SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA: UNESCO

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Landlocked country in SEE
1991 – Independence
Area 25,333 sq. km
Population 2.038.059
Capital city – Skopje
Language –Macedonian
Currency – MK Denar
GDP US $ 3.7 billion
GDP/capita US $ 1830

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MACEDONIA
Ministry of Education and Science (Department of Science and Technology)
Ø the governmental body in charge for the S & T policy
Ø responsibility to organize, finance, develop and promote the science, technology development, technical culture, information system and international cooperation

OTHER MINISTRIES WITH ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF S & T
§ Ministry of Economy
§ Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management
§ Ministry of Health
§ Ministry of Environmental protection
§ Department for European Integration

SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Ø Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
– Members (40)
– Departments (5)
– Research Centers (5)
Ø Universities (2 public and 1 private)
– Faculties (34)
– Public Scientific Institutes (14)
– Colleges (3)
Ø RTD units within industry (20)

SCIENTIFIC HUMAN RESOURCES IN MACEDONIA

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN GDP
Share of R & D in national GDP (1998-2002) - 0.2%
Structure of Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D by sector of performance

R & D IN MACEDONIA - PROBLEMS
• unsatisfactory level of budgetary, public funds for R & D
• insufficient S & R infrastructure, equipment & materials
• inefficient institutional infrastructure
• unsatisfactory transfer of knowledge and research results in the business sector
• inconvenient distribution of researchers by sectors (the number of researchers in the business sector is very low)
• small investments in applied research and innovation
• low level of private investments in R&D sector
• unsatisfactory level of young researchers ratio in the total number of researchers
• serious brain-drain problems.

RESEARCH CENTER FOR GENETIC ENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, R. Macedonia
• Founded in 1986 as a research unit of MASA
• the National Reference Laboratory for Hemoglobinopathies
• has become a part of this Institution
• 500 m2 laboratory space, 200m2 offices, library
• Scientific staff of 12 and technical staff of 4 persons

RCGEB –EQUIPMENT
The RCGEB is equipped with modern and sophisticated equipment. The current value of the scientific equipment of the institution is app. 1.2 million US$. The equipment has been purchased continuously in the past 25 years, primarily from the funds supplied by research grants and funds provided by the Government of the R. Macedonia.

RCGEB ACTIVITIES
- RESEARCH : 25 projects >100 papers
- EDUCATION : Postgraduate studies, Specialization, Training courses
- APPLICATION : Molecular diagnosis of inherited, infectious & malignant diseases; Forensic identification.

RCGEB - RESEARCH
25 research projects were performed
Ø Molecular characterization of monogenic diseases (Hemoglobinopathies, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, muscular distrophy, Fragile X syndrome, cystinuria, male infertility etc.)
Ø Molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases (Hepatitis C, Human papilloma virus, Chlamidia trachomatis etc.)
Ø Molecular basis of the most common malignant diseases (Colon cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer etc.)
Ø Molecular characterization of common chromosomal aneuploidies
Ø DNA markers for human identification
Ø Genetic studies of the Ohrid trout

Financed by:
Macedonian –American Joint Funds for Scientific & Technological cooperation
National Institute of Health of the USA
American Ministry of Agriculture
ICGEB – Trieste, Italy
Ministry of Science of the R. Macedonia
Science funds of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts

BALKAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS

RCGEB - Education
Postgraduate studies
• Postgraduate studies in molecular genetics on several Faculties (Medicine, Biology, Technology, Agriculture)
• Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary postgraduate studies in Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Specialization and training
• Specialization in Medical Genetics
• Short and long-term training to domestic and foreign scientists
• Short advanced theoretical/practical courses
• sponsored by UNESCO, FEBS, ICGIB-Trieste

RCGEB –Application
Diagnosis and prevention of monogenic diseases [~1000 cases/year for diagnosis ~30 prenatal diagnosis]
Diagnosis of common chromosomal aneuploidies [~200 prenatal diagnosis/year]
Detection and characterization of infectious diseases [~3000 cases/year]
DNA Identification (paternity, criminal cases, missing persons) [~30 cases/year]
Participates in quality control programs for DNA testing of
the common inherited diseases and forensic DNA analysis

INSTITUTE OF EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING SEISMOLOGY (IZIIS)
University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

The Institute is established in 1965 within the University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", Skopje, upon recommendation of the United Nations International Consultative Board for Repair and Reconstruction of Skopje, following the 1963 Skopje earthquake, and with substantial support from the United Nations and its specialized agencies, UNDP and UNESCO

Space : 8500 m2 of laboratories, offices, lecture rooms and other premises

Staff : 73 employees of which 20 PhD and 10 MSc

Financial input : 25% Ministry of Education and Science, 75% from research and education activities

scope of activities : Education, Training, Basic Research, Applied research

IZIIS – EDUCATION AND TRAINING
ØPostgraduate Studies for Master & Doctor of Technical Science
ØIZIIS DAAD Course -The Master of Science course lasts two years and admits candidates from all Balkan countries
ØIZIIS TEMPUS Course -The study has been prepared within the frames of the regional cooperation projects mentioned in the national priorities of the beneficiary countries (Albania, Croatia and Macedonia), whose common field of interest is earthquake engineering.
ØLong and short term courses

COURSE ON ASEISMIC DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION (CADAC)
Twelve-week course organized by Government of R. Macedonia and Royal
Government of Netherlands

Transfer of knowledge to participants from developing countries > 400 participants from 69 countries during its 23 years existence.

Has played an enormous role in mitigation of risk pertaining
to EQ in developing countries

IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
Ø 6 Bilateral scientific research projects financed by the US-Macedonian Joint Board on Scientific and Technological Cooperation
Ø USA (Paul Getti Inst.) “Conservation of cultural and historical monuments”
Ø IDNDR financed project RADIUS: “Estimation of the Seismic Risk and Diagnosis of the Behavior of the Urban Areas During Strong Earthquakes” - 9 cities from Ethiopia, Chile, Indonesia, Ecuador, Turkey, Macedonia, Uzbekistan, Mexico, China
ØBelgium (Royal Observatory of Belgium) “Seismic Hazard Analysis and Mapping of Belgium”
Ø UNESCO “Expert Assessment of Land Subsidence Related to Hydrogeological and Engineering Geological Conditions in the Regions of Sofia, Skopje and Tirana (Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania)
Ø PHARE “Conservation of cultural and historical monuments”
Ø EU INCO-COPERNICUS EUROQUAKE Project (England, Slovenia, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Italy)
Ø Geophysical Institute of Italy “Site Model and Analytical Investigation of Seismic Safety of the Imperator Marcus Aurelius Column in Rome”
Ø NATO Science for Peace Program “Seismic Assessment and Rehabili-tation of Existing Buildings (Turkey, Greece, USA and Macedonia)
ØNATO SfP Development of Low-cost Rubber Bearing for Seismic Safety of Structures in Macedonia and Balkan (Macedonia, Albania, Italy and USA)
ØEU (Imperial College-London and Dipertimento Di Scienze-Trieste) “Strong Motion Data Base”
Ø UNICEF “Physical and Psychological Management of Earthquake Related Emergencies in Schools in Macedonia”
Ø EU “An Advanced Approach to Earthquake Risk Scenarios with Applications to Different European Towns” (contribution institutions from France, Italy, Romania, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria and Macedonia)
Ø GERMANY - DAAD : DYNET Project “ Academic Reconstruction of Southeast Europe” – Universities Bochum, Skopje, Saraevo and Nish

SMALL SELECTION OF RESEARCH PROJECTS