Programmes and projects

National programmes and projects

National research programmes and projects are carried out within the framework of the National Research and Development Programme or the Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2011-2020 (RISS). The Public Agency for Research of the Republic of Slovenia (ARRS) carries out the professional, development and executive tasks related to the implementation of the adopted strategy. The University of Ljubljana carries out research and development work within 276 research groups.

The University of Ljubljana participates in national research programmes and projects co-financed by the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), various Ministries of the Republic of Slovenia (e.g. the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, the Ministry of Culture, etc.) and the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL).

Research programmes

Research programmes are a public service in the field of research. They are a rounded field of research which is expected to be relevant and useful over time and for which there is a national interest, defined in the national research and development programme as the long-term research of the programme group in that field. National research programmes are an integral part of the national development strategy and government policies with development objectives and impacts, the common purpose of which is to promote development for an economically and socially prosperous society (source: ARRS). 167 research programmes are carried out within the University of Ljubljana, either independently or in partnership.

List of UL member research programmes (source: SICRIS)

Research projects

National research involves basic, applied and post-doctoral research projects, co-financed by the Slovenian Research Agency. More than 300 projects are active at all member institutions of the University of Ljubljana.

List of research projects of UL members (source: SICRIS)

A basic project is an original experimental or theoretical work, which aims primarily to gain new knowledge about the fundamentals of phenomena and perceptual facts.

An applied project is original research carried out to acquire new knowledge, primarily directed towards a practical goal or purpose.

A special category is represented by basic and applied projects led by junior PhD students (up to ten years after the defence of their PhD). The latter are given special attention in the call for proposals.

A postdoctoral project is a basic or applied project carried out by a single postdoctoral researcher. A postdoctoral researcher is a researcher who has not yet completed more than 3 years since obtaining his PhD (source: ARRS).

Targeted research programmes

A targeted research programme (TRP) is a form of inter-ministerial cooperation in the planning and implementation of networked research and development projects in different fields of national interest. The main purpose of the programme is to form the research basis for decision-making in the preparation, adoption and implementation of development policies of public interest, as well as to monitor and supervise their implementation (source: ARRS). Members of the University of Ljubljana currently participate in more than 60 CRPs.

In 2025, the University of Ljubljana (UL) continued its active and successful participation in programmes funded by the European Commission, particularly in the fields of research, education, and innovation.

During the year, UL secured 117 new projects funded through European programmes, including 25 Horizon Europe projects and 92 projects from other European research, development, and education programmes, such as Digital Europe, LIFE+, Justice, Erasmus+, COST Actions, and Interreg. In 26 of these projects, UL acts as the coordinating institution.

In total, UL participated in 616 European projects, of which 110 were coordinated by the University of Ljubljana.

In 2025, a total of 150 projects were successfully completed.

The Horizon Programme represents the largest and most significant research and innovation funding programme of the European Union. In 2025, UL participated in 211 projects under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe (including projects in which UL is involved as a third party or associated partner). Among these, 36 projects are coordinated by UL, with a total estimated funding of approximately EUR 84.2 million. In the same year, UL also secured 25 new Horizon Europe projects.

In addition to Horizon projects, UL is involved in a wide range of other European programmes that contribute significantly to the University's international research and development activities. These include LIFE+, European Territorial Cooperation programmes, ERA-NET, Digital Europe, EURAMET (European Metrology Research Programme), Erasmus+, Structural Funds, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the Justice Programme 2021–2027, among others.

The total number of ongoing projects funded by these other European programmes amounts to 405.

OID (Organisational Identification Code): E10209243
PIC (Participant Identity Code): 999923240
Akreditacijska številka za program Erasmus + ECHE 2021-2027: 101009159 - ECHE UL
Tip akreditacije: ERAPLUS-ECHE
EuropeAid ID: SI-2010-GSP-2602095260

LEAR for UL:

Staska Mrak Jamnik, M.Sc.
Head of Office for Research
UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA
Kongresni trg 12
1000 Ljubljana