Estonian Competence Centre Programme

Slovenia 15.09.2009

Coordinator of the Programme:Harri Faiman

Programme Consultant:Anari Lilleoja

Objectives of the programme

To increase the international competitiveness of the entrepreneurs by

enhancing the cooperation in strategic R&D activities between the

entrepreneurs and universities:• 1) Developing the critical mass of top-level competence;• 2) Increasing the quality and volume of the industrial research (economic added value);• 3) Increasing the number of researchers oriented to the needs of the entrepreneurship and

their mobility;• 4) strengthening the long-term strategic planning and management capability.

Objectives based on Estonian research and development and innovation strategy of 2007-2013 “Knowledge-based Estonia”.

About the programme

First call in 2004, five centres financed :

1. Competence Centre of Food and Fermentation Technology

2. Bio-competence Centre of Healthy Dairy Products

3. Competence Centre ELIKO

4. Competence Centre for Cancer Research

5. Estonian Nanotechnologies Competence Centre

New call in 2009

Budget for the 2007-2013 MEUR 57.6 (annual programme budget MEUR 9.6);

Annual budget for Competence Centres is MEUR 2;

Call for papers: January 23rd 2009, 14 proposals submitted;

Selection process February 6th till March 25th 2009;

Up to 40 international experts involved (scientific, general experts, national economic experts)

Financing decisions by the end of May 2009

New call in 2009

8 Centres financed, incl 3 new centres:

Software Technology and Applications Competence Centre

Competence Centre on Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Innovative Manufacturing Engineering Systems Competence Centre

ICT, Food Technologies, Medicine

4 Universities, more than 90 Companies involved

Evaluation and Monitoring

Reporting to EAS: quarterly (financial report), half-year (activity report)

Evaluations: mid-term evaluation; final evaluation

Mid-term evaluation conducted by Technopolis Group in 2008 report: http://www.mkm.ee/failid/IS12_competence_center_programme_2008.pdf

Reporting and Monitoring in ELIKO Competence Centre