Parliament passes scientific research and innovation activities act

Ljubljana – The National Assembly passed in an 80:0 vote the scientific research and innovation activities act on Thursday. The government-sponsored legislation is to promote the development of quality and globally comparable scientific research. It is also intended to facilitate better integration into the European and global research area.

The law is to set up stable funding of public research organisations, create opportunities for rewarding excellent researchers and enable open access to scientific publications.

The aim is to raise public spending for scientific research to 1% of GDP, by increasing state funding by at least 0.08 percentage point a year.

The act also gives public research organisations more autonomy, and allows for the transfer of the state assets they now only manage into their ownership.

Moreover, it facilitates the granting of concessions to scientific research institutions.

One of the goals is also to attract Slovenian researchers working abroad back to Slovenia and more effective transfer of know-how and innovation as well as more cooperation with the economy.

The act addresses ethics and integrity in science, including through the setting up of a national council for ethics and integrity in science.

It will enter into force on 1 January 2022.

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