Comenius University (CU) in Bratislava is considered to be the top university in Slovakia. However, in terms of commonly used international metrics, its performance is severely lagging behind similar universities within the EU. This is documented by various global rankings in which CU is typically ranked at 500th place or even lower. Due to the ongoing lack of adequate financial resources in education and research, not only CU, but the entire Slovak higher education system has struggled to reach international competitiveness within the European Research Area (ERA). As a result, outstanding researchers are not seeking long-term employment at CU, which leads to a severe brain drain from Slovakia. Reversing this trend requires a long-term, sustained effort in which creation of a competitive and attractive research environment will play a key role.
The main goal of the project is to help in addressing this challenge by establishing at CU a world-class interdisciplinary research laboratory focused on advanced materials research. The new laboratory, Laboratory for Advanced Materials (LAM), will be led by an internationally recognized scientist, an ERA Chair holder, identified and recruited through a broad international search. Establishment of LAM is expected to:
• strengthen the potential and the contribution of CU in the area of materials research in the wider ERA in tight connection to the central idea of the Work Programme - Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation
• help counteracting the eminent brain drain taking place in Slovakia by attracting and retaining brilliant young researchers from both Slovakia and abroad
• strengthen the position of CU as a leading research and educational institution in Slovakia and elevate its significance in Europe.
The structure and management of LAM is designed to ensure its future self-sustainability and continuity of its research. Project funds are to be utilized to establish LAM and maintain its operations for an initial period, during which following actions are to be taken to secure its future financial sustainability:
• top-quality research personnel are to be recruited and, where necessary, trained in the relevant areas of materials research
• scientific collaborations with internationally recognized research institutions are to be established
• research grants connected to the area of research interests are to be applied for
• external collaborations with industry are to be actively sought
• opportunities to utilize research outputs as intellectual property and patents are to be exploited
• public outreach activities are to be focused on stimulating interest and engagement among the most talented students from Slovakia and abroad
Within this scheme, the project funding is to serve as the initial kick-start of a new internationally recognized research facility, LAM, establishing materials research program within the CU, and providing positive long-term effect on the status of research excellence in Slovakia.
