The Slovenian Business and Research Association (SBRA) is a Brussels-based non-governmental organization with over 30 members from both the public and private sectors. Since 1999, SBRA has successfully represented the interests of Slovenian companies, the research community (including research institutes and universities), and Slovenian local communities and municipalities in Brussels. SBRA connects its members with European partners, transfers knowledge and experience, draws attention to and influences upcoming European legislation, and advises on the acquisition of European funds. The activities of the association include very concrete advisory services and support in obtaining EU funds, including information services, lobbying, education, promotion and logistical support.
SBRA represents several research and business organizations from Slovenia, including four universities: The University of Ljubljana, the University of Maribor, the University of Nova Gorica, and the University of Primorska.
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest higher education and scientific research institution in Slovenia. The university, with its rich tradition, was founded in 1919. It has more than 40.000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and employs approximately 5.600 higher education teachers, researchers, assistants and administrative staff in 23 faculties and three arts academies. The University of Ljubljana is renowned for its quality social and natural sciences and technical study programmes, structured in accordance with the Bologna Declaration. The University of Ljubljana is the central and largest educational institution in Slovenia. It is also the central and largest research institution in Slovenia, with 30 per cent of all registered researchers. With more than 5oo European projects, the University of Ljubljana is the biggest beneficiary of EU research funding in Slovenia.
University of Maribor
The University of Maribor is Slovenia’s second-largest university, established in 1975 in Maribor, Slovenia. It currently has 17 faculties. The university has entered the top 1% of institutions in physics, and of the nine institutions entering the top 1% in this field, the University of Maribor did so with the highest number of citations, according to an analysis of data from Essential Science Indicators from Thomson Reuters.
University of Nova Gorica
The University of Nova Gorica grew out of the School of Environmental Sciences, founded in 1995 by the City Municipality of Nova Gorica and the Jožef Stefan Institute. Later, two more institutions joined as the founders: the Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Municipality of Ajdovščina. In March 2006, the former Nova Gorica Polytechnic was renamed the University of Nova Gorica. Today, the university has 7 schools and 10 research institutes.
University of Primorska
Established in 2003, the University of Primorska has more than 6000 students enrolled in 74 study programmes and 16 registered research groups with more than 500 researchers. Research and development work is conducted in the following areas: social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, technical sciences, medical sciences, biotechnical sciences, and interdisciplinary research. Since the University of Primorska is situated in an environment that is highly heterogeneous with respect to its national, cultural and historical tradition, it is particularly suited to openness and integration.