tables by Slovenian mathematician, physicist and artillery officer Jurij Vega.

7. Establishing: November 2004, Government of the Republic of Slovenia • Status: a legal person of public law; indirect user of the budget of the Republic of Slovenia • Mission: performing professional tasks relating to implementation of the adopted National Research and Development Programme • Budget: 145 million € per year (2006)

8. SRA main areas of operation Promotion of excellent and aplicative research Monitoring and analysing Objective evaluation Funding of research

9. SRA main function: Carrying out selected tasks of public interest, with the purpose of ensuring highly competent and independentevaluation and selection of the research programmes and projects financed from the national budget of the Republic of Slovenia.

10. MISSION The Slovenian Research Agency as an independent public funding organisation perform tasks relating to the National Research and Development Programme and creation of European Research Area. • provides framework for scientific research within the national budget and other sources • promotes high quality scientific research in Slovenia and its application • fosters internationaly comparable evaluation standards in Slovenia • provides the transparency of organising research community in Slovenia • promotes international research cooperation • analyses R&D activities and provides science policy expertise

11. Organisation chart of the SRA Management Board Scientific Council Director Expert bodies Scientific Fields Finance Working bodies Temporary expert bodies Research Infrastructure General Affarirs Information Technology Peers Young Researchers Monitoring International Cooperaration

12. National organisation chart of public decision-making and funding Science & Technology Council of the Republic of Slovenia Governmentof the Republic of Slovenia Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology Other ministries Ministry of Defence SlovenianResearch Agency Funding of Science

13. SRA budget by research activities, 2006 145 mio €

14. 1.300 FTE by research type

15. Funding of research by fields of science

16. Contents: • About Slovenian ResearchAgency • Some facts about theresearch system in Slovenia • Recent changes of the Slovenian science policy • Main research policy instruments • Research evaluation system of SRA

17. Institutionalresearch landscape • 4 Universities: • University of Ljubljana (26 faculties) • University of Maribor (12 faculties) • University of Primorska (7 faculties) • University of Nova Gorica (6 faculties) • National Research Institutes (15) • Private (non-profite) ResearchInstitutes (ca. 100) • Research unites in business (ca. 300)

18. Comparative structure of the sources of financing R&D expenditure

19. Funding from different sources as a % share of RD expenditure by sector of performance Fi Fi Fi

20. R&D expenditure as a % of GDP Sw Eu Slo

21. Structure of researchers (FTE); Sweden and Slovenia

22. Evolution of research organizations in Slovenia

23. Institut “Jožef Stefan” • Physics • Chemistry and biochemistry • Electronics and information science • Energy studies • Environmental sciences

24. RP1-0040: Dynamic of complex nano-systems • Head: dr. Mihailovič Dragan • Aim:investigate complex nano-systems, focusing on nonequilibrium dynamics of new and existing nano-materials, nonperiodic inhomogeneous matter, and biological nanosystems. • Center of Excellence: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (response of Slovenian researchers and industry to meet the challenges of new technology)

25. The National Institute of Chemistry • Pure and applied chemistry • Chemical engineering • Environmental protection • New materials • Information science • Biotechnology

26. RP4-0176:Molecular biotechnology • Head: dr. Roman Jerala • Aims: research of the biochemical processes, particularly molecular recognition and signal transduction, and towards the application of modern biochemical, biotechnological, microbiological, biophysical and molecular biological methods to problems, which have potential industrial application in fields such as medicine, pharmacy or biotechnology.

27. National Institute of Biology • Monitoring the state of the environment in Slovenia • Developmental and applied research in plant and medical biotechnology

28. RP4-0165:Plant Physiology and Biotechnology • Head: dr. Maja Ravnikar • Aims: Understanding the physiological processes in plants help in easier and more efficient solving of problems connected with production of economically important plants. The response of plants, including Slovene varieties, to pathogens, which increases the importance of our results for Slovenia.

29. University of Maribor Through its basic activities-education and research-the University of Maribor seeks to contribute to the provision of human resources for an accelerated cultural development in all of Slovenia, but especially in the region of Maribor and assurance knowledge input in the economy.

30. RP2-0046: Extraction processes • Head: dr. Željko Knez • Aims: Achievements of the research program are important for sustainable as well as for technological development of Slovenia. New technologies with minor influence on environment and knowledges for high-quality products were offered. Ms and PhD students who finished their study in the frame of high-pressure technologies are now employed in industry. The results of high-pressure research are due to high-tech products in close connection with many development objectives of Slovenia.

31. Linguistics Literary studies History Musicology History of art Archaeology Ethnology and ethnomusicology Philosophy Migration studies Geography Karstology Biology Palaeontology Medicine Audio-visual laboratory Spatial information centre Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts

32. Contents: • About Slovenian ResearchAgency • Some facts about theresearch system in Slovenia • Recent changes of the Slovenian science policy • Main research policy instruments • Research evaluation system of SRA

34. EU research Building Knowledge Europe • Research and Knowledge are keys to our future • European Research Area • Improving Human Research Potential • The Lisbon Strategey • Increase and improve investment in RD (to 3% of EU GDP) • Toward FP7 • European Research Council • Technology Platforms • European Institute of Technology

35. Recent changes of the Slovenian science policy • Research and Development Activities Act (priorities, concession for public service, new agencies) • Economic and social reforms of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia • NRDP Resolution for 2006 – 2010 (measures of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia)

36. Main Slovenian R&D policy objectives • to increase investments in R&D according to the 3% GDP • to increase effectiveness of public investments in R&D • to strengthen human resources in R&D • to strengthen R&D co-operation between public research sector and enterprises • to strengthen business sector R&D • to increase international co-operation

37. Main measures to attain the policy objectives • definition of priority areas for RTD • allocation of R&D budget in the ratio 80% to technological development, 20% to science • establishment of 8 centres of excellence in the priority RTD fields (structural funds) • reinforcement of intermediary organisations(structural funds) • development offavourable environment for business R&D and innovation(legal, administrative, financial)

38. Priority areasof Slovenian RTD • Information and Communication Technologies • Advanced New Materials and Nanotechnologies • Complex Systems and Innovative Technologies • Technologies for Sustainable Development • Health and Life Sciences

39. Priorities related to social and cultural development • supportto national identity, modern Slovenian history, natural and cultural heritage • development of efficient state and modern democratic society • management of social processes and risks caused by new technologies, globalization, changing the demografic structure

40. Contents: • About Slovenian ResearchAgency • Some facts about theresearch system in Slovenia • Recent changes of the Slovenian science policy • Main research policy instruments • Research evaluation system of SRA

41. Policy instruments of SRA • Research programmes • Basic and applied research projects • Targeted research programmes • Young researchers

42. (patent) (patent)

43. Efficiency of research programmes

44. Relevance of the research projects • Tematic public calls for basic, applied and postdoctoral projects • Targeted research programmes (TRP) • Slovenian competitiveness 2006-2013 • S&T for peace and security 2004-2010 • Important criterion of evaluation

45. Actual thematic priority areas 1. Genomics and biotehnologies for health, food quality and safety, sustainable development 2. Information society technologies, citizenship, human resources, social cohesiveness, preservation of natural and cultural heritage 3. New materials (nanomaterials), new manufacturing processes and tools

46. TRP Public call“Slovenian competitiveness” 2006-2013 Main aims: • Competitive economy and faster growth • Knowledge based society: education, training, research and development • Efficient and rational public administration • Modern social welfare state and higher level of employment • Synergy of measures for achieving the sustainable development

47. TRP Public call:”S&T for peace and security 2004-2010” Research chapters: • Slovenian Army of the 21st century • Development of the communication and information system according tothe needs of national security • Defense against terrorism, civil protection and environmental protection • Development and management of the national security system

48. Programme of Young researchers (YR) in Slovenia • 1.200 young reasearchers (850-900 FTE) financed per year • 250 new candidates for young researchers accepted per year • 25 mio EUR per year • 19% of the budget of SRA

49. YR by research organizations

50. Features of the YR programme • YR participate in research work during their postgraduate studies on research projects; • they have regular, fixed-term employment contracts; • the Agency finances their pay, social contributions, as well as material and non-material costs for research and postdoctoral study; • the average annual cost of financing one YR is cca. EUR 30,000;