The Slovak research environment can be characterised by describing its research-related legislation, by identifying Slovak research institutions where you could find a job or collaboration, and by identifying funding opportunities (on national, bilateral, multilateral level) for your research in Slovakia.

Legislative framework of research and development in Slovakia

Research and development – its legal status

The basic law in the area of research and development (R&D) is Act No. 172/2005 on Arrangement of State Support for Research & Development. The Act defines the role of the Government of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport and other state administration bodies in the area of R&D. It prescribes the position and roles of the Slovak Research and Development Agency, conditions and forms of granting the state support, and the system of state R&D programmes.

R&D in Slovakia is carried out at universities, institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, legal entities established by state administration central bodies (state department research institutions) and private research institutions.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (MESRS SR) is the central body that is responsible for creating conditions for scientific and technological development, for cost‑effective utilisation of state budget and coordination of activities of other state bodies, the Slovak Academy of Sciences and of universities, which are involved in the preparation and implementation of the S&T policy.

The R&D support is offered in the form of granting funds from the state budget as non‑repayable subsidies. It can be a purpose‑oriented form of support or an institutional form of support. The purpose‑oriented form enables the implementation of R&D projects and infrastructure development projects through the Slovak Research and Development Agency, and projects within state programmes. Funds within the institutional form of support are granted for R&D activities at public and state universities, in  Slovak Academy of Sciences and state department research institutes.

Public and state universities are educational, scientific and artistic institutions established by the Act No. 131/2002 on Higher Education Institutions. The Slovak Academy of Sciences is a self‑governing scientific institution of the Slovak Republic established by the Act No. 133/2002 on Slovak Academy of Sciences.