For researchers

Postgraduate studies and research training of young researchers are financed from the state budget of the Republic of Slovenia. The program has been running since 1985 and has made an important contribution to raising the quality and scope of research and to rejuvenating the research teams.

Characteristics of the Young Researchers Program:

In addition to postgraduate studies, young researchers are involved in research work on programs, basic or research and application projects,
are in full - time employment and
The state budget of the Republic of Slovenia provides funds for their salaries, contributions, material and immaterial costs for research work and postgraduate studies.

In 2020, 5 new young researchers were selected through a public tender, 4 of whom started training in 2020, and one will start in 2021 (the selected young researcher is from the USA and is still in the phase of obtaining a work permit). A total of 15 young researchers were trained in 2020. No one completed the training in 2020 with the defence of a doctorate, also due to the extension of the status of a young researcher based on the intervention law due to the epidemic, 2 withdrew from the training during the year.

Two-thirds of the candidates were women, 60% of the candidates work in science (maximum, 5 candidates in mathematics), 20% in medicine and 20% in social sciences. In 2020, young researchers co-authored 9 scientific publications in scientific journals listed in the Wos or SCOPUS database.

UP also trains young researchers outside the funding of ARRS, which otherwise does not meet the needs of the university for the development of young researchers. In cooperation with the InnoRenew CoE Institute, UP trained 15 additional young researchers (8 at UP FAMNIT, 4 at UP FHS, 2 at UP EF and 1 at UP FH). In 2020, the latter co-authored 8 publications in scientific journals classified in WoS or SCOPUS.

In 2019, 17 young researchers (70% women and 30% men) were trained at UP, of which 4 started training in 2019 within the program groups (2) and the MR + call (2). UP exceeded the planned annual number of training. 5 young researchers (fields: economics, mathematics, medicine, psychiatry) completed the training by defending a doctoral dissertation, with an average duration of training of 56 months.

In cooperation with InnoRenew CoE, UP trained 9 additional young researchers (3 at UP FM, 2 at UP EF, 2 at UP FHS, 1 at UP FH and 1 at UP FAMNIT).

How to become a young researcher at UP:

UP annually applies for ARRS tenders for the selection of mentors for young researchers within program groups. Since 2018, ARRS has provided additional funding for mentoring positions to young researchers with the MR + scheme, which allows the selection of mentors who are not members of program groups. UP is also successfully applying for the said tender. In addition to funding from the ARRS, UP also directs part of its resources to provide additional places for young researchers. Based on the guaranteed number of mentoring positions, UP publishes public tenders for candidates for young researchers on its website every year. In addition to the minimum conditions for filling positions, publicly announced presentations of mentors and the program are trained by the respective mentor. Candidates who submit their applications following the requirements of the call are included in the evaluation process. As a rule, evaluations are carried out by the commission at the respective UP member, where the training will take place. The selected candidates are expected to start training at the beginning of the academic year.