Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Research in Slovenia
Ljubljana, 12.3.2008
mag. Marta Šabec Paradiž
Service for intenational co-operation and European affairs
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
(Sources: MHEST, SURS, EC, Eurostat )
Bojan Jenko
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
SLOVENIA
Basic Data
Constitution: Parliamentary democracy
Population density: 98.0 per km2
Capital: Ljubljana (population 330 000)
Area: 20 256 km2
Population: 2 mio
EU Member State since May 1, 2004
GDP 15.167 € / capita (2006)
16.532 €/ capita (est.2007)
Turnover: 37.000 Mio€ (2006)
Exports:
20.500 Mio€ (2006)
GERD as % of GDP (2006): 1.59%
By source of funds:
- business sector: 0.94% GDP
- public sector:
0.60% GDP
- abroad:
0.09% GDP
Source: SURS
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Organisation of Public Decisionmaking and Funding
Science &
Technology
Council of the
Republic of
Slovenia
Ministry of Higher
Education, Science
and Technology
Slovenian
Research
Agency
Funding
Government of the
Republic of Slovenia
Ministry of Economy
Sector for Technology
Development and Innovation
Public Agency
for
Technology
Funding
Other Ministries
Co-funding R&D in
Support of
Sectoral Policies
Technology Networks
Technology Parks
Technology Centres
Slovenian Business Innovation
Network
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Research Policy / Funding System
Government sector
 Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MHEST)
 Ministry of Economy
 Other Ministries (Ministry of Defence)
 Agencies (established in 2004)


Slovenian Research Agency (SRA)
Public Agency for Technology (TIA)
Private non-profit sector
 Foundations:

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Slovenian Science Foundation
Ad Futura
Business Sector
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
R&D in national strategic documents


Research and Development Activities Act 2002
Slovenia’s Development Strategy
June 2005

Reform Programme for Achieving the Lisbon Strategy
Goals
October 2005

Framework of Economic and Social Reforms to
Increase Well-being in Slovenia
November 2005

Resolution on the National R&D Programme for the
2006-2010 Period
December 2005
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
National Research and Development
Programme for the Period 2006-2010
Priorities
Related to the technological development





Information and Communication Technologies
New Materials and Nanotechnologies
Complex Systems and Innovative Technologies
Technologies for Sustainable Development
Health and Life Sciences
Related to the social and cultural development



Support to 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 and changing as in the demografic
structure
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Characteristics of the Slovenian
R&D System
Small R&D system
Strong human resources and relatively high
overall investments in R&D
Relatively high quality of public research with a
well established international co-operation
High scientific productivity of research
Relatively low brain-drain- up to now
Modest cooperation between the research,
education and business spheres, as well as within
those spheres
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Research budget of the SRA
by main fields, 2007
Research budget: 146 M€
International Cooperation;
1,3%
Institutional Funding; 12,9%
Research Programmes
Young Researchers; 21,1%
Research Programmes;
45,1%
Research Projects
Young Researchers
Institutional Funding
International Cooperation
Research Projects; 19,6%
Source: SRA
Higher Education and
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Research Institutions
• 4 Universities
(Ljubljana, Maribor, Koper, Nova Gorica)
• 23 Independant HE institutions
• 15 Government Research Institutes
• 90 Private non-for Profit Research Institutes
• > 300 Research Units in the Business Sector
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
R&D International
bilateral co-operation





EU member countries
Neighbouring countries
West Balkan countries
Non-European S&T leading countries
Regionally important countries
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
2007 R&D International
Bilateral Co-operation
With 81 countries
Cooperation based on 93 bilateral documents:
- 44 S&T agreements, memoranda, etc.
- 41 agreements on culture, education & science
- 3 agreements on economic and S&T Cooperation
- 5 agreements based on succession and
- 14 other legal bases
Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belarus,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, Costarica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta,Mexico, Moldova,
Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, taiwan,Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA,
Uruguay, Yemen,
20 bilateral S&T agreements in procedure:
Algeria, Angola, Belgium/Flanders, Belgium/Valonia, Chile, India, Ireland, Malaysia,
Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Switzerland, Tunisia, Yemen
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Number of Bilateral
Research Projects 1994 – 2007
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
AL
B
A
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BO
G
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N
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AU TIN
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E
R RA
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BR INA
C AZ
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C HR
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.
D PR
EN U
M S
FI A R
N K
L
FR A N
A D
G NC
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E
C EC
R
O E
AT
IA
IN
D
I
IT A
A
L
IS Y
R
A
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JA L
PR P
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R H IN
KO A
H RE
U
M NG A
AC A
ED RY
G O
ER N
M IA
N AN
O
R Y
W
PO A
PO LA Y
SE
R ND
R
TU
BI
A
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D RU MA
M S N
O SI IA
N
TE AN
N F.
SL E G
O RO
VA
KI
SP A
TU AI
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Y
E
U D K RA
N
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IT IN NE
ED GD
ST OM
AT
ES
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
R&D International bilateral cooperation
Number of projects by partner countries,
2003 - 2007
90
80
70
60
50
40
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
30
2004
2005
20
2006
10
2007
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
2007 R&D International
Bilateral Co-operation

711 research projects in 2007 with 28
countries in life, technical, medical,
biotechnical, social sciences, humanities &
interdisciplinary research:
Albania (6),Argentina (8), Austria (29), Bosnia and Herzegovina (20),
PR China (54), Croatia (85), Czech (53), Cyprus (6), Denmark (14),
France (48), Greece (26), Hungary (31), India (11), Israel (5), Italy (33),
Japan (21), Macedonia (37), Norway (19), Poland (11), Portugal (14),
Romania (15), Russian Federation (15), Serbia/Montenegro (39),
Slovakia (13), Turkey (14), Ukraine (13), United Kingdom (19), USA
(52)
Bilateral Co-operation:
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
No. of projects
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Russian
Federation
3
2
9
15
12
12
10
19
Ukraine
2
0
4
11
10
6
10
13

2006 2007 2008*
Projects topics (2008):
 Russian federation:
 (nano-) materials, mathematics, SusDev,
 Biochemistry, Space, IST, Cultural heritage
 Ukraine: (nano-)materials, mathematics, SusDev, IST
LT
H
2I
ST
3
4A
ER NMP
ON
AU
T
5F
OO
6S D
US
7C
T
ITI
Z
EN
EU
S
RA
TO
M
S
MO ME
BIL
IT
PO Y
INF
LIC
RA
Y
S
SC
T
IEN RUC R&I
TU
CE
R
&S
OC ES
IET
Y
INC
O
ER
R&
AN
IP
OL ET
ICI
ES
1L
IFE
&H
EA
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
SI Participation in FP6 Contracts
(616 SI participations:
Higher education, Research organisations, SME, Industry)
140
119
120
100
83
80
60
56
40
20
No.
53
33
25
11
32
17
40 46
%
29
22
12 17 16
5
0
Source: EC
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
SI Participants in FP6
EU25 population
SI population
460 mio.
2 mio.
0,43%
Participants in FP6 projects:
From EU member states (MS)
From Slovenia
325.964
3.898
1,2%
Retained- EU MS
Retained with SI participants
61.721
589
0,95%
Average success rate- EU MS
Average success rate with SI part.
18,11%
15,11%
Approved funds- EU MS
14.352 B€
0,49%
Approved funds- SI part.
71 M€
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Former Soviet Union countries:
participants in FP6
No. of
FP6
projects
No. of FP6
projects
with SI partners Projects topics
Russia
116
8
Ukraine
92
12
Belarus
23
4
Georgia
33
3
Moldova
6
4
Azerbaijan
15
1
Armenia
16
2
2 IST, 2 citizens, 2 SD,
Nanomaterials, Mobility
4 IST, 2 SD, 2 Citizens, 2
SME, RI, Life Sci
3 IST, SD-Renewable enery
IST, SD-Global change&
ecosystems, Infrastructures
2 IST, 1 New materials,
Society
Information Society
Technologies
Information Society
Technologies
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
SIovenia in FP6
ERA-NET Projects



In public research funding in Europe EC (FP7) is
participating with < 5%
Most of the research is funded by the national
agencies of MS
Research in EU is dispersed /with gaps - and
could be strategicly planned and co-ordinated
better (more efficient use of funds and building
the ERA):
New FP6 instruments:
ERA-NET SSA projects (preparation for CA)
ERA-NET CA projects (EC funding co-ordination)->
ERA-NET PLUS projects (EC co-funding research)->
Art.169 (joint programming)
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
SIovenia in FP6
ERA-NET Projects
(supporting cooperation & coordination of
national or regional research funding programmes)
71 ERA-NET CA projects were selected by the
EC on differnt topics
SIovenia is participating in 20 ERA-NET projects
MHEST is in 16 ERA-NET projects
MHEST is active in ERA-NET joint calls
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
MHEST in ERA-NET Projects
Project
acronym
No.
Countries
/ partners
Joint call for
research projects
Project title
Project
duration
ERA-ARD
The Agricultural Research for Development (ARD)
dimension of the European Research Area (ERA)
1.4.2005 1.4.2008
14/15
ERA-SPOT
Strenghtening Photonics and Optical Technologies
for Europe
1.5.2005 30.4.2008
6/6
ERA-STAR
Regions
ERA- Space Technologies Applications & Research
for the Regions and medium-sized Countries
1.10.2004 –
30.9.2008
10/16
Announced:
22.1.2007
ERASysBio
Towards a European Research Area for systems
biology- a transnational funding initiative to
support the convergence of life sciences with
information technology and systems sciences
1.2.2006 31.1.2009
12/13
Planned:
2008/ 2009
HERA
Humanities in the European Research Area
1.3.2005 –
28.2.2009
13/14
Planned:
2008/ 2009
HY-CO
Coordination Action to Establish a Hydrogen and
Fuel Cell ERA-NET, Hydrogen Coordination
1.12.2004 30.11.2008
18/21
Announced:
28.1.2008
MATERA
ERA-NET Materials
1.2.2005 –
31.1.2009
15/17
Announced:
1. 05.05.2006
3. 28.1.2008
MNT
From micro- and nano-scale science to new
technologies for Europe
20/22
Announced:
1. 17.2.2006
2. 23.2.2007
3. 28.1.2008
1.1.2004 –
31.6.2008
Planned:
2008/ 2009
Planned: 2008
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
MHEST in ERA-NET Projects
Project
acronym
Project title
Project
duration
No.
Countries/
partners
Joint call for
research projects
PathoGeno
Mics
Trans-European Cooperation and Coordination of
Genome Sequencing and Functional Genomics
of Human-patogenic Micro-organisms
1.9.2004 31.8.2009
11/19
Announced:
1. 3.2.2006
2. 28.1.2008
SAFE FOOD
ERA
Food-Safety – Forming a European Platform for
Protecting Consumers against Health Risks
1.8.2004 –
31.7.2008
18/21
Planned
2. summer 2008
SEE-ERA
NET
South-east European ERA-NET
1.9.200431.8.2009
14/17
1. Announced: 2007
2. Planned: 2009
COMPERA
National and Regional Programmes and
Inniciatives dedicated to the creation and support
of Cometence Research Centres
1.6.2005 –
30.11.2008
12/15
CORNET
ERA-NET on National and Regional Programmes
to promote Research and the Dissemination of
the results of that research to the benefit of Large
Communities and SMEs: Collective research
1.3.2005 29.2.2008
14/18
Announced:
1. 14.4.2006
2. 20.4.2007
3. 6.8.2007
MANUNET
Walking towards a European regionally-based
research area on new processes and flexible
manufacturing systems
1.4.2006 –
31.3.2010
17/20
Announced:
28.9.2007
Era SME
ERA-NET on National and Regional Programmes
to promote Innovation and Cooperation between
SMEs and Research Organisations
1.8.2004 –
31.7.2007
19/21
Announced:
28.9.2007
iMERA
Implementing Metrology in the European
Research Area
14/20
-> Art. 169
1.4.2005 –
31.3.2008
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
ERASysBio
(1.2.2006 - 31.1.2009)
Systems biology is an emerging field with different possible
approaches in different contexts. It is interdisciplinary by nature
and in the common aim of achieving the quantitative
understanding of dynamic biological processes through the use
of mathematical and statistical analyses to integrate biological
data in order to develop predictive models of biological
behaviour
Topics:
 Computational biology (in silico modelling of complex biological
processes, theoretical biology)
 Systems engineering, systems theory, simulation engineering,
bioprocess engineering
 Informatics: bioinformatics & medical informatics, modelling
tools, systems design, modelling networks, neural networks
 Mathematics: algorithms, computational models
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
ERASysBio
Funds:
 2,95 M EUR: for coordination activities (85.000)
Participating:
 Germany (veronika.simons@fz-juelich.de), Austria, Belgium,
Finland, France, Israel, Netherlands, Norway,
Slovenia,United Kingdom, Trento province, Russian
Federation (Russian Foundation for basic research, dr. Vladimir
Khromov, Prof. Dr. Alexander Tonevitsky, Sergey Siutsyn: FP7 Health),
Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland
Aims:
 Carry out fundamental and strategic collaboration in
the funding of systems approaches to biological
research
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
ERASysBio
Achievements:
 Overview of national research landscape ongoing projects and
programmes

Meetings of representatives of SB centres:
1st in London: February 2007,
2nd planned: May 2008



Strategy conference: March 2007, Oxford nearly 90 participants
Strategy paper: Systems biology in the ERA (Nov. 2007)
Preparation of a joint call for transnational research
projects:
Announcement planned in September 2008
More information:
 http://www.erasysbio.net
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
MHEST experiences in
ERA-NET joint calls


1st ERA-NET calls were considered as tentative
Additional funds for research from the budget (MHEST: 2005:

Free participation (partner and other countries – regarding
0 €, 2009: 3 M €)
the national strategic interest)


Coordinated calls allow impelmentation of national
priorities (formal, topics…)
Common pot (no fair return guaranteed) /distributed pot
(fair return – funding just national research)
 Funding: not just for tavel (bilateral cooperation), but also


work, equipment…
Bilateral or multilateral research projects possible
between different countries in 1 single call
ERA-NET : EU FP calls (more direct implementation
of national priorities, assisstance to researchers…)
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Republic of Slovenia
Thank you