Stable funding and young researchers
Stable funding is the fundamental funding mechanism for public research organisations in Slovenia. It was established under the Scientific Research and Innovation Activity Act. The first contract period runs from 2022 to 2027.
54
Research organisations
262
Young researchers (2025)
EUR 246.7 million
Of allocated funds (2025)
Stable funding is a funding instrument that provides research organisations with a stable financial base for a six-year period. This allows organisations to plan their strategy, objectives and development of scientific research activities in the longer term.
The introduction of stable funding has given research organisations greater autonomy in organising their work and in strategic management. The system allows research teams and research infrastructures to operate more efficiently.
Organisations monitor their performance in scientific excellence, societal impact and support for researchers through self-evaluation and external evaluations of their scientific research and support environment.
ARIS funding is fixed by contract for the full six-year period.
During the first contractual period, research organisations that were carrying out research and infrastructure programmes at the time of the entry into application of the RIDIA are eligible for stable funding.
Commercial companies are not entitled to stable financing.
Recipients can be:
- public research organisations,
- public bodies established under other laws,
- concessionaires for the provision of a public service in the field of scientific research, provided that they are not established under the Companies Act and have the capacity to carry out scientific research work.
To receive stable funding, a research organisation must meet minimum conditions of performance and scientific excellence. These include:
- at least 30 FTE researchers in the last eight years,
- a minimum of EUR 500,000 of ARIS funding,
- at least two international contracts under EU programmes (Article 80 of ZZrID).
The Agency will check the conditions for the first time in 2027.
Upon expiry of the first contractual period, the research programme funding of recipients without a parent research programme is transferred to their parent research organisations.
The recipient of stable funding shall allocate the funds autonomously, in accordance with ZZrID, regulation and the Agency's general rules.
It shall lay down the method of allocation in its own rules. The rules shall determine, among other things:
- procedures for evaluating, establishing, closing and reforming research programmes,
- how research programme leaders are appointed and their composition,
- how continuity of funding between projects is ensured,
- implementation of the research organisation's strategic objectives and institutional self-evaluation,
- the process for identifying mentors for young researchers,
- how the age and gender balance of research programme leaders is promoted.
The Agency will check compliance with these conditions for the first time in 2027. The method of verification shall be laid down in the general rules of the Agency.
ARIS and the recipient enter into a six-year stable funding agreement.
Amendments to the contract are governed by annexes. Funds are reallocated on the basis of the results of evaluations. Negotiations for the new contract period shall take place in the final year of the current contract period.
Before concluding the contract, the recipient has to provide the Agency with:
- their strategic and long-term objectives with actions and indicators,
- a plan for carrying out the scientific research activities
- development objectives with actions and indicators
ARIS publishes on its website the contracts concluded and reports on the achievement of the objectives.
| Šifra RO | Naziv prejemnika stabilnega financiranja |
|---|---|
| 101 | Inštitut za matematiko, fiziko in mehaniko |
| 104 | Kemijski inštitut |
| 105 | Nacionalni inštitut za biologijo |
| 106 | Institut "Jožef Stefan" |
| 176 | Center za uporabno matematiko in teoretično fiziko Univerze v Mariboru |
| 206 | Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije |
| 215 | Geološki zavod Slovenije |
| 302 | Onkološki inštitut Ljubljana |
| 309 | Univerzitetni rehabilitacijski inštitut Republike Slovenije - Soča |
| 311 | Zavod Republike Slovenije za transfuzijsko medicino |
| 312 | Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana |
| 334 | Univerzitetni klinični center Maribor |
| 355 | Ortopedska bolnišnica Valdoltra |
| 366 | Mirovni inštitut |
| 401 | Kmetijski inštitut Slovenije |
| 404 | Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije |
| 416 | Inštitut za hmeljarstvo in pivovarstvo Slovenije |
| 433 | ALMA MATER EUROPAEA - Fakulteta za podiplomski humanistični študij, Institutum Studiorum Humanitatis, Ljubljana (do 4. 6. 2024) |
| 501 | Inštitut za novejšo zgodovino |
| 502 | Inštitut za ekonomska raziskovanja |
| 504 | Inštitut za kriminologijo pri Pravni fakulteti v Ljubljani |
| 505 | Urbanistični inštitut Republike Slovenije |
| 507 | Inštitut za narodnostna vprašanja |
| 510 | Univerza v Ljubljani |
| 552 | Univerza v Mariboru |
| 553 | Pedagoški inštitut |
| 613 | Narodni muzej Slovenije |
| 614 | Prirodoslovni muzej Slovenije |
| 618 | Znanstvenoraziskovalni center Slovenske akademije znanosti in umetnosti |
| 622 | Slovenski etnografski muzej |
| 1421 | Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče Bistra Ptuj |
| 1500 | Inštitut za hidravlične raziskave, Ljubljana |
| 1502 | Zavod za gradbeništvo Slovenije |
| 1510 | Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče Koper |
| 1522 | Razvojni center orodjarstva Slovenije |
| 1540 | Univerza v Novi Gorici |
| 1608 | Inštitut za primerjalno pravo pri Pravni fakulteti v Ljubljani |
| 1613 | Univerzitetna klinika za pljučne bolezni in alergijo Golnik |
| 1620 | Univerzitetna psihiatrična klinika Ljubljana |
| 1636 | ICK, inštitut za civilizacijo in kulturo Ljubljana |
| 1988 | Univerza na Primorskem Universita del Litorale |
| 2338 | Mednarodna podiplomska šola Jožefa Stefana |
| 2404 | Inštitut Nove revije, zavod za humanistiko, |
| 2439 | Inštitut za razvojne in strateške analize |
| 2711 | Mednarodna fakulteta za družbene in poslovne študije |
| 2716 | Inovacijsko - razvojni inštitut Univerze v Ljubljani |
| 2721 | Študijski center za narodno spravo |
| 2782 | Univerza Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor |
| 2784 | Fakulteta za informacijske študije v Novem mestu |
| 2885 | VIST - Fakulteta za aplikativne vede |
| 3018 | Inštitut za nutricionistiko, Ljubljana |
| 3030 | Center odličnosti za biosenzoriko, instrumentacijo in procesno kontrolo |
| 3333 | Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje |
| 3334 | Nacionalni laboratorij za zdravje, okolje in hrano |
| 3344 | Inštitut IRRIS za raziskave, razvoj in strategije družbe, kulture in okolja |
Young researchers are included in the programme pillar of stable funding. Doctoral training is funded by the recipients of stable funding from their programme funds. The programme has been running since 1985.
The programme offers PhD students the opportunity to take up fixed-term employment and to engage in research work.
The young researcher is entitled to a salary, social contributions and to both tangible and intangible training costs (including tuition fees).
The programme contributes to the rejuvenation of research teams and the development of new skills. To date, more than 5,000 researchers have successfully completed the programme.
The call for young researchers is launched by the recipient of stable funding.
In its rules the recipient of stable funding selects the mentors and candidates, determines the number of places, training programmes, criteria, evaluation and its selection of candidates.
A single publication deadline applies to all recipients: 15 March or the first working day that follows if that day is a non-working day.
The recipient must provide the agency with:
- the name of the young researcher within 30 days of recruitment,
- the date of the doctoral thesis defence within 30 days of the end of the training.
Young researchers are evaluated in the framework of the evaluations referred to in Article 30 of ZZrID (through the evaluations of research programmes under stable funding).
The young researcher must be enrolled in a doctoral programme in the Republic of Slovenia.
The young researcher and the mentor must be employed by the same recipient of stable funding. They must be members of the same programme team at the time of the training.
The mentor must be eligible to lead a basic or applied research project.
If you are a young researcher, you must have a contract of employment for that post and a salary for that grade.
A young researcher can be funded by the training funds for a maximum of four years (4 FTE).
Neither ZZrID nor its subordinate legislation stipulates a minimum average grade or age requirement for young researchers. Any conditions shall be laid down by the recipient of the stable funding in its rules.
Contact
Please address your questions according to the specific area:
Stable funding
Matejka Ahčin
(01) 400 5936
Mateja.Ahcin@aris-rs.si
stabilno.financiranje@aris-rs.si
Young researchers
Matejka Ahčin
(01) 400 5936
Mateja.Ahcin@aris-rs.si
Nataša Dremota
(01) 400 5938
Natasa.Dremota@aris-rs.s