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Barriers in research cooperation of WBC countries

Barriers in research cooperation of WBC countries. Jadranka Švarc Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb Steering Platform Meeting on Research for the Western Balkan Countries May 27/28, 2009, Liblice , Czech Republic. General information.

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Barriers in research cooperation of WBC countries

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  1. Barriers in research cooperation of WBC countries Jadranka Švarc Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb Steering Platform Meeting on Research for the Western Balkan Countries May 27/28, 2009, Liblice , Czech Republic

  2. General information Workpackagetask: 3.3 Analysis of barriers to cooperation • Task lead: InstituteofSocialSciencesIvoPilar, Zagreb • Task lead partners: MHEST (WP lead), DLR, BMBF • Time of delivering: January, 2009 Overall aim: to identify barriers which inhibit researchers from the Western Balkan countries and Turkey (WBC&T) from international R&D cooperation and to provide an analytical background for policy measures This is the first study focused on identification of the factors which hamper the cooperation of WBC&T in the: /1/ EU Framework Programmes (FPs); (up to now: only bilateral cooperation and mobility were analysed ); /2/ bilateralprojects /3/ difference in perceptionofbarrieresbetweenWBC&T and MS The main hypothesis: the specific socio-economiccontext of WBC&T request the specific policy measures to encourage their participation in EUFP

  3. Design of research

  4. Data and methodology Data collection: web-based questionnaire (809 responses: 10.49% response rate) Type of sample:non-probability purposive sample Methodology: • Descriptive analysis of barriers; • Factor analysis to identify different dimension of 58 itemised barriers grouped in the 6 main types of barrieres and for testing the hypotheses (correlation between dependent and independent variables); • Standard statistical methods like: Likert scale, t-test for equality of means, ANOVA (the analysis of variance), methods for construction of scales, etc…

  5. SAMPLE – number of respondents WBC&T and MS were equally represented: 46.8% WBC&T and 53.2 % MS

  6. Socio-demographic characteristic Respondents by gender Respondents by reserarch area Respondents by type of institution

  7. Types of cooperative projects The dominant type of cooperation in both groups of countries are EU FP projects, 64% of all projects within WBC&T, and 76% of all projects within MS (71% of total projects). WBC&T projects: 64%EU FP 27% bilateral with MS 8%bilateralwith WBC&T Inter-regional cooperation is more intensive than intra-regional cooperation

  8. Bilateral cooperation The most intensive inter-regional bilateral cooperation between WBC&T and MS is with Slovenia followed by Austria, France and Italy (other countries are selected sporadically The most intensive intra-regional bilateral cooperation among WBC&T is with Croatia, Serbia and Turkey

  9. Intensity of cooperation Measured as a composite index: • Component . Participation in international research projects in the last ten years (question 8); • Component . At least one visit or stay abroad for scientific purposes • Component . Participation in conferences • Component . Participation in research fellowship • Component . Participation in scholarship • Component . Participation in visiting professors • Component . Participation in temporary employment No positive answers to any of the 7 components 14% of respondents from MS and 31% from WBC&T have not participated in the international collaborative research projects in the last 10 years The intensity of project cooperation of WBC&T is much smaller than MSespeciallyin FP

  10. Mobility of researchers …is measured by the visits to foreign countries or staying abroad for research conferences, fellowships, and visiting professors’ positions SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN ABROAD IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!!! • 35% of total • 43% from WBC&T • 27% from MS

  11. Obstacles to mobility 809 respondents : problems related to mobility have been noticed 189 times (possibility: one respondent – severaltimes) • WBC&T: 74% • MS: 26%

  12. DESTINATION COUNTRIES ON THE INTER-REGIONAL LEVEL Where (all) researchers are going? … is measured by the longest stay/visit of respondents in selected countries. Researchersregardlessthe country oforigingravitatetowards the three “old” and scientifically leading European countries No. of selections

  13. Motives for participation in FP Science driven motives Funds Much more important for WBC than MS

  14. The most important barriers:ADMINISTRATIVE ANDBUREAUCRATIC barriers “PROJECT MANAGEMENT BARRIERS” researchers’ incapacities to manage the projects in terms of: “EU BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS” modus operandi of EC administrationwhich includes: Constant changes of the rules and procedures in project submission and monitoring; Payment delays; Changes in projects objectives and deliverables; Duration of project evaluation; Long response time to technical questions. • Finding appropriate call; • Accounting and financial rules; • Finding researchpartners and building consortium; • Co-financial obligation of institution; • Understanding the application procedures; • Technical knowledge on how to submit project (e.g. on-line); The essence of the problem is expressed in the barrier formulated as “A SMALL ACCEPTANCE RATE OF PROJECT PROPOSALS IN RELATION TO INVESTED EFFORTS” – which receives absolutely the highest score among all 58 itemized barriers N.B. Experienced researchers with more intensive cooperation perceive these barriers as more important

  15. “Very important” to “medium” important barriers NATIONAL CAPACITY BARRIERS

  16. “Medium important” barriers SOCIO-CULTURAL AND POLITICAL BARRIERS “EU scientific superiority” Political instability mutual political antagonism; democratic deficits • Underinvestment in WBC research capacities: all agree (WBC more) that EU should heavily invests in science of WBC; • WBC suffer inferiority complex; “EU 27 looks down on WBC scientific potentials”- LOSS OF CRITICAL MASS FOR R&D? • Long period of isolation from EU integrations; • Cultural differences - MS are more aware of the cultural differences than WBC but they not perceive them as the obstacles to cooperation; cooperation with WBC is for them of the same importance as with MS • WBC blame themselves for their political instability and weak scientific reputation; • WBC are more worriedabout socio-cultural obstacles to cooperation than MS;

  17. “Medium to not important” barriersINSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY OF RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS These barriers are not recognised as important barriers. Respondents do not complain, but they are (Surprisingly!) mainly satisfied with the assistance provided by their institutions for FP N.B. „Project management“ and “ EU administrative” barriers are the biggest obstacles ! Research institutions’ capacities are decisive for overcoming these barriers ! Only 4 out of 11 barrieres are perceived as “medium” important: Mostly satisfed with: Strategic orientation oftheinstitutionstowards FP; Engagement of leadership in finding calls, partners, niches... Amount of competent researchers; Overall professional and advisory support for FP; Financial gain for both research teams and institution; ICT capacities • Lack of time – researchers are occupied with other priorities; • Lack of skilled accounting professionals; • Lack of assistance in project managing; • Lack of adequate research equipment

  18. “Not important” barrieres SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE and PERSONNAL BARRIERS Scientific excellence - not recognised as barriers Personal barriers age, health and gender - are not perceived as barriers; language skills are indicated as a certain barrier; “unforeseen difficulties related to international cooperation” are indicated as a barrier (researchers from WBC are more “afraid” of FP than from MS); • Respondents are convinced that their scientific competences and network connections are sufficient for participation in FP; • They have prominent scientists but they are not internationally recognised

  19. Barriers: an overview “Project management“ barriers ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS „EU bureaucratic barriers“ NATIONAL CAPACITY BARRIERS “EU scientific superiority” SOCIO-CULTURAL AND POLITICAL BARRIERS Political instability INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY OF RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS Scientific excellence Personal barriers Notbarriers

  20. Main findings and conclusions • The pattern of barriers (types and scores) to R&D cooperation is very similar for both WBC&T and MS; • Despite WBC&T and MS share the similar types of barriers, the same barriers present much greater difficulties to researchers from WBC&T than from MS; • Intensityof R&D cooperationandmobilityof researchers from WBC&T is significantly smaller than for researchersfrom MS Conclusions: • Specific context of WBC&T intensifies and deepens barriers requesting specific policy measures for cooperationinFPs:TO DEVELOP A POLICY MIX AT bothNATIONAL AND EU LEVEL • For bilateralprojectsthere is no need for the different policy measures since no difference in type and intensity of barriers between WBC&T and MS are identified

  21. Main recommendation:National level (1)

  22. Main recommendation:National level (2)

  23. Main recommendation:EU level (1)

  24. Main recommendation:EU level (2)

  25. Thank you for your attention! Name: Jadranka Švarc Organisation: Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar Address: Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia E-mai: jadranka.svarc@pilar.hr Telephone: + 385 1 4886 825

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