UMB Science and Research Institute

Address:
Univerzita Mateja Bela
Ústav vedy a výskumu
Cesta na amfiteáter 1
947 01 Banská Bystrica
Slovenská republika

Science and Research Institute of Matej Bel University is an interdisciplinary university research centre. It was established for the purpose of basic and applied research in the area of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities on 1 May 2005 and is located in the premises of the Rectorate.

The mission of the UMB Science and Research Institute is:

• saturation of the science and research needs at UMB as an integral part of the European and worldwide research base,
• provision of a quality and compact research base at UMB and creation of its quality personnel potential,
• provision of research production focused at knowledge development with emphasis on the accredited fields of study at UMB,
• provision of the international quality of the scientific publication, grant and mobility outputs,
• creation of the excellence centres, participation in the activities of the national and international excellence centres and networks,
• signing of agreements on cooperation, joint research and events organized in cooperation with the Slovak state administration authorities and other institutions and partners in Slovakia and abroad. Science and Research Institute consists of five departments in accordance with the accredited fields of study at the University:

1. Department of Pedagogical, Philological and Social Sciences

In terms of social and philological sciences the Department staff concentrates on ethnological, folkloristic, sociological, sociolinguistic and literary-historical research, as well as interdisciplinary research.

2. Department of Historical, Political and Juridical Sciences

Connection of the experts in the fields of political science, international elations and history provides space for interdisciplinary grants and active cooperation. In the field of history the Department specializes in the Slovak history of the 20th century, with emphasis on the Central Slovakia region between 1918 - 1948, detailed mapping of the period between 1939- 1948 and working on monographs of the municipalities and villages (migration of the population in the context of Central Europe). In the field of international relations the security issues in the Euro-Atlantic area, trafficking, humanitarian crises, geopolitics of the Central Europe, European Union issues – constitution, enlargement, equal opportunities, and cultural diversity are studied.

3. Department of Natural Sciences

The Department of Natural Sciences works in two sections. The Mathematical Sciences Section focuses its research activities at the mathematic problems of the Graph Theory and the Theory of Natural Dualities, as well as Theoretical Elementary Particles Physics. Research activities of the Land Study Section are oriented at the comprehensive geological, geo-morphological, botanical, environmental and historical-geographical study of the land.

4. Department of Regional Studies

Activities of the Department are based on studies of those regions of Slovakia the historical character of which has a European significance and represents and important cultural and industrial heritage of our nation. Such regions include e.g. Špania Dolina, Banská Štiavnica and Kremnica. Current archive studies are also focused at these localities.

5. Department of Economic and Management Sciences

The Department was created by the teachers and researchers of the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Finance UMB in September 2005. Presently it is developing the basic and applied research of economics with a special emphasis on dealing with real economic problems of the Slovak economy. It also makes an effort to join theoretic and comprehensive economic research with practical needs. The Department pays most attention to the research for the accredited fields of study at the EF UMB, as well as the tasks related to the needs of regional development, focusing mainly at public economics and economy, social policy, social economics and economy, social enterprising, corporate marketing, social-economic situation of the households.

The Science and Research Institute UMB also covers a sheltered employment called the Centre of Support for the Integrated Education of the Blind. Research activities of the sheltered employment are directed into two areas: the area of artificial intelligence and the area of education and promotion.