Slovakia - Research and Innovation Strategy

Overview

The Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of the Slovak Republic 2021–2027 (SK RIS3 2021+) is Slovakia’s national framework for targeting research, development and innovation (RDI) investments between 2021 and 2027. The strategy modernises the previous RIS3 by defining a concentrated set of smart specialisation domains and thematic support areas, establishing governance arrangements for implementation and introducing methodological guidance for assessing alignment of calls and projects. SK RIS3 2021+ is explicitly designed to serve as the strategic baseline for programming and eligibility under the Operational Programme Slovakia and other public and EU funds supporting RDI. It promotes an iterative Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) engaging business, academia and public stakeholders, and identifies horizontal measures (human resources, funding instruments, research infrastructure, legal and institutional changes) to unlock transformation potential.

Definitions

Key terms used in SK RIS3 2021+ include Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) — the participatory mechanism for identifying domains and priorities; domain — a sectoral cluster with transformational potential; thematic area of support — a specific sub-area targeted for calls and investments; baseline condition — the national-level requirement for good governance of a RIS3 that conditions drawing some Cohesion Policy funds; monitoring indicators — quantitative and qualitative measures used to assess progress. The strategy also uses standard RDI acronyms (RDI, GERD, BERD, TRL) and defines roles for the SGCSTI, PCS3, VAIA and line ministries. The document provides a glossary and a methodological annex to ensure consistent interpretation across implementing bodies.

Governance and Institutional Framework

SK RIS3 2021+ establishes a multi-level governance architecture. The Government Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (SGCSTI) is responsible for high-level political oversight, and a dedicated Permanent Committee for RIS3 implementation (PCS3) coordinates operational activities and domain-level governance. The Research and Innovation Authority (VAIA) is the central publication and coordination point for the strategy, hosting the strategy text, summary reports and methodological guidance. Line ministries (including the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization — MIRRI/MIRDI — and the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport) coordinate sectoral implementation and manage thematic calls. Managing authorities of EU-funded operational programmes (notably the Operational Programme Slovakia) must align calls with SK RIS3 2021+; VAIA publishes methodological guidance for assessing the compliance of calls and projects with the strategy. The governance model emphasizes stakeholder representation (business, academia, regional authorities) through domain platforms and working groups, and foresees a transparent monitoring and reporting cycle coordinated by VAIA and overseen by PCS3.

Key Focus Areas

SK RIS3 2021+ concentrates public RDI resources on a limited set of smart specialisation domains identified through the EDP, balancing national comparative advantages with global megatrends. The primary domains are: Innovative Industry for the 21st Century; Mobility for the 21st Century; Digital Transformation of Slovakia; Healthy Society; and Healthy Food & Environment (food security and climate resilience). Each domain has priority areas and transformation goals (e.g., digitalisation and AI across sectors; advanced materials, smart manufacturing and green industrial transformation in industry; integrated multimodal solutions in mobility; prevention, screening and medical-technological innovation in health; and climate-resilient agri-food systems). Cross-cutting horizontal measures include strengthening human capital and skills (PhD and lifelong learning measures), improving RDI funding instruments (targeted and blended finance, project pipelines), building and optimising research infrastructure, legal and institutional reforms (intellectual property and tech transfer), fostering collaboration (industry-academia-public partnerships and living labs), and internationalisation (EU framework programmes, bilateral R&D cooperation). The strategy is explicit about prioritising interventions that combine knowledge creation with scalability, market uptake and societal impact.

Implementation Framework

Implementation is driven through: (1) targeted and horizontal calls issued by managing authorities and ministries that must pass methodological compliance checks against SK RIS3 2021+; (2) systemic measures implemented at ministerial and national levels (e.g., reforms to research funding allocation and HR policies); (3) domain-level platforms that coordinate thematic pipelines and stakeholder engagement; and (4) complementary instruments such as innovation vouchers, technology transfer support, co-financing schemes, and infrastructure investments. The strategy requires that calls and projects demonstrate alignment with domain transformation goals and include measurable outputs and outcomes. Methodological guidance documents and checklists published by VAIA support managing authorities in screening calls and applicants for compliance. Coordination with the Operational Programme Slovakia ensures that EU cohesion funding contributes to the strategy’s priorities.

Monitoring and Evaluation

SK RIS3 2021+ sets a monitoring and evaluation system with indicators for inputs (funding committed), outputs (projects funded, patents, prototypes), outcomes (business RDI uptake, employment in high-value activities) and impacts (GERD / GDP ratios, BERD growth, regional convergence). VAIA coordinates reporting, produces summary reports of the EDP and updates domain priorities at 1–2 year intervals. The Permanent Committee for RIS3 (PCS3) oversees indicator selection, methodological consistency and evaluation cycles. External evaluations and mid-term reviews are foreseen to inform updates and re-prioritisation. The strategy requires that projects and calls include clear KPIs and data collection plans to allow aggregated national-level reporting and evidence-based adjustment of measures.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

As a strategic policy, SK RIS3 2021+ itself does not create criminal penalties; however, compliance with the strategy is a baseline condition for drawing some Cohesion Policy funds. Consequently, failure to align calls and projects with the strategy or to respect VAIA methodological guidance can render calls or projects ineligible for EU-funded support under Operational Programme Slovakia. Administrative remedies and appeals related to project eligibility and funding decisions remain governed by the specific rules and procedures of the managing authorities and by national administrative law. The strategy points to existing legal and financial accountability mechanisms of EU and national funding rules rather than establishing new sanctioning regimes.

Relationship to Other Instruments

SK RIS3 2021+ is explicitly designed to be coherent and interoperable with other national and EU-level strategies and programmes. It builds on and updates the RIS3 2014–2020 framework and aligns with the Operational Programme Slovakia (2021–2027) by acting as a baseline condition for certain policy objectives. The strategy references and is cross-linked with the National RDI Strategy and sectoral policy documents (e.g., strategies for digitalisation, health, and industrial policy). It also takes into account EU regulation and cohesion policy governance, notably Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 on common provisions for cohesion funds. The document promotes complementary use of Horizon Europe, ESIF/ERDF funds and national instruments to create coherent funding pathways from research to market uptake.

International Alignment

SK RIS3 2021+ stresses internationalisation of Slovak RDI through participation in EU Framework Programmes, bilateral research cooperation, and attraction of international talent and investment. The strategy was prepared with support from an EU Reform Support project and an international consortium, reflecting a deliberate effort to align with the European Research Area objectives, the EU Green Deal priorities and digital transition agendas. Domain definitions and thematic priorities explicitly reference global megatrends (digitalisation, decarbonisation, demographic change) to ensure international relevance and to facilitate cross-border partnerships and co-funding opportunities.

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References