Estonian Ministry of Education and Research

Estonian R&D System2005

Brief overview

Estonian R&D System

Some statistics: Where we are Estonian R&D system Estonian R&D financing system Financing instruments (Min Edu & Res;

Min Econ & Commun) Recent activities Problems

R&D expenditure:GERD (% GDP): 0.83 1.5 (2006)BERD (% GERD): 34

Financing: 48.6 % (Gov), 33 % (Enterprise sector), 15.2 % (Abroad)

Number of researchers (FTE per 1000 workforce): 4.7

Some numbers about R&D (2003)

3

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP, 2003

Source: Eurostat: Statistics in Focus, Key Figures 2003-2004

0,330,39

0,590,640,68

0,75

0,790,83

0,971,12

1,351,53

1,931,99

2,192,19

2,503,51

4,27

0,00 0,50 1,00 1,50 2,00 2,50 3,00 3,50 4,00 4,50

Cyprus

Latvia

Poland

Greece (2001)

Lithuania

Estonia (2002)

Portugal

Estonia

Hungary

Ireland

Czech Republic

Slovenia

EU 25 (2002)

EU 15 (2002)

Austria

France

Germany

Finland

Sweden (2001)

4

Share of business enterprise sector expenditure on R&D in total domestic expenditure, 2002

Source: Eurostat: Statistics in Focus, Key Figures 2003-2004

29,0

33,3

33,9

35,8

40,0

52,4

57,8

60,9

61,1

61,5

65,0

66,7

66,7

68,4

68,6

72,0

72,0

72,7

76,7

0,0 20,0 40,0 60,0 80,0 100,0

Estonia (2002)

Portugal

Estonia (2003)

Poland (2001)

Hungary

Spain (2001)

Netherlands

France

Austria

Czech Republic

EU 25

Ireland

Slovak Republic

United Kingdom

Finland

Denmark

Germany

Belgium

Sw eden

%

5

Source of funds financing the R&D expenditure, 2002

Source: Eurostat, New Cronos, OECD, MSTI database

29

31

32

33

30

42

47

49

54

56

56

66

71

72

54

61

61

49

59

36

27

39

42

34

41

32

26

21

14

5

5

15

10

22

21

7

3

7

2

2

3

4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Estonia

Poland

Portugal

Estonia (2003)

Hungary

Austria

United Kingdom

Spain

Czech Republic

EU 25 (2001, ~)

Slovak Republic

Germany

Finland

Sw eden (2001)

%

Abroad

Government

Business

6

Share of R&D personnel (head count) in labour force, 2002

Source: Eurostat, Statistics in Focus, Science and Technology, 3/2005

0,71

0,74

0,80

1,08

1,19

1,27

1,36

1,42

1,61

2,16

2,43

2,72

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3

Poland

Portugal

Latvia

Estonia

Hungary

Spain

Austria 1998

European Union

Germany (2001)

Denmark

Sweden (2001)

Finland

%

7

R&D Structure in Estonia

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (TAN)

RIIGIKOGU (Parliament)

RESEARCH COMPETENCY

COUNCIL

OTHER MINISTRIES

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (TAN)

RIIGIKOGU (Parliament)

RESEARCH COMPETENCY

COUNCIL

OTHER MINISTRIES

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

ESTONIAN SCIENCE

FOUNDATION

TECHNOLOGY AGENCY (ESTAG)

UNIVERSITIES

STATE R&D INSTITUTIONS

PRIVATE R&D INSTITUTIONS

GOVERNMENT

PUBLIC R&D

INSTITUTIONS

State agencies private public

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

AND RESEARCH

MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION AND ECONOMY

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

ESTONIAN SCIENCE

FOUNDATION

TECHNOLOGY AGENCY (ESTAG)

UNIVERSITIES

STATE R&D INSTITUTIONS

PRIVATE R&D INSTITUTIONS

GOVERNMENT

PUBLIC R&D INSTITUTION

S

State agencies private public

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND

RESEARCH

MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION AND ECONOMY

COMPETITIVNESS COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (TAN)

RIIGIKOGU (Parliament)

RESEARCH COMPETENCY

COUNCIL

OTHER MINISTRIES

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

ESTONIAN SCIENCE

FOUNDATION

TECHNOLOGY AGENCY (ESTAG)

UNIVERSITIES

STATE R&D INSTITUTIONS

PRIVATE R&D INSTITUTIONS

GOVERNMENT

PUBLIC R&D

INSTITUTIONS

State agencies private public

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

AND RESEARCH

MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION AND ECONOMY

INNOVATION POLICY

COMMISSION

RESEARCH POLICY

COMMISSION

8

R&D Council

Strategy advisory body for the Government in the entire field of R&D&I

Chaired by the Prime Minister 12 members, confirmed by the government,

for three years

9

The Ministry of Education and Research Responsible for the planning , coordination, execution and

surveillance of research and education policy

Advised by the Science Competence Council, Research Policy Council and by the Estonian Academy of Sciences

Assisted by the Archimedes Foundation which acts as the NCP for the EU FP, organizes evaluation of research and higher education etc.

10

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication

Responsible for the planning , coordination, execution and surveillance of innovation policy

Advised by Innovation Policy Council Assisted by the Enterprise Estonia

11

R&D financing system in Estonia

Universities Research Institutes

Research Institutes

Research Labs of Private Business Sector

Estonian Technology

Agency

Estonian Science

Foundation

Research Grant Financing

• Research & productdevelopment projects• Technology programs in priority areas

Institutional Target Financing

• Basic financing• Financing of Infra-structures

OtherMinistries

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications

National R&D Programmes

Research Competency

Council

State Bodies Public Institutions Private Organizations

Ministry of Education and Research

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Targeted financing The aim is to ensure a competitive basic structure for

scientific research and the continuity of research necessary for Estonia on the competitive bases

Financial means are planned for developing new research areas and to obtain the information resources needed for research

Science Competence Council makes recommendations to the Minister of Educations and Research

13

Targeted Financing by Research Areas in Years 2004 and 2005

15,7

12

18,4

17,9

13,1

6,9

6,3

9,8

14,4

13,3

18,1

18,4

13,3

6,6

6,1

9,9

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Exact Sciences

Molecular Biology & Chemistry

Environmental Sciences

Technical Sciences

Medical Sciences

Agricultural Sciences

Social Sciences

Humanities

Financing (% from total)

2005

2004

R&D grants

The purpose is primarily to support high-level initiative research, new ideas and studies

Financed by the Estonian Science Foundation from the Ministry of Education and Research`s budget

Special founds for young researchers and post doctors

15

Basic Financing

The purpose is financing R&D institutions on the basis of their research quality

Primarily to support the development and initiative research of R&D institutions; for co-financing of cooperation projects, international and local, incl cooperation projects between the academia and industry

No special guidelines for spending, the directors of research institutions are responsible

New instrument, introduced in 2005

16

National R&D programmes

Foreseen for the purposeful and systematic development of key research areas

For solution of the problems that are relevant for the development of the economy and society

17

Programme for Centres of Excellence in Research Programme for Centres of Excellence in Research as the national

programme will start in 2005 The objective of the programme is to support high-level R&D and

post-graduate studies, promotion of cooperation between research groups, generation of innovation and creation of better preconditions in international R&D cooperation.

The programme is financed by the Ministry of Education and Research through the state budget. Additional means will be applied for the programme from the Structural Funds of the EU

Until now, selection and funding of centres of excellence has been performed on the basis of an order of the Minister of Education and Research and the centres have been financed as a part of targeted financing.

18

Support schemes for innovation

The purpose is to raise the competitiveness of enterprises by developing and applying new technologies

Oriented to product development in enterprises, research with market potential undertaken in R&D institutions, preliminary studies for projects

19

Programmes of Enterprise Estonia for supporting Research and Technology development (Min of Econ & Commun)

• R&D Financing Programme• Research and development institutions’ infrastructure development programme• Competence Centre Programme• Programme for Centers of Exellence in Research• Innovation Awareness Programme• SPINNO Programm• Support for Technology Parks and Incubators

More information: Enterprise Estonia - www.eas.ee

Strategy and programme for R&D infrastructure (1): current problems Lack of modern infrastructure for higher education and research has

been identified by different foreign experts

Related problems: influence on R&D quality; brain-drain; less attractive environment for international cooperation etc.

Lack of nationally coordinated infrastructure investment policy. This has a tendency to lead into duplicate investments and inefficiencies. This situation is going to be changed.

Industry has very low interest in R&D.

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Strategy and programme for R&D infrastructure (2): planned actions Strategic base for updating of the infrastructure supporting

academic higher education, research and innovation Programme for development the R&D infrastructure Pilot phase in 2004 – 2006 min. amount per project: 30 MEEK; max.: 100 MEEK Second phase 2007 – 2013 Calculated total need: > 4 000 MEEK

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• R&D Financing Programme provides opportunities to launch new or improved products and services.

• The programme creates premises for advancement of business competitiveness by introducing new or improved products and services to the market and implementing new technologies.

• Government shares by the financing offered through the program also the technological and marketing risks related to the projects.

Research and Development (R&D) Financing Programme

• With the Competence Centre Programme, the Enterprise Estonia finances competence centres initiated and operated jointly by companies and R&D institutions.

• The main activities of the competence centres include the implementation of research and development necessary for the partners establishing the centre.

• By promoting the strategic partnership between research and the business sector, the programme raises the competitiveness of Estonian companies around the world.

Competence Centre Programme

SPINNO Programme

• Only 3% of local entrepreneurs co-operate in science and the economy with Estonian universities and R&D institutions.

• The obejctive of the SPINNO Programme is to increase the profits of such institutions through services supplied to entrepreneurs and the sale of copyright. This, in turn, will help reduce the gap between entrepreneurs in Estonia and entrepreneurs in the rest of Europe, who are significantly ahead in implementing scientific innovations.

Key areas by R&D strategy (2001-2006) User-friendly information technologies and

development of the information society Biomedicine Materials` technologies

(Key areas have been defined taking into account specific opportunities for development in Estonia, the existing research potential, economic structure and international orientations in the field of R&D&I)

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Key areas (II) In parallel with the development of the key areas the following

will also be ensured: The continuity and promotion of research related to:

- the Estonian people, language, national culture and history

- Estonian statehood and the sustainable development of society, as well as ensuring national security

- everyday environment and nature protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and the development of rural areas

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1) Technology development programmes2) Programme for updating the higher education,

research and innovation infrastructures, involvement of EU structural funds

3) Evaluation and updating of R&D&I financing system4) National R&D programmes5) New strategic documents:

Success Estonia 2014 and R&D Strategy for 2007- 2013

Recent measures

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More Information

Estonian State - www.riik.eeResearch and Development Council - www.tan.eeMinistry of Education and Research - www.hm.ee Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications - www.mkm.eeEstonian Science Foundation - www.etf.eeEnterprise Estonia - www.eas.eeArchimedes Foundation - www.archimedes.eeThe Estonian Researcher's Mobility portal - www.smartestonia.ee