Evaluation of the innovation programs financed by the World Bank in Croatia
Commissioned by: Ministry of Science, Education and Sports
Project duration: February – May, 2011
Project manager: Sonja Radas, PhD
Brief outline:
The goal of the project was to assess effectiveness of the three programs: RAZUM, SPREAD and UKF.
The RAZUM program was envisioned as an instrument to foster private sector investment and R&D expenditure.
The program supports private-sector investments in R&D and new technology through conditional loans. The program provides (1) initial funding of newly established knowledge based companies and (2) funding for research and development of new products/services in existing companies.
The objectives for this particular program were:
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To produce an insight into what would have happened with S&T output of the firms that were recipients of RAZUM if they had not received this funding.
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To find out firms’ perceptions of RAZUM. This related both to firms already under RAZUM and to the other SMEs that might have been potentially interested in this program.
The SPREAD program was designed to foster the industry-science collaboration with particular focus on SMEs. The assumption of the program was that SMEs do not collaborate because they lack information about the research institutions and/or they perceive their services as incompatible with companies’ needs. To help establish the collaboration, the program provides matching grants for joint projects between R&D institutes or universities on one side, and SMEs on the other side.
The objectives for this particular program were:
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To conduct self-assessment of the firms that applied to SPREAD. This self-assessment was performed by means of questionnaire, where the firms rated the effectiveness of the program on various dimensions related to innovation development and R&D financing.
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To find out firms’ perceptions of SPREAD, both within the SPREAD applicants and the other SMEs that might have been potentially interested in this program.
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To describe four case studies of firms that applied to SPREAD.
This UKF program is aimed at: (i) encouraging Croatian scientists and professionals working abroad (Diaspora) to return and work in Croatia and/or get connected with the local scientists; (ii) fostering Croatian institutions and researchers to use potentials of Croatian scientific and professional Diaspora. Among various sub-programs of UKF, only “Across the Borders Grant” was chosen.
The objectives were:
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To conduct self-assessment of Croatian scientists that applied to “Across the Borders Grant”. This self-assessment was performed by means of questionnaire, where the researchers rated the effectiveness of the program on various dimensions related to their scientific output and mobility.
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To describe four case studies of scientists who applied to “Across the Borders Grant”.