Institutional Framework
 

(i) In the framework of Science and Technology Project (STP) that is financed by the World Bank Loan No. 7320-HR, a program called “Unity through Knowledge Fund” (UKF) has been established. The motto of the program is: CONNECTIVITY, COOPERABILITY, CREATIVITY. This Fund will work on connecting the scientific and professional potential of Croatian Diaspora with the Croatia.

(ii) Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (MSES) holds general responsibility for the implementation and coordination of STP. Project management unit (PMU), which been established by the MSES is responsible for managing of the project and for coordination on daily basis that includes procurement, payment, financial management, monitoring and evaluation. UKF is a component of STP and is managed by the Directorate of Science in MSES. Administration of UKF on daily basis has been delegated to the company BICRO d.o.o. in accordance to the Agreement between BICRO and MSES.

 
Organization & Management

(i) In order to manage the UKF, the MSES has nominated two committees with strictly separated duties: Steering Committee (SC) and Approval Committee (AC).

(ii) Steering Committee is involved in communications, objective-based initiations of individual UKF programs, final designs of individual proposals, pre-evaluations, processing, and similar operational tasks. SC is responsible for managing, coordination and successful implementation of all UKF’s programs and activities, in accordance with directions, plans and agreed procedures. SC establishes documents and strategy of the UKF, announces programs and requests for funding, directs with the evaluation process, appoints independent evaluators and proposes projects for financing. The SC has been nominated by MSES on 11 April 2006 and revised on 19 January 2007 has following members: 

1. Prof. Stjepan Car, Ph.D. (KONČAR - Electrical Engineering Institute Inc. Zagreb)
2. Prof. Mile Dželalija, Ph.D. (Department of Transport and Maritime Affairs, University of Zadar), president
3. Krunoslav Kovačević, Ph.D. (GlaxoSmithKline Research Centre Zagreb Ltd. Zagreb)
4. Prof. Astrid Krmpotić, Ph.D. (University of Rijeka, School of Medicine)
5. Hrvoje Meštrić, Ph.D. (Ministry of Science, Education and Sports)
6. Prof. Kristian Vlahoviček, PhD. (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science)
 
(ii) Approval Committee is a completely independent body which is in charge of final evaluations and approvals, monitoring, and financial and other decision-making. It approves funding of the projects proposed by SC and approves final reports of projects. The AC has been nominated by MSES on 11 April 2006, with following members:

1. Prof. Željko Bošnjak, Ph.D. (Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, SAD)
2. Ivica Mudrinić (President of the Directors Board of T-Hrvatski telekom d.d.)
3. Prof. Ivan Pavić, Ph.D. (Rector of the University of Split)
4. Radovan Fuchs, Ph.D. (Minister of Science, Education and Sports), president
5. Prof. Mladen Žinić, Ph.D. (The Institute Rudjer Bošković, Zagreb)

(iii) The Secretariat is the executive office of the UKF in charge of operational activities associated with the program. The Secretariat is run by the UKF Program Manager, as the principal executive. It will also include a Program Analyst, who will administer the Program and report to the Program Manager. Program Manager is Hrvoje Meštrić, Ph.D. elected on 1 August 2006 (Terms of Reference published 11 April 2006) and since 1 November 2008 new program manager is Alessia Pozzi.

(iv) The other subjects involved in operations of the UKF are MSES, BICRO and PMU. The MSES (i.e. its representative – State Secretary for Science) is the project agency for the UKF responsible for supervision and support of Secretariat. BICRO provides the necessary logistic-operational support (business premises, computer and network equipment, supply of office material, consultancy). The PMU deals with all aspects of STP in general, as quoted in Project Implementation Plan.

(v) Collaborators with the UKF are to be chosen among state and other institutions with similar and complementary tasks. A cooperation with BICRO programs is established in order to broaden process of support to promising R&D projects towards commercialization (IRCro, CONCro, RAZUM programs). Special collaboration will be developed with institutions which operate on a long term scale as The National Foundation for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development (www.nzz.hr) and the Directorate for International Cooperation of MSES. In order to increase involvement of Diaspora, a partnership with various foreign foundations will also be developed. In order to implement the industrial research programs, cooperation with universities and interested companies will be developed. A possible cooperation with Agency for Science and Higher Education (www.azvo.hr) could participate in quality assurance of Fund’s programs.