InvestSlovenia

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION

Internationally comparable strengths of Slovenia’s technological position:

Developed public research and technological infrastructure

Quality of scientific research

Level of gross expenditures for R&D as a % of GDP

Links with European research partners

Inventors and innovators (number of patents per million inhabitants)

Source: Finance (a daily newspaper) (2004)

There is a long tradition of contractual co-operation of R&D institutes with the business sector in Slovenia. In the process of trade liberalisation, organisational restructuring, ownership transformation and deregulation/, many R&D units within the manufacturing sector downsized or vanished. About 3,000 engineers and researchers left the industry and moved to service companies, or established their own engineering and consulting firms. However, the R&D investment in the restructured business sector began to grow again at the end of the 1990s, and surpassed public R&D spending.

Gross domestic expenditures as a % of GDP, 1999

Source: OECD: Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard (2001); Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (2001)

Business expenditure on R&D as a % of GDP, 2000

Source: OECD: Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard (2001); Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (2001)

In 2000, 12,220 people were employed in Slovenian R&D organizations. The number of researchers per 1,000 labour force is slightly under the EU-15 and OECD average.

Number of researchers (FTE) per 1000 labour force, 1999

Source: OECD: Main Science and Technology Indicators (2001); Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (2001)

Slovenia takes part in international research projects and its researchers have a sound track record in a number of European initiatives. It all started in former Yugoslavia with initiatives and programmes such as EUREKA and COST. Now, the Slovenian organisations have some 350 projects within the scope of the 5th EU framework programme of scientific - research and technological and development activities of the EU. On average, the projects from Slovenia are endorsed in 30% of cases. In the Framework Programme for 2002 to 2006, over 14% of all applications came from Slovenia. Integrated projects and networks of excellence are concepts followed both in traditional and advanced technology applications.

Under the auspices of Ljubljana and Maribor Universities there are 39 research organizations including public research institutes, experimental laboratories, and clinics. Other research organizations include national research institutes, other research institutions, as well as private and non-profit research units. Currently, there are 56 government-owned research institutes employing over 3,130 R&D personnel, averaging 34 researchers per institute.

The number of Ph.D. and M.Sc. holders has increased considerably over the last decade. The age structure of researchers has improved due to the implementation of the national programme “Young Researchers” producing 200 - 300 new researchers per year. The result is a lower average age of researchers – between 38 and 40 years of age, which seems to indicate future stimulation of greater employment of new researchers in the corporate sector.

Average share of turnover coming from new or renewed products, 1999-2001

Source: Flash eurobarometre 100: Innobarometer (2001); Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia: Innovation Survey (2002)