Experience of Slovak Researcher's Mobility Centres Lithuanian Researcher's Mobility Centre Launch Conference Vilnius, May 31 st, 2005

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Basic facts about Slovakia I The Slovak RepublicEstablished 1 January 1993 Form of GovernmentParliamentary Democracy Size sq. km Population: 5,38 Million ( 85,8% Slovaks, 9,7% Hungarians; 1,7% Roma, 0,8% Czechs 0,7% Ruthenes and Ukrainians, 1,2% others - Poles, Germans, etc. ) Capital City:Bratislava - 0,45 mil. inhabitants Religion: 69% Roman Catholic; 7 % Protestant, 4% Greco Catholic, 13% without denomination

Basic facts about Slovakia II Official Language:Slovak Currency: Slovak Crown (39 SKK = 1 EUR) Size sq. km GDP:1 209,9 milliard SKK (2003) GDP Growth:4,5% (2003, the highest in V4 countries) Inflation:7,6% (2004) Average monthly salary: SKK (410 EUR) Unemployment:18% (2004)

Structure of Research I Legal and physical entities with offices in the Slovak Republic active in research and development are integrated in the following sectors: the higher education sector, the state sector, the private sector and the non-profit sector.

Structure of Research II The Higher education sector 20 public higher education institutions 3 state higher education institutions and 4 private higher education institutions. The State research and development sector almost 60 research institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences 20 state sector R&D organizations established by central state administration bodies.

Structure of Research III The Private research and development sector more than 40 legal and physical entities active in R&D listed in the trade register Non-governmental non-profit organisations also engaged in research and development

Doctoral studies 2004/2005 in Slovakia internal study2 656 Ph.D. students from them international 79 Ph.D. students external study7 236 Ph.D. students total9 892 Ph.D. students

Mobility Programmes I The Slovak Republic has been engaged in long-term international scientific and technological co-operation in accordance with the priorities of national science and technology policy. Bilateral scientific and technological co-operation to support the participation of scientists and experts in joint projects and enable exchange of researchers and experts between the parties involved in cooperation. Participation in EU Research and Technological Development Programmes (FP5, FP6).

Mobility Programmes II Multilateral scientific and technological co-operation (e.g., COST, EUREKA, NATO, CERN, JINR etc.). on the basis of inter-academic agreements of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, inter-institute and inter- university agreements and personal contacts

R & D expenditures I

R & D expenditures II

Slovakia and Lisbon process The Lisbon Strategy has become the major topic of discussion in Slovakia - a document ‘The Strategy for the Improvement of Competitiveness in Slovakia up until 2010’ of the Ministry of Finance from this document MINERVA (Mobilisation of innovation in the national economy and the development of scientific-educational activities) emerged

MINERVA Information Society Investment in education and human capital Business environment Innovation, science, research Most of the stakeholders agree that the main problems in the area of science and research is a weak connection between business and universities and research institutions and the remarkable lack of funding – public, but also private. To reverse this trend, the draft Lisbon Strategy proposes focusing on three specific issues: Training and support of the high-quality scientists, and creating suitable conditions for their future careers so that they do not leave the country, Support for internationally competitive research projects and appropriate connections with business, Efficient support for business activities focused on innovation and R&D.

Building on long-term experience Slovak Academic Information Agency - SAIA - offering advice mainly to university students and teachers created as an NGO in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic already in 1990 Understanding of importance of building partnerships with different actors locally and internationally Developing new open system of services supporting mobility of university students, Ph.D. students, teachers, increasing their opportunities to participate in different mobility programmes

Responding to new challenge I In 2003 SAIA asked by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic to prepare a proposal that would reflect needs of research community as far as mobility and human resources are concerned; After mapping exercise during which key players in this area were connected establishment of two researcher's mobility centres was suggested – one in SAIA – capital city, the other one in Eastern part of the country at the Technical University in Košicetwo researcher's mobility centres

Responding to new challenge II Collecting information Developing national mobility portal Creating national network of mobility contact points Strengthening international cooperation

National Mobility Portal I

National Mobility Portal II from 06/04 to 02/05 NMP visited by users (unique IPs) and hits were registered.

Visitors of mobility centres 308 outgoing researchers turned to mobility centres with the request for information and advice from 04/04 to 02/05.

Building capacity of researchers and research organisations 10 workshops 308 participants from local universities and research institutes Mobility Contact Points Network counts 128 individual members from 54 universities, faculties and research institutes with seats in 13 towns of Slovakia.

Promoting researcher´s mobility