The Slovenian Research Agency's (ARRS) portfolio of international cooperation follows three main focus areas:

• Bilateral Co-operation is based on the obligations from international bilateral and multilateral agreements, programs, memoranda and protocols signed by the Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Education, Science and Sports. In 2015 the ARRS co-financed bilateral co-operation with 12 countries, including CEA (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission). Special attention is given to co-operation with countries outside EU28, to Western Balkans and countries outside Europe (in 2015 United States of America, Japan, China, Russia, India, Argentina). In 2015 64.1 % of funding was allocated to bilateral cooperation with above mentioned countries and region of Western Balkans.
• Strengthening multilateral co-operation in the European Research Area is reinforced through:

• ERC Complementary Scheme:
  ARRS invites applicants from Slovenian research organizations who were positively evaluated in ERC calls for proposals but were not selected for funding, to submit an adapted project to the ARRS that targets the main aim of the original ERC project but is adapted in objectives and scope of work. ARRS co-finances projects up to 3-years and 200.000 EUR annually. In 2015 ARRS co-financed 11 projects in the ERC Complementary Scheme.
• The Lead Agency Instrument:
  ARRS cooperates with the Austrian FWF, the Belgian Flemish FWO and the Hungarian NKFIH and aims at widening this form of international cooperation within and outside of Europe. In the Lead Agency procedure, the joint project application is submitted to the research funding organisation (RFO) that is to finance the larger financial share. This funding agency in the sequel acts as Lead Agency (LA). The application must follow the application guidelines of the LA. The application consists of a joint scientific description of the project, delineating the scientific contributions of the respective partners. In the case of approval, the project parts are financed by the respective RFO in accordance with its standard practices. In 2015 ARRS co-financed 14 projects in the scheme of the Lead Agency.
• Remuneration for Horizon 2020 Applications:
  A financial contribution to the costs of the project application in the amount of 1,000 EUR (or 2,000 when acting as co-ordinator of an international consortium) can be payed to any Slovenian research organisation (within »de minimis« rules for State aid) which, with its application, reaches at least 65 % of the possible score in the Horizon 2020 review process. In 2015, 573 financial contributions were allocated.

Additionally, ARRS acts as an active member of the ERA-NET NORFACE since 2005 and as a full member of the JPI Urban Europe from 2015. In both networks ARRS participates in international calls for proposals, thus opening possibilities to Slovenian researchers to collaborate in the ERA and wider.

ARRS also supports participation in COST Actions. COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is an intergovernmental framework for cooperation of research organizations from different European countries in the field of science and technology, which allows for co-ordination of nationally funded research and networking of researchers.

• Interagency Co-operation:

• Science Europe:
  ARRS is one of the founding members of Science Europe, Brussels-based European umbrella association of European Research Funding Organisations (RFO) and Research Performing Organisations (RPO). At present Science Europe comprise of 47 member organisations from 27 countries, representing around 30 billion Euros per annum .

• Science Connect:
  By the end of 2016, ARRS remains the member of newly established organisation Science Connect that has succeeded the European Science Foundation.

• Global Research Council:
  ARRS follows activities of the Global Research Council, participates in European Regional meetings and GRC Annual Meetings, when topics of relevance to the ARRS are addressed.