RESEARCH CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE IN SLOVENIA: A new instrument of science and technology policy, estab

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RESEARCH CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE IN SLOVENIA A
new instrument of science and technology policy,
established in the context of EU Structural Funds
Joef Stefan Institute
Republic of Slovenia Ministry of Higher
Education, Science and Technology

• Dr. Darja Piciga
• Head of Office for Coordination of Development
  Policies and Structural Funds, MHEST
• Dr. Marija Kosec
• Head of the Centre of Excellence Materials for
  the electronics of the next generation and other
  emerging technologies (CE ME), JSI
• Research Infrastructures and their Structuring
  Dimension within the European Research Area
• March 5 6, 2008, Brdo, Slovenia

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Structure of presentation

• Basis for activities of Centres of Excellence in
  EU Structural Funds
• Research Centres of Excellence and their results
  up-to-date
• Present and future developments

• Centre of Excellence Materials for the
  electronics of the next generation and other
  emerging technologies strategy and partnership
• CE ME projects and RIs
• CE ME results and vision

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Basis for activities of Centres of Excellence
Situation at the beginning of Slovenian
participation in EU Structural Funds

• Main reasons for lagging behind of
  competitiveness
• of Slovenian economy
• relatively low private investments in RD and
  innovation
• feeble cooperation between companies and
  knowledge institutions (transfer of knowledge)
• weak networking and clustering, underdeveloped
  institutional environment for innovation and
  competitiveness
• Other weaknesses in the field of RD
• insufficient investment in applied and
  development research
• lagging behind in excellence of publications
• dispersed financing (no priorities)
• small research groups, not enough integration in
  the sphere of RD
• unsatisfactory educational structure of
  researchers in the business sector
• LAGGING BEHIND IN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
• (NATIONAL BUDGET 4 MIO EUR PER YEAR)
• unsatisfactory system of assessment and
  evaluation
• weak response to Centres of Excellence in FP 5

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Basis for activities of Centres of Excellence in
EU Structural Funds - II

• GOALS
• more effective transfer of knowledge
• ? new products, services and processes with
  high value added
• ? new dynamic high-tech companies
• improved co-operation between knowledge
  institutions and business companies
• increased investment in applied research in
  priority RTD areas
• top-down
  bottom-up approach
• 5 areas
  quality of partnership (30 of total score)
• ICT, new materials, biotech
  and of project proposal
• pharm, process manag.,
  mandatory co-financing by private comp.
• sustain. dev. (environm.)

• RESEARCH CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
• new, innovative instrument of ST policy

• CoE a high quality multidisciplinary group of
  researchers both from academic and business
  spheres, combining a critical mass of knowledge
  and adequate research infrastructure for
  potential breakthrough of this centre onto the
  top of world science or into international
  networks of excellence.

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Basis for activities of Centres of Excellence in
EU Structural Funds III
Strategy for the Economic Development of
Slovenia 2001-2006
CoEs in FP5 NoEs in FP6 Scandinavian CoEs
NDP SPD 2004-06
NRDP
Public Calls (April/May 2004)
Innovation environment (M. of the Economy M.
for Science) joint RD projects of group of
companies and knowledge institutions 15 for RD
projects of CoEs, co-financed by private
companies state aid rules

• eligible previously
  selected RD project

Research Infrastructures of CoEs renovation and
modernization of premises and equipment
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT AND ITS
IMPLEMENTATION 2003-2004 Dr. Darja
Piciga 2005-2008 Dr. Darja
Piciga Dr. Zoran Stancic
Office for Dev.Pol. SF (MHST)



Sistem for SF
(Slovenia)
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List of Centres of Excellence(with funds from
ERDF)
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Centres of Excellence RESULTS

• Upgrading existing co-operation
• (knowledge institutions - business companies
  intrasectorial)
• New partnerships (particularly ET, NN)
• 50 companies as active partners, another 100
  co-operating
• Hundreds of top-level researchers

• Scientific excellence
• International dimension strengthened
• Contributions to higher education

• Contributed to gt200 innovations and patents
• New technologies, products, services
• New workplaces created

• ST COMPETITIVNESS
• INCREASED
• ECONOMIC COMPETITIVNESS

• TOP-LEVEL RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES

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Lessons learned

• CoE activities too complex (RD projects!)

• Permanent changes in the system of management and
  control of SF too complex

• Simplification of procedures for selection of
  projects, management and control
• ? less complex Application Form and Instructions
• ? not two Ministries (good for synergy but not
  for implementation process)
• ? not State aid
• ? maximum 2 RD projects per CoE
• ? minimum eligible cost
• ? smaller share of funds for RD projects

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Distribution of funds
Distribution by type of activity 2004 2006
2007-2013 (planned)
14.8 mio EUR 84.3 mio EUR
Distribution by priority field 2004 2006
2007 2013
ICT NEW MATERIALS PROCESS MANAG TECH BIOTECH
PHARM TECH SUST ECON DEV (ENVIRON TECH)

• ICT
• NEW MATERIALS,
• NANOTECH
• COMPLEX SYSTEMS,
• INOVATIVE TECH
• TECH FOR SUST ECON DEV
• (SUST USE OF ENERGY)
• HEALTH AND LIFE
• SCIENCES

?
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Present and future developments
(2007 2008) 2008

• Final payments, claims for reimbursement
• Final reporting for the CoEs
• Preparation of new programmes for 2007-2013
  period
• International evaluation of final reports and
  programmes (new methodology)
• Public Calls for RD projects and RIs
• . . .

• 3 - 4 new Centres of Excellence CoE for
  sustainable use of energy
• Time for daring ideas, ambitious plans !!!
• Technologies for 3rd industrial revolution ???

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Center of Excellence MATERIALS FOR THE
ELECTRONICS OF THE NEXT GENERATION AND OTHER
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES Prof. Dr. Marija Kosec, JSI
Magnetic materials and intermetallic
alloys Prof.dr. Spomenka Kobe, JSI Partners IMT,
Magneti, Kolektor, Iskra Feriti
RD
RI
Microstructures and microsystems Prof.dr. Janez
Trontelj, FE (LMFE, LMSE, LPVO) Partners
Sipronika
Research infrastructure
Components for protection and protection devices
of new generation Dr. Slavko Bernik,
JSI Partners Milan Vidmar, Varsi, Zacite, Iskra
TELA
Hybrid materials and structures Dr. Janez Holc,
JSI Partners Hipot-RR, Hyb
Complex materials for new technologies Prof.dr.
Slobodan umer, JSI Partners Balder IMF, IMMF,
Gorenje
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• Initial strategic elements
• Cooperation between universities, research
  institutions and industry
• The scientific Excellence of the academic groups
• Successful industry in Slovenia
• Increase the multidisciplinary
• Promote knowledge and technology transfer
• Education
• RD subjects energy storage, surge protection
  devices, liquid crystals, sensors, MEMS,
  bioactive materials, composites.

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Research Institutes and Universities
Consortium
SMEs
Interfaces
Large companies
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CoE-ME MATERIALS FOR THE ELECTRONICS OF THE NEXT
GENERATION AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
3.127.921 (ERDF 2.327.562)
Magnetic materials and intermetallic alloys
324.381 (ERDF 194.041)
RD
RI
Microstructures and microsystems 189.172 (ERDF
141.879)
Research infrastructure 1.846.029 (ERDF
1.422.037)
Components for protection and protection devices
of new generation 294.886 (ERDF 221.165)
Hybrid materials and structures 244.838 (ERDF
183.609)
Complex materials for new technologies
228.613 (ERDF 164.831)
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Research infrastructure 1.422.037 EUR
Some of the new equipment
Current generator
Vacuum furnace
AFM/MFM microscope
PECVD system
Optical profilometer
Melt-spinner
3D printer
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• Some of the results 2004-2007
• 20 new PhDs (chemistry, physics, electronics)
• 28 patents (national and international)
• 83 publications in cited journals
• 38 new and improved technological processes
• 23 courses for end-users
• 15 new industrial partners
• Improved cooperation beetwen RD institutions
  and industrial partners
• Improved research infrastructure

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Magnetic materials and intermetallic alloys
Prof. dr. Spomenka Kobe, JSI partners IMT,
Magneti, Kolektor, Iskra Feriti Aim development
of new rare-earth alloys, powders and magnets,
ferrite composites
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Microstructures and microsystems
Prof. Dr. Janez Trontelj, FE (LMFE, LMSE,
LPVO) partners Sipronika Aim sensors and
microsystems, new technologies for processing Si.
Structures on silicon.
Inertial microsystem for automotive applications.
Magnetic microsystems for industrial and
automotive applications.
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Components for protection and protection devices
of new generation
Dr. Slavko Bernik, JSI partners Milan Vidmar,
Varsi, Zacite, Iskra TELA Aim ZnO varistors,
new knowledge and technology, new generation of
surge protection
Varistors and surge protection.
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Hybrid materials and structures
Dr. Janez Holc, JSI Partners Hipot-RR, Hyb Aim
integration of ceramic materials in
multifunctional components and MEMS devices.
Pressure sensor (EU 6FP STREP MINUET)
Piezoelectric actuator
LTCC technology
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Complex materials for new technologies

• Prof. Dr. Slobodan umer, JSI
• Partners Balder IMF, IMMF, Gorenje
• Aim new complex materials, polymers, composites,
  liquid crystals, bioactive materials for optical
  and other applications.

Liquid crystalline elastomers
Polystyrene with titanate nanostructure with
improved mechanical and antibacterial properties
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CoE ME International dimension

• Joint Participation in international projects
• EU Centres of Excellence 6FP ALCANDO
  (Application of Liquid Crystals for Advanced
  Nano-scale Devices and Optics) and SICER (Centre
  for advanced processing, technologies and
  materials for ceramics, electronic and
  electromechanical devices)
• 5 NATO projects
• 5 large research-and-development 5FP projects
  (LEAF, PIRAMID, HITEMAG, MICROPROTEIN, EASIT)
• 2 CRAFT projects
• 2 NoEs (Complex Metallic Alloys and MIND -
  Multifunctional Integrated Piezoelectric
  Devices)
• 6 FP STREPs (MINUET, CELINA, RETINA, MULTICERAL,
  MULTIFLEXIOXIDES, CAMELIA)
• Collective research (GREENROSE)
• CRAFT project (IMMEDIATE).

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Vision for the period 2008-2013
Centre for New Technologies new RI
Cooperation between the various Centres of
Excellence that are already established
(materials, nano, environment, production
technologies, bio) and industries within the
Centres, but also outside these Centres and
just people having good ideas.
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Thank you for your attention !