Principal Variables
Data on research personnel: head count and full-time equivalent (FTE in person-years) by sector of performance, gender, type of personnel, level of qualification and field of science.
Expenditure data: total expenditure by sector of performance, type of expenditure, field of science, category (basic research, applied research and experimental development) and source of funding.
Source of funding: expenditure from direct government sector, Government university funds (GUF), business enterprises, higher education, private non-profit and abroad.
Definitions of Terms Used
Scientific research and experimental development (R&D): comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man ,culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.
Basic research: is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
Applied research: is also original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
Experimental development: is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and practical experience that is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.
R&D expenditure: comprises all expenditures (current and capital)performed within a statistical unit or sector of the economy, whatever the source of funds. Expenditures made outside the statistical unit or sector but in support of R&D are also included.
R&D personnel: comprise all persons employed directly on R&D, as well as those providing direct services such as R&D managers, administrators and clerical staff. R&D personnel can be distinguished into three categories: researchers, technicians and other supporting staff.
Researcher: is the professional engaged in the conception and the creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems and in the management of the projects concerned.
Technician: is the person who participates in R&D by performing scientific and technical tasks, normally under the supervision of researchers, e.g. computer programmer, laboratory assistant, designer, etc.
Other supporting staff: includes the persons participating in R&D projects by performing various tasks indispensable for their completion, e.g. secretarial and clerical staff, labourers, administrators, etc.
Full-time Equivalent (F.T.E.): expresses the total time devoted to research by a person during one year. One F.T.E. may be thought of as one person-year which corresponds to one person working full-time on R&D during one year.
Natural sciences: mathematics, computer science, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, mineralogy, meteorology, oceanography, biology, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry.
Engineering and technology: civil engineering, municipal & structural engineering, architecture engineering, mechanical engineering, ship-building, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, metallurgical engineering, electronics, communication engineering and systems, computer engineering.
Medical sciences: medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, nursing, epidemiology.
Agricultural sciences: agriculture, forestry, veterinary medicine.
Social Sciences: psychology, economics, educational sciences, anthropology, ethnology, demography, geography, town and country planning, law, linguistics, political sciences, sociology.
Humanities: history, archaeology, languages and literature, philosophy, fine arts, theology.
Government sector: is composed of (a) all departments, services and other bodies which furnish but normally do not sell to the community those common services, other than higher education,which cannot otherwise be conveniently and economically provided and administer the state and the economic and social policy of the community, (b) non-profit institutions controlled and mainly financed by government. Public enterprises are included in the business enterprise sector.
Business enterprise sector: includes (a) all firms, organisations and institutions whose primary activity is the market production of goods or services (other than higher education) for sale to the general public, (b) the private non-profit institutions mainly serving them.
Higher education sector: is composed of all universities, colleges and other institutes of post-secondary education, whatever their source of finance or legal status. It also includes all research institutes, experimental stations and clinics operating under the direct control of or administered by or associated with higher education establishments.
Private non-profit sector: covers (a) non-market, private non-profit institutions serving households (i.e. the general public), (b) private individuals or households.
Αbroad: consists of (a) all institutions and individuals located outside the political frontiers of a country except for vehicles, ships, aircraft and space satellites operated by domestic organisations and testing grounds acquired by such organisations, (b) all international organisations (except business enterprises), including facilities and operations within the frontiers of a country.
Classification Systems Economic units engaging in R & D activities are classified in one of the four institutional sectors (government, business enterprise, higher education and private non-profit) on the basis of the recommendations of the “Frascati Manual”.
Units in the business enterprise and private non-profit sectors are classified according to their major kind of economic activity, on the basis of their principal category of goods/services produced/offered. The Statistical Classification of Economic Activities NACE Rev. 2, developed by Eurostat, is being used as from the year 2008 onwards, while NACE Rev. 1.1 was used in earlier years. Results are disseminated at the 2-digit level of NACE.
For the level of qualification, the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011) is used. Results are disseminated in the following groupings: holders of PhD degrees, holders of postgraduate degrees, holders of basic university degrees, holders of other post-secondary diplomas, secondary education graduates and primary education graduates.
For the field of science, the International Standard Classification (FORD) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is used on the basis of the recommendations of the “Frascati Manual”. Results are disseminated at the 1-digit level.