Fields of activity
Research
Basic and applied research are oriented towards fields which are of long-term importance to both Slovenia and the world: biotechnology, environmental protection, structural and theoretical chemistry, analytical chemistry, materials research, and chemical engineering, through which the institute is in line with the needs of the domestic chemical, pharmaceutical, tire, and food industries. The work of the Institute is also in line with the priority thematic areas of the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020, which places an emphasis on genomics and biotechnology for health, nanotechnology, quality and safety of food, as well as nutrition, sustainable development, and global change.
Education
Currently 74 graduate students are being trained at the Institute within the national Young Researchers Program for the acquisition of their PhD degrees. The young researchers represent about 25% of the Institute's staff members, making National Institute of Chemistry one of the leading Slovenian organizations for graduate-level education and training.
Cooperation with industry
Research is oriented towards the development of new technologies and products, which will help to ensure the long-term development of Slovenia and which are internationally relevant. Industry is an important partner to the Institute in these endeavors. There are a number of Slovenian companies with whom the Institute has entered into close long-term cooperation, as well as a number of well-regarded foreign companies. From a financial point of view, this kind of cooperation represents 20% of the income of the Institute.