SLOVENIAN RESEARCH AGENCY PRESENTATION Ljubljana, 2007

SLOVENIA in the Heart of EUrope Basic data: Constitution: Parliamentary democracy Capital: Ljubljana (population ) Area: km2 Population: Population density: 98.0 per km2 GDP: 27,6 mrd USD GDP per capita: USD (2003) GDP per capita PPP: USD (1999) Annual real growth rates of GDP: 2,3 (2003)

Young country with rich scientific culture! The begining of science and technology to the late Middle Ages –University of Ljubljana –Slovenian Academy of Science and Arts –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

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

Logo of the SRA

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.

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)

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

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

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

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

National organisation chart of public decision-making and funding Science & Technology Council of the Republic of Slovenia Government of the Republic of Slovenia Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology Slovenian Research Agency Funding of Science Ministry of Defence Other ministries

SRA budget by research activities, mio €

1.300 FTE by research type

Funding of research by fields of science

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

Institutional research 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) Research Institutes (ca. 100) Research unites in business (ca. 300)

Comparative structure of the sources of financing R&D expenditure

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

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

Structure of researchers (FTE); Sweden and Slovenia

Evolution of research organizations in Slovenia

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

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)

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts 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

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

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

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)

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

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 of favourable environment for business R&D and innovation (legal, administrative, financial )

Priority areas of Slovenian RTD Information and Communication Technologies Advanced New Materials and Nanotechnologies Complex Systems and Innovative Technologies Technologies for Sustainable Development Health and Life Sciences

Priorities related to 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, changing the demografic structure

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

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

(patent)

Efficiency of research programmes

Relevance of the research projects Tematic public calls for basic, applied and postdoctoral projects Targeted research programmes (TRP) –Slovenian competitiveness –S&T for peace and security Important criterion of evaluation

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

TRP Public call “Slovenian competitiveness” 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

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

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

YR by research organizations

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;

Conditions and criteria of YR have at least university-level education in the appropriate field; have an average grade for all examinations and coursework (excluding the degree examination) of at least 8.00; be aged up to 28 years inclusive (with respect to the year of birth); if a young researcher has already enrolled in a postgraduate study programme without financial support from the Agency or ministry responsible for science, the age of the candidates may rise above 28 years, namely, one year shall be added for each study year.

“Brain gain” Opening the national programmes: integration of foreign citizens into the programme of young researchers, postdoctoral research and excellent foreign scientists Funding of postdoctoral research for researchers who will switch over from public to business sector

Aims: member countries of the European Union, neighbouring countries (apart from European Union members, Croatia and Hungary…), non-European, highly developed countries (the U.S.A., Japan, Israel, etc.), EFTA and CEFTA member countries, and regionally important countries. International bilateral co-operation

Number of bilateral research projects (30 countries)

Aims: EU programmes (6th Framework Programme and EURATOM), other European research and development programmes (COST, EUREKA, NATO), co-operation with international organisations (UNDP, UNIDO, CICGEB, ICS, CERN, ICPE, ICTP, ICSD, EMBC, IIR), and Slovenian Business and Research Association in Brussels. International multilateral cooperation

Number of projects in 6. FP per million people

SI in FP6 contracts Overall figures EU27 population490 mio. SI population2 mio.0,41% Total no. of contracts % No. of SI contracts3605,4% All participants % No. of SI participants 429 0,84% Total EU funding % For SI participants56.5 0,47%

SI in FP6 contracts ERANET projects 195 ERANET projects (were submitted in 4 calls) –90 projects were selected –SIovenia is participating in 20 projects Ministry (MHEST) is participating in 16 projects Slovenian Research Agency in 2 projects Supporting cooperation & coordination of national or regional research funding programmes

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

ISI – Science indicators for PAPERSIMPACTCITATIONS CITED PAPERS% CITED FINLAND , ,93 NETHERLANDS , ,69 SLOVENIA , ,79 TURKEY , ,94 USA , ,88 WORLD , ,27

Triadic patent families and publications per mio population Key Figures 2005

Evaluation challenges and changes Objectivity of evaluations criteria Validity of data bibliometrics, technometrics Independence of evaluators system (foreign evaluators) Implementation of policy evaluation results

RESEARCH EVALUATION PROCESS - EXPERT SYSTEM OF SRA - ELIGIBILITY TEST ELIGIBILITY TEST Administrative bodies of SRA Professional body for evaluation of proposals for… Professional body for evaluation of proposals for… FOREIGN PEERS DOMESTIC PEERS Scientific council of SRA Management board of SRA Quantitative data Professional body for evaluation of proposals for… Professional body for evaluation of proposals for…

Research evaluation system in Slovenia CRITERIAMETHODSINDICATORS Scientific qualityPeer reviewExperts ranking (contents, 5-top outputs…) Scientific outputsBibliometricsCOBISS, citations Socio-economic relevance Technometrics Transfer of knowledge (cooperation with non-academics, contracts - money) EfficiencyEconometricsInput/Output (FTE/results)

On line bibliographic data: COBISS

Bibliographic categorization by methodology of SRA

Humanities Social sciencesEngineering Biotechnical sciences Medical sciences Natural sciences QUANTITATIVE ELEMENTS (DATA) SCIENCEScience-COBISS 5 (=230) 5 (=240) 5 (=360) 5 (=250) 5 (=290) 5 (=480) SCIENCECitations 0 (=160) 5 (=80) 5 (=120) 5 (index) (=150/4) 5 (=370) RELEVANCEFTE - other sources 0 (=1,5) 5 (=3) 10 (=6,2) 5 (=3,4) 0 (=1) 5 (=2,9) PEER REVIEWS SCIENCE Science achievements (foreign peer A) SCIENCE /RELEVANCE Evaluation of training proposal (foreign peer A) RELEVANCE Relevance 2-4 achievements (domestic peer B)

Trasparent research results: SICRIS

Conclusions: Evaluation of research is as a management tool very important instrument for Slovenian research policy-making process. Slovenian Research Agency will continue with professional evaluation activity which will be more oriented towards national research and development priorities for strengthening our competitiveness in global world.