Estonia will launch five new centres of excellence in research
A centre for excellence in research is a consortium of several research groups that are internationally renowned in their areas of activity. Its goal is to improve the quality and efficiency of scientific research through cooperation. “These funds will provide our best centres the most favourable conditions to guarantee our top scientists the conditions that allow them to succeed abroad. The expected impact and contribution to the development of our country and the economy’s competitive ability in the supported projects are also very important“, Indrek Reimand, Head of the Research Policy Department at Ministry of Education and Research commented on the results of the application round. Altogether 17 applications in the total sum of 49.5 million euro were submitted to the project competition. The submitted applications were assessed individually by independent foreign experts, and an assessment committee composed of Estonian experts made a proposal to the foundation for the allocation of the funds based on these results. The aim of the support provided to the centres for excellence in research is to create preconditions for strengthening the cooperation and competitive ability of Estonian research in the European scientific context through supporting high-quality research and development. The previous similar competition took place in 2008, when altogether seven centres for excellence in research were supported. Interim conclusions on the efficiency of their operations will be composed in the second half of this year. 5 new centres for excellence in research: • Estonian University of Life Sciences, “Centre for Excellence in Research on Adjusting to Environmental Changes“ managed by Ülo Niinemets; 3,054,552.95 euro; • University of Tartu, the centre “Theory and Applications of Mesosystems“ managed by Vladimir Hiznjakov; 2,901,099.84 euro; • University of Tartu, the centre “High-tech Materials for Sustainable Development“ managed by Enn Lust; 2,870,086.58 euro; • National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, the centre “Dark Matter in (Astro)particle Physics and Cosmology“ managed by Martti Raidal; 1,473,583.16 euro; • Tallinn University of Technology, “Centre for the Analysis of Nonlinear Processes” managed by Jüri Engelbrecht; 2,729,927.47 euro.
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