History and Past Activities
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History and Past Activities |
Franc Mali, Ph. D.
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, franc.mali@Uni-Lj.si
Is it possible to come to balance of different functions in academic research systems of small transitional countries of Central and Eastern Europe? (The Case of Slovenia)
The objective of the paper will be to examine the barriers in commercialisation of public research and higher education in Slovenia as a small post-communist country in transition. The different studies have already shown that the development of public research and university systems in small countries is different from the larger countries because of the lot of difficulties linked to a small resources base. The influence of phenomenas like scientific inbreeding, old-boy network in evaluation system of science, etc. are well-known. Although some analytics are warning before danger of "functionally overloading" the public research and university systems, Slovenia as a small country in transition has to follow the concept of diversification of the functions of the both systems. It is namely characteristic for modern public research institutions to serve a growing variety of functions.
I'll try to show in paper that the division between different functions, especially the division between basic and applied research, between teaching and research etc., is mostly not acceptable for larger countries with numerous universities and public research institutes, let alone for Slovenia as a small country with only few universities and public research institutes. The factor which should increases the commercial role of the university research in Slovenia as an immediate factor of industrial development (and not only as a budgetary item) is the relative size of R&D stocks at public research and higher education system. Unforunately, there are lot of obstacles within and outside university and public research system to make from them the engine factors of socio-economic development in Slovenia.
In my paper, I will use different sort of empirical data: quantitative data from the longitudinal analysis on research and education activity of the academic staff in Slovenia, the official statistical data on university system etc. Here, the interviews among 50 deans of faculties and directors of public research institutes in Slovenia which have been performed from February to April 2002 will be of great help. The deans interviewed have been asked to assess the different dimensions of commercial orientation of their R&D institutions. I will try to go in my paper beyond only the national context (the presentation of situation in Slovenia) and try to come also to more general conclusions regarding the possible balance of different functions in academic research systems of small transitional countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Sociology of Science and Technology NETwork - last update: April 2006