Absorption of EU Funds in the Area of Competitiveness, Research and Innovation: The Case of Lithuania

Dr. Nerija PutinaitėVice-Minister, Ministry of Education and Science, Lithuania

Competitiveness through Research and Innovation: Strategies, Policies and Incentives (WB)Sofia, Bulgaria21-06-2010

Content EU structural funds – attention to R&D infrastructure, human resources and

environment R&D Programme for Cooperation Between Public R&D and Business Sectors

- Integrated Research, HE and Business Centers (Valleys) Common National Integrated Programme – 12 national integrated programmes

in R&D knowledge susceptive economical sectors Researchers Career Programme - professional improvement of researchers at all

stages of their career National Higher Education Programme – skills and competences of

students and professors, investment into study infrastructure Concentration of Lithuanian R&D potential

Reorganization of Institutes’ Network National Science Programmes

Science and studies concentration in Lithuania

Lithuania and the research, 2009 3.5 mil. inhabitants

200 000 students (60 000 in the colleges): 63 per 1000 inhabit.

12 000 researchers, 6000 with doctoral degrees

300 - 400 new doctoral degrees each year

6,7 % researchers in business and industry

Investments in R&D - 0,8 % of GDP

Financing

ALLOCATIONS FOR SCIENCE AND STUDIES IN 2008-2010 (Millions, €)

329.288

305.673

267.916

83.168

77.759

164.143

84.173

94.974

99.903

0 300 600

2008

2009

2010

State budget funding EU SF and gross funding Special programmes funding

Structural Funds Programmes 2007-2013

R&D Programme for Cooperation Between Public R&D and Business Sectors (218,06 mil. €)

Common National Integrated Programme (97,43 mil. €)

Researchers Career Programme (182,5 mil. €)

National Higher Education Programme (221,28 mil. €)

Knowledge and competitiveness

Research

BusinessStudies

Stimulation of science and business cooperation

Investments into:R&D infrastructure, human resources and environment

R&D Programme for Cooperation Between Public R&D and Business Sectors

Objective to create R&D infrastructure, develop research of international level relevant to business, essential to solve important problems of state and society; to create preconditions for commercialization of scientific results and for other applications.

Funding 218,06 mil. €

Integrated Research, HE and Business Centers (Valleys) Projects

Valley Project Funding, mil. €

Number of researchers

Status Quo

Saulėtekis

Establishment of National Centre of Physical and Technological Sciences

58 700 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-02-02)

Development of Civil Engineering Centre of the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University

5.2 80 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-01-18)

Development of Vilnius University Laser Research Centre “Naglis”

3.31 20 Funding and administration contract signed (2009-12-31)

Santara Establishment of Joint Centre for Life Sciences

36.34 290 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-03-31)

Establishment of Joint Innovative Medicine Centre

14.86 60 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-04-21)

Establishment of Nature Research Centre 4.36 220 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-01-21)

Creation of IT Open Access Centre 1.57 90 Funding and administration contract signed (2009-12-31)

Maritime Creation of Nucleus and Update of study Infrastructure of Maritime sector valley

25.85 110 Funding and administration contract signed (2009-12-31)

Integrated Research, HE and Business Centers (Valleys) Projects

Valley Project Funding, mil. €

Number of researchers

Status Quo

Santaka Establishment of National open-access R&D Centre in Kaunas Technology University

34 310 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-01-07)

Establishment of National open-access Research Centre of Future Energy Technologies

6.52 114 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-02-02)

Establishment of Centre for the Latest Pharmaceutical and Health Technologies in “Santaka” Valley

15.36 50 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-01-18)

Nemunas Agrobiotechnologies, forestry, biomass energy,water and biosytems engineering R&D centers, HE studies and related infrastructure development and reorganization of science and studies institutions

23.27 140 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-02-08)

Animal health, nurture and animal material science and studies infrastructure development, consolidation of scientific potential

8.78 80 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-02-05)

Food science and technology infrastructure development and consolidation of scientific potential

2.44 51 Funding and administration contract signed (2010-02-01)

Integrated Research, HE and Business Centers (Valleys) Funding Sources (mil. €)

Valley Ministry of Education

and Science

Ministry of Economy

Min. of Agricult

ure

Min. of Environ

ment

Min. of Health

State Property

Fund

Other sources

Overall

Marine 26.19 10.79 3.04 17.98 4.84 62.85

Nemunas 34.84 3.66 14.78 1.86 55.14Santaka 55.89 8.24 9.46 73.59

Saulėtekis 67.07 12.25 12.7 92Santara 57.12 20.19 4.4 21.45 103.17Overall 241.11 55.13 14.78 3.04 4.4 17.98 50.3 386.76

Common National Integrated Programme

Objective To increase in complex manner (through direct and indirect measures) the proportion of R&D intensive sectors of economy.

Funding 97,43 mil. €

Coordination of National Integrated Programmes Implementation

List of Projects of twelve National Integrated Programmes Confirmed: Biotechnology and Biopharmacy; Joint Laser, New Materials, Electronics, Nanotechnology and Applied Physical Sciences and

Technologies; Sustainable Chemistry; IT sector; Medicine sciences; Sustainable use of nature envirenment; Mechatronics; Development of Civil Engineering Sector and Transport; Lithuanian Creative and Cultural Industries; Humanities and Social Sciences; Maritime sector; Agriculture, Forestry and Food sector.

There are 34 projects developed on the basis of these programmes. Allocations distributed to them - 177,16 mln. LtThe funding for the implementation of the projects of strengthening of study infrastructure will reach beneficiaries on the second quarter of 2010 year.

Funding of National Integrated Programmes (mil. €)

1 Biotechnology and Biopharmacy

2

Joint Programme of Laser, New Materials, Electronics, Nanotechnology and Applied Physical Sciences and Technologies

3 Sustainable Chemistry4 IT sector5 Medicine sciences6 Sustainable use of nature environment 7 Mechatronics

8Development of Civil Engineering Sector and Transport

9Lithuanian Creative and Cultural Industries

10 Humanities and Social Sciences

11 Maritime sector

12 Agriculture, Forestry and Food sector

1.09

2.73

0.95

2.67

2.67

2.67

4.93

4.93

3.65

4.93

10.03

10.121

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Researchers Career Programme

Objective to encourage permanent professional improvement of scientists and other researchers at all stages of their career enhance abilities of human resources in the sphere of R&D in qualitative and quantitative aspects; to encourage the mobility of scientists and other researchers.

Funding 182,5 mil. €

Researchers Career Programme: Instruments

Instrument Funds according to the groups of activities

(mil. €)General grants 55.07

Improvement of qualification of scientists and other researchers, encouragement of mobility and student research works

23.13

Improvement of qualification and competencies of scientists and other researchers (research databases and e-documents)

21.36

State aid for employment of researchers in companies 18.38

Strengthening of activities of R&D thematic networks and associations

7.68

Improvement and dissemination of knowledge about science and technologies for pupils and youth and stimulating of gender equality in science

5.8

R&D quality and preparation of experts 2.78

Analysis of study and research condition 2.49

Examples of “soft” instruments

State aid for the employment of highly qualified personnel in SMEs (18.38

mil. €) Aim: increasing the number of highly qualified personnel in SMEs, promoting

R&D in knowledge intensive sectors of economy Target group: highly qualified personnel (researchers, R&D operating

personnel with tertiary education degree and at least 5 years of relevant professional experience)

Students’ scientific practice (1.45 mil. € ) Aim: creation of possibilities for students to get familiar with R&D projects

executed by the groups of most known scientists’ and science and studies institutions in Lithuania

Target group: students

Students’ of Master level practice in foreign companies Aim: creation of opportunities for MA students to gain skills in applied R&D Target group: MA students

Stimulus for R&D commercializationLaw on Science and Studies

Art. 82 Part 1:“Science and studies institutions have the ownership of property rights, arising from results of intellectual activities, gained according to the agreement or according to the order, set by laws.”

Recommendations for Lithuanian science and studies institutions regarding the rights arising from the results of intellectual activities, approved by the order of the Minister of Education and Science (December 1, 2009).

Recommendations for Lithuanian science and studies institutions regarding the rights arising from the results of intellectual activities Recommendations – is a consulting guide, setting the guidelines for

Lithuanian science and studies institutions on the rights, arising from the results of intellectual activities, and their use, disposal and management.

It is recommended to include IPR policy (with implementation instruments and monitoring) into institution’s long-term strategy and appoint a person or allocate a structural unit dealing with IPR issues (possibility to delegate this to separate technology transfer office).

Recommendation also include the provisions on: Rights and obligations of IP creators and science and studies institutions (personal non-

property rights to IP results belong to the authors, but property rights the author may transfer to the third person without prior informing a science and study institution, unless the property rights already belong to the science and study institution according to inner legal act or the agreements.)

IPR protection, disclosure, IPR distribution and publication Commercialization and distribution of profit, gained from the results of intellectual

activities Conflict solving, information and teaching about IPR Encouragement to create and commercialize results of the intellectual activities.

Plans

Open international tender for the selection of the Valley Monitoring Group experts publishedFunding Contracts of the Projects of National Integrated Programs will be signed Regulation basis for management of open-access centresLegal basis of the Science and Technology Parks renewed

Lithuania aims 2% of GDP 2020

Reorganization of Institutes’ NetworkPrevious Situation Before reorganization of State Research Institutions’ Network there was:

17 State Research Institutes 18 University Research Institutes 10 State Research Institutions

After consolidation:

5 Integrated Centers of Science and Research 6 State Research Institutes (17 Institutes was integrated into universities)

Consolidation of Institutes

New Institute Joined Former Institutes

Centre of Innovative Medicine Immunology Institute of Vilnius University; Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine of Vilnius University

Nature Research Centre Ecology Institute of Vilnius University; Institute of Botany; Institute of Geology and Geography

Centre of Agrarian and Forest Sciences

Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture; Lithuanian Institute of Forests; Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture and Olericulture

Lithuanian Social Research Centre

Institute of Social Research; Institute of Labour and Social Research

Centre of Physical and Technological Sciences

Institute of Chemistry; Institute of Semiconductor Physics; Institute of Physics

Institutes with the same title

Institute of LithuanianInstitute of Lithuanian literature and FolkloreLithuanian Institute of History

Lithuanian Institute of EnergeticsLithuanian Institute of Cultural Research Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economy

4 state research institutes are liquidated and 1 reorganized into budgetary institution.

The following actions taken:1. from state research institutes, other university research institutes and some other state research institutions 11 state research institutes were formed :

National Science Programmes

Programme Planned Funding for 2010 year (mil. €)

Status quo

Social Challenges for National Security

1 (overall 2010-2013 - 10,9)

Confirmed and started to implement

State and Nation: Heritage and Identity

0.88(overall 2010-2014. – 18,88)

Confirmed and started to implement

Future Energetics 1.3 Confirmed and started to implement

Chronic Uninfectious Diseases 1.3 Confirmed and started to implement

Ecosystems of Lithuania: Climate Vissisitude and Human Influence

1.3 Confirmed and started to implement

Healthy and Safety Food - Project prepared

National Science Programmes – one of the measures of program-based and competition-based R&D project funding. Planning and Performance course of the National Science Programmes is regulated by the Regulation of the National Science Programmes List of National Science Programmes approved by the Government:

Challenges

Strenghtening of studies, science and business integration for growth of Lithuania’s economy

Development of partnership between science and business

Best practice examples of partnerships

Successful implementation of EU structural funds projects

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