Research

By promoting excellent science, interdisciplinary research and cooperation with other domestic and foreign universities and research institutions, we contribute our share to both the global and Slovenian treasury of knowledge, transferring it to students and the wider community.

Prof. Dr. MARTIN ČOPIČ
Vice-Rector for Scientific Research

In 2015, great attention was placed on the career development of researchers, strengthening and promoting the Doctoral School and research achievements. We closely cooperated with research institutes and intensified our efforts to obtain European and other research projects and cooperate in international research groups.

The University of Ljubljana has 3946 researchers registered with the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS). They participate in 288 research groups, which places the University of Ljubljana as the largest of Slovenian research organisations.

In 2015, 2404 articles were published in journals with the Web of Science (WoS) citation index, i.e. 123 articles fewer than in 2014. With respect to the number of registered researchers at the University of Ljubljana, the number of publications in 2015 was still quite high. Despite that, we note a negative trend that is beginning to be visible due to reduced funding for research activities.

In 2015, we participated in 196 research programmes, 50 applied projects, 147 basic projects, 38 targeted research programmes and nine scientific projects financed by the Slovenian Research Agency. Through the mentioned projects, the University trained 331 young researchers, 16 postdoctoral researchers with a postdoctoral project at the Slovenian Research Agency and 14 postdoctoral researchers who are not financed by the Slovenian Research Agency.

In terms of expanding international cooperation, 171 foreign researchers participated in projects at the University of Ljubljana, which is 60 (54 percent) more than the year before. In the other direction, 72 of our researchers went abroad on exchange and participated in educational and scientific research processes, 23 (or 46 percent) more than in 2014.

For 2015, the University of Ljubljana earmarked some €55.26 million for research and development projects and programmes, which is €1.26 million more than in 2014. This was also due to our participation in European and international projects, since the drawing of development funds in European and international projects increased by approximately €2 million.

With 38 approved projects under the Horizon 2020 programme, the University of Ljubljana in 2015 kept its position as the most successful research organisation from new EU Member States (EU13) and as the most successful organisation in Slovenia in terms of acquired funds. The total number of European projects implemented in 2015 at the University of Ljubljana decreased with respect to the previous year, i.e. dropped to 402 projects. This reduced number is primarily the result of the fact that almost no open calls from European structural funds have been published for two years.

NUMBER OF EU PROJECTS

Number of ongoing projects by year

A major contribution to the internationalisation of the University of Ljubljana is made by researchers engaged in excellent European and international research consortia.

Mag. STAŠKA MRAK JAMNIK
Assistant Secretary General at the University Office for European Projects

After a successful internal evaluation of the action plan for the University of Ljubljana Career Development Strategy, the European Commission approved the further use of the Excellence in Research logo. Hence, the University continues introducing measures to provide open recruitment of teachers and researchers and to improve conditions for their career development.

In the future, the University plans to improve excellence in research and to increase its engagement in European and other international research projects. In particular, it seeks to attract experienced foreign researchers through the Marie Curie Individual Fellowships financial scheme and increase the number of successful applications by researchers to open calls published by the European Research Council.