Comenius University Bratislava (CU) has been awarded €1.19 million ($1.3 million) by the Slovak Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth, representing 54.1% of the total €2.2 million allocated in the first round of a new research excellence subsidy. This significant funding underscores CU’s leadership in producing high-impact scientific research within Slovakia.
The Ministry’s evaluation assessed research outputs across four internationally recognized metrics:
- Nature Index Publications: CU contributed 76.22% of Slovakia’s publications in top-tier scientific journals.
- Highly Cited Papers: CU researchers authored 36.64% of the country’s top 1% most cited papers in the Web of Science database.
- Patents: CU held 54.17% of Slovakia’s European and American patents during the evaluated period.
- European Research Council (ERC) Grants: While no ERC grants were secured by Slovak institutions during this period, CU’s performance in other categories affirms its research leadership.
“I am proud that we have achieved such exceptional results in this evaluation. It is the outcome of systematic support for science at Comenius University, particularly through funding for excellent research teams, CU grants for full-time doctoral students, and the introduction of postdoctoral fellowships. This confirms that emphasizing quality and international research collaboration leads to global recognition and visibility. We do not want to be just Slovakia’s oldest, largest, and best university – our ambition is to be among the universities that contribute excellent research on a global scale,” said Jozef Masarik, Vice-Rector for Science and Doctoral Studies.
With over 900 study programs across 13 faculties, CU continues to be a cornerstone of Slovakia’s academic and research excellence.
