📋 Tender Overview
A consultation on the future of strategic development-innovation partnerships (SRIP) was held at the Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia (GZS) on February 9, at which representatives of the ministry, the economy, the research sphere and other key stakeholders discussed the future path of partnerships and the upcoming call for further implementation of their activities.The discussion confirmed once again that SRIPs have proved to be an effective mechanism for connecting companies, research organizations and the state in the last decade, and as an important tool for coordinating development priorities. The key message of the consultation was that the upgrading and further development of the existing system is necessary for future development, not its dismantling.
Established SRIPs represent one of the few organized spaces where stakeholders are already connected around common development priorities, and at the same time, through years of cooperation, they have built trust and achieved a critical mass of cooperation. Such an innovation ecosystem represents an important basis for the further realization of the countrys development, research and innovation goals.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr. Igor Papic highlighted the good cooperation between the stakeholders and emphasized that in order to increase the efficiency of the system, it is necessary to approach the reduction of the number of strategic areas of operation, and at the same time highlighted the comparison with other EU countries in the field of smart specialization. Only in this way will Slovenia stand alongside the most developed countries of the European Union in the field of innovation and rise in the ranking of the Innovation Index. At the same time, the Minister highlighted the role of competence centers as an important support environment for the development of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, emphasizing that Slovenia can achieve breakthrough results mainly by closely linking knowledge, research and the economy.
In the discussion, it was pointed out that the financing of strategic partnerships to date was mostly project-oriented. Stakeholders agree that this approach should be upgraded into a development-oriented and stable system solution. Stability will also be ensured through regular announcements of tenders for innovation activity at the Public Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation Activity of the Republic of Slovenia (ARIS), where the quality of applications and efficient use of public funds will be crucial.
Despite clear support for the further development of SRIPs, several important questions remain open, including the long-term role of partnerships in the countrys development model, the connection between development priorities and financing, and greater predictability of the system for all involved stakeholders.
The participants of the consultation emphasized that stable support from the state and a clear placement of strategic partnerships in the countrys future innovation system will be key to realizing the ambitious goals of the innovation strategy and the Made in Slovenia 2035 economic program.
The Council confirmed once again that SRIPs contribute significantly to the transfer of knowledge, the development of strategic technologies and the strengthening of the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy. Those present agreed that Slovenia can only effectively respond to the development challenges of the future with a continued partnership approach, long-term stability of funding and coordinated action of all stakeholders.
