The Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme 2007 – 2013 envisages a grant scheme “Science and Innovation Investment Fund” (SIIF) the objectives of which are to support the creation of value from research results and IPR, and to build technology transfer and commercialisation capacities of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Public Research Organisations (PRO) in Croatia. The grants aim to finance the development of infrastructural capacities in HEI and PRO, commercialisation activities, partnerships in science and industry, and programmes for effective networking and communication.
The aim of this project is the provision of assistance to potential grant beneficiaries (grantees), in project preparation and implementation. It will also ensure further capacity of the academic society in the field of technology transfer and knowledge transfer, and create partnerships between HEI/PRO and the private sector, ultimately enhancing the overall competitiveness of the Croatian Economy, in line with the Lisbon priorities and the EC Community Strategic Guidelines.
The envisaged results are as follows:
- Enhancing general knowledge on technology transfer for the commercialisation of research results and its impact on regional development to the HEI and PRO;
- Fostering cooperation between HEI and PRO and increasing general knowledge on cooperation possibilities;
- Increasing capacities and knowledge of the final beneficiaries for both project pipeline preparation and implementation;
- Improving capacities of Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (MSES), HEI and PRO in the fields of science and technology, technology and knowledge transfer practices of short and long-term financing in pre-defined fields (including grant scheme management).