STRATEGY for the organisation and conduct of scientific research 2008-2011
UMF Craiova Research Strategy 2008-2011 (pdf)
According to the University Charter, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova is an institution of higher education and scientific research..
I. Organisation of scientific research
1. In the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova the activity of scientific research-development-innovation, design, consultancy and expertise, hereinafter referred to as research activity, is carried out in accordance with the provisions contained in: Law no. 84 / 1995, supplemented and republished (Education Law); OG 57 / 2002, approved by Law no. 324 / 2003 on scientific research and technological development; Law no. 319 / 2003 on the status of research staff; Law no. 123 / 1997 on the status of teaching staff; Charter of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova.
2. The Rector, the Vice-Rector for Academic Management and Scientific Research, the Scientific Council of the UMFCV Senate (CSS), the Deans, the Vice-Deans and the Scientific Secretaries are the structures with responsibility in the field of scientific research activities in the university.
3. Scientific research is an essential component of the work of university teachers and can be carried out:
a) in all forms:
- research under contract with the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth and other national or international institutions and bodies;
- individual research reported in departments;
- the provision of services that make the most of both the university's existing material base and the professional competence of the teaching staff;
- publications (articles, treatises and monographs);
- doctoral training reports.
b) at all levels:
- basic/experimental research;
- clinical/applied research;
- research for medical-pharmaceutical technological development;
- biological and educational research;
- design of products, production systems, technologies and procedures, medical-pharmaceutical and laboratory services;
- consultancy, technical assistance, project verification and expertise in the medical-pharmaceutical and bio-humanist field;
The overall research objectives are:
a) to contribute, through the research activity of members of the university community, to the enrichment of universal cultural heritage and bio-humanistic knowledge;
b) to actively enrich the level of knowledge in the medical-pharmaceutical field and health education processes and techniques;
c) to develop benchmark research activities in the areas mentioned, compatible and comparable with national and international scientific research programmes;
d) to promote quality and excellence in research, creativity, interdisciplinarity, competitiveness, cooperation, effective management, ethics and deontology in all research activities and at all levels;
e) to disseminate and exploit the results of scientific research obtained, to promote inventive activities;
f) to stimulate extra-budgetary funding of scientific research, design, expertise and consultancy activities through contracts with economic operators, other institutions and organisations;
g) to facilitate the acquisition of the necessary scientific research skills by students through their material and spiritual co-interest
h) to develop and modernise its research, assistance and micro-production units, teaching and experimental bases.
4.Research activity in UMFCV is carried out: individually; in research groups; at the level of the chair/department and discipline, in research centres (subordinated to the chair/department, faculty or university), in continuing professional training centres (subordinated to the doctoral/master's/EMC department), in the Medical Education Centre (in the fundamental and special didactic-pedagogical field).
5. Faculties that have an adequate material base and manage to obtain sufficient research contracts on a regular basis may set up research departments in which, in addition to teaching staff, scientific researchers or auxiliary staff employed on fixed-term contracts or civil agreements work.
6. Research departments do not have legal personality, are established with the approval of the University Senate and operate on a self-financing basis, with their own regulations and staffing structure.
7. The work in the research department is coordinated by a director (with the rank of lecturer or professor).
8. The scientific research of the internal plan has as its beneficiary UMF Craiova and is carried out on the basis of research plans drawn up at the level of the departments, with the aim of resolving those topics that are part of the priority research themes and covering the scientific research obligations in the rules of the teaching staff, but have not found sources of funding.
9. The research teams in the departments are made up of teaching staff, research scientists, students and, in some cases, research assistants.
10. Scientific research centres are organised as structures without legal personality, around a competitive research programme that meets general criteria such as: tradition, relevance, impact at the frontier of scientific and technological research in the field concerned, significant contribution to the expansion of knowledge, technical, economic and administrative rationalisation in national or international contexts.
11. Scientific Research Centres are established according to the UMF Craiova Methodology, by decision of the University Senate and are accredited by the National Council for University Scientific Research..
12.The Scientific Research Centres are coordinated by a Director and have clearly elaborated statutes, respective management structures and membership. Members of a research centre cannot belong to more than one research centre.
II. Material resources
13. The University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, as a legal entity, provides all the technical, economic and legal facilities for carrying out scientific research in good conditions
14. Scientific research benefits free of charge from the services of the entire information and documentation network of the University Library.
15. The material base (apparatus, equipment, installations and premises) necessary to carry out scientific research consists of:
- the material base used in the teaching activity, without affecting its development, used in particular for the development of scientific research activity in the internal plan;
- the material base intended exclusively for scientific research acquired from research contracts or sponsorships for this purpose;
- the material base with mixed use (teaching and research) acquired both from scientific research contracts and from the budget.
III. Financing
16. Sources of financing for research activities are:
- funds from the state budget to finance programmes, sub-programmes, themes and new actions of the National Programme for Scientific Research and Development and Innovation (PNCDI II) awarded on a competitive basis, as well as other research themes of national interest in the form of grants concluded with MEdCT, CNCSIS, Romanian Academy, Academy of Medical Sciences, etc..;
- international research contracts (competitive grants funded by European Union funds, research activities in partnerships supported by foreign research institutions, universities, medical-pharmaceutical and biological companies);
- income from technical-scientific consultancy, technical expertise, technical assistance; diagnostic services - activities to exploit research results;
- sponsorships;
- firm orders.
17. Expenditure on electricity, heating, telephones, fax, etc. shall be borne:
- from the budget for in-house scientific research;
- from the amount provided for in the specifications of scientific research contracts (contracts concluded with the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth, the National Agency for Scientific Research, CNCSIS, CNMP, other contracting authorities or economic units).
IV. Objectives 2008-2011
In a period of major importance, which will form the basis of medium and long-term research directions, the following specific directions and objectives are proposed in the field of scientific research:
- Reorganization of the Scientific Council of the Senate of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova and of the equivalent structures at faculty level; adaptation of their activities to the provisions of the national programmes for the development of scientific research and to the European vision for the creation of a European research area in this field..
- Redefining the objectives and strategies of the current institutional structures for promoting and organising scientific research (Grants Office, Bureau of Informatics, Communications and Statistics, etc.).
- Intra- and inter-institutional cooperation at local, national and international level will be encouraged, including through a transparent policy of allocating material support from own resources to projects with a real chance of anchoring/alignment with other programmes..
- The same departments will ensure the permanent and accurate updating of the scientific research component of the university website, in Romanian and English.
- These actions will be based on the exploitation of the IT environment created and constantly updated (high-speed Internet and Intranet, access to international databases, creation of dedicated research portals, etc..).
- Development of research infrastructure and facilities through a pragmatic investment policy in apparatus and equipment, i.e. by supporting large investment projects in public infrastructure.
- Further development of research infrastructure will be done through a pragmatic, transparent investment policy based on clear, well-argued projects compatible with institutional research programs.
- The major research infrastructure project won under the Program POSCCE-A2-O2.2.1-2007 + Capacities-I-2007-2, with the acronym TARGET: RESEARCH AND TREATMENT CENTER IN GASTROENTEROLOGY BASED ON IMAGING METHODS AND MOLECULAR STUDIES.
- Current infrastructure programmes under the Capacities Programme will be completed: Platforma Interdisciplinara de Cercetare pentru Tehnologii Imagistice Microendoscopice Avansate - Platform of Interdisciplinary Research in Advanced MicroEndoscopy Imaging Devices (PYRAMID).
- The development of a highly technical bio-base will be completed, including by ensuring that it is equipped to the highest standards, by accessing other infrastructural funds or even from own revenues..
- The creation of new interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary scientific research centres, enhancing the human and technological potential of the institution, increasing the chances of funding grant projects, as well as the submission of documentation for obtaining the status of excellence of existing research centres. The policy of developing new research centres will be active and rational, based on human and technical potential, on thorough and objective analyses of projects submitted by departments and disciplines.
- Organizing national scientific events in Craiova and those with international participation under the auspices of various professional societies and encouraging teachers to join the management structures of these professional associations.
- Establishment of workshops and summer schools organized in Craiova, taking into account the existing material base, concentrated in the university campus: accommodation, meals and various educational activities (Aula Magna).
- Increasing the visibility of the journal Craiova Medicală while its classification in category B recognition by CNCSIS.
- Facilitate research cooperation between students, junior doctors and experienced academics, as well as improve and enhance the collaboration and communication process in research projects of academics in basic and clinical-applicative disciplines respectively.
- Develop internal information resources on participation in national and international competitions (FP7) by improving communication with national representatives of the FP7 Health Programme;
- Increase by a minimum of 25% per year the number of articles published in ISI and/or Medline listed journals, with all means to encourage and support research groups aiming at high impact journals. The direct consequence will be a medium and long-term increase in the number of citations, evaluated either through the ISI Thompson (Web of Science) system or through the Google Scholar system (which allows the calculation and evaluation of the h-index).
- Increasing the number of departments and laboratories that can perform services to third parties (including patients), which are part of the Diagnostic and Treatment Centre of UMF Craiova, in order to increase their own income and promote excellence in the provision of medical services, thus allowing the improvement of the health status of the population and health management through the creative exploitation of current scientific achievements.
R E C T O R,
Prof. univ. dr. Adrian SĂFTOIU