Return on investment at Slovenian university: measuring the investments in scientific literature and the research output

Abstract

Science would not exist without the publication of scientific research results. Publishing of scientific results is the basic feature in the scientific information and communication process. In the communication process, information exchange and the main role plays scientific literature. The functioning of the University in interdisciplinary teaching and research work without investment in international scientific literature is not possible. In this research, we will focus on the importance of investment in scientific literature, which can be measured with the method of return on investment.

Researchers of the University of Primorska have access to a wide range of scientific literature through seven consortia: ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Wiley Online Library, JSTOR, SAGE, Emerald and EBSCOHost. Slovenian Research Agency in the large proportion of financial support funded access to international scientific literature as well as financing scientific projects and research work.

During the analysed period (2010-2015), we determined the expenditure of the University for the international scientific literature, and revenue in the form of funds received in tenders for scientific projects and research work. The research highlights how many units of assets in tenders for research projects we have obtained per unit of invested assets for the international scientific literature.