Slovakia's national academy coordinating transnational ERA-NET research funding across biodiversity, quantum technologies, health, and advanced materials.
The Slovak Academy of Sciences is Slovakia's principal public research institution, operating as the national hub for coordinating transnational research funding through ERA-NET mechanisms. Their core H2020 role is managing joint transnational calls across diverse scientific domains — from quantum technologies and neuroscience to biodiversity and materials research. They also run Slovakia's flagship researcher mobility programme (SASPRO) and organize the country's European Researchers' Night, making them the key institution bridging Slovak science with the broader European Research Area.
Participated in 24 ERA-NET Cofund projects spanning health (TRANSCAN-2, ERA-CVD, NEURON), environment (BiodivERsA3, BiodivClim), materials (M-ERA.NET 2), quantum (QuantERA I & II), and ICT (CHIST-ERA III & IV).
Active across BiodivERsA3, BiodivScen, BiodivClim, BiodivRestore, and ERA-MIN3, covering ecosystem services, restoration governance, and socio-ecological systems.
Participated in both QuantERA (2016-2022) and QuantERA II (2021-2026), covering quantum communication, computing, simulation, and sensing.
Organized Slovakia's European Researchers' Night continuously from 2014 through 2021 (ERN14-15SVK, ERN16-17SVK, ERN18-19SVK, ERN 2020 SVK).
Coordinated SASPRO 2, their largest project at EUR 4.3M, bringing experienced international researchers to Slovakia through incoming and reintegration fellowships.
Participated in FLAG-ERA II and FLAG-ERA III, supporting the Graphene Flagship and Human Brain Project through the Flagship Partnering Model.
In 2014-2018, the Academy focused heavily on science communication (Researchers' Night events), early ERA-NET participation in health domains (systems medicine, cardiovascular, cancer), and building its Centre of Excellence for advanced materials. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward biodiversity and nature-based solutions, quantum technologies, FET Flagships, and open science — while their flagship SASPRO 2 mobility programme signaled a strategic push to attract international research talent to Slovakia. The transition reflects a move from broad participation toward more targeted thematic leadership in environment and emerging technologies.
Moving from passive ERA-NET participation toward active national coordination roles in biodiversity, quantum technologies, and international researcher attraction — signaling ambition to become a regional research policy leader.
Overwhelmingly a participant (31 of 34 projects), with only two coordinator roles — but one of those (SASPRO 2) is by far their largest project at EUR 4.3M, suggesting they coordinate when it involves national-level programmes. With 370 unique partners across 47 countries, they operate as a broad connector rather than a deep bilateral partner, which is typical for ERA-NET participants who interface with many national funding agencies simultaneously. Working with them means joining well-established European networks rather than building something from scratch.
An exceptionally wide network of 370 partners across 47 countries, driven by their participation in numerous ERA-NET consortia that each bring together 20-30 national funding agencies. Their reach is truly pan-European with global connections, though Slovakia and Central Europe form their natural anchor.
As Slovakia's national academy, they are the de facto gateway for any transnational research funding coordination involving the country — participating in more ERA-NETs than any other Slovak institution. Their SASPRO 2 programme (EUR 4.3M) is one of the few MSCA-COFUND schemes in Central Europe, making them uniquely positioned to attract and host international researchers in the region. For consortium builders, partnering with them means gaining access to Slovak national co-funding and a proven track record of managing joint transnational calls across nearly every scientific domain.
