Analysis

EU project aims to persuade Slovak tech talent to stay at home

The European Commission is investing 55.6 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the Slovak University of Technology and the Comenius University in Bratislava, as part of its Advancing University Capacity and Competence in Research, Development and Innovation (ACCORD) project. It aims to increase cooperation between the two institutions and as well as with the industry, with a focus on biotechnology, biomedicine, advanced materials and digital technologies.

“This investment will help attract and retain talented students and researchers in Slovakia so that the country’s excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can shine on the global stage,” said European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas. “It is a great example of how cohesion funds can be used to strengthen science communities across the EU.”

The EU funding will be used to upgrade research infrastructure and equipment and develop new study programmes, in collaboration with the industry. The project should be completed by spring of 2022.

The new investment builds on previous cohesion investments from the 2007-2013 period in centers of competence at the two institutions.