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On the basis of the results of the ad-hoc survey carried out by the Statistical Service for the collection of data on scientific research and experimental development (R & D), total R & D expenditure in Cyprus in 2001 is estimated at £15,8 mn which corresponds to 0,27% of the Gross Domestic Product, compared to £14,1 mn or 0,26% of the GDP in 2000. Despite the increase of 12,5% in R & D expenditure in 2001 relative to 2000, the share of the GDP of Cyprus devoted to R & D activities continues to be quite low compared to other countries. For example, the share of R & D expenditure to the GDP of the 15 member-states of the European Union stands at 1,94% on average. By sector of performance, the government accounted for £7,2 mn or 45,4% of total R & D expenditure, the higher education institutions for £4,1 mn or 26,1%, the business enterprises for £3,1 mn or 19,4% and the private non-profit institutions for £1,4 mn or 9,1%. In the business enterprise sector, the manufacturing industry (and particularly the branches of food products and beverages and of chemical products) constituted the principal source of R & D activity, with a total R & D expenditure of £1,4 mn. The biggest part of R & D expenditure was devoted to the natural (£6,1 mn) and agricultural sciences (£3,7 mn), while the social sciences absorbed £2,5 mn, engineering and technology £1,4 mn, the humanities £1,4 mn and the medical sciences £0,7 mn. About 48,0% of R & D activity in 2001 was financed from government funds (£7,6 mn), as compared with £6,8 mn or 48,1% in 2000, while £2,8 mn originated from the budget of the University of Cyprus and £2,0 mn from sources from abroad (including £0,9 mn from the European Union). An amount of £3,5 mn constituted the contribution of the private sector, compared to £3,4 mn in 2000. The number of persons engaged in R & D activities in 2001 stood at 1.733, compared to 1.630 in 2000. In full-time equivalent terms, this number is estimated at 690 persons, of which 258 or 37,4% were women. Of these persons, 25,7% were holders of PhD level degrees. Additional information on the subject can be downloaded from the web site of the Statistical Service, at the address http://www.pio.gov.cy/dsr. Detailed information can also be found in the report entitled “Research and Development Statistics, 2001”, which will be released shortly and can be purchased from the Government Printing Office in Nicosia at the price of £5,00 per copy. |
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