Expenditure for research and development in
The Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus has announced that total expenditure in Cyprus in 2005 is estimated at CYP 31,9 mln (EUR 54.6 mln) which corresponds to 0,41% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compared to CYP 27,2 mln (EUR 46.5 mln) or 0,37% of the GDP in 2004 and CYP 23,9 mln (EUR 40.9 mln) or 0,35% in 2003.
Despite the increase of 17,0% recorded in R&D expenditure in 2005 relative to 2004, the share of the GDP of Cyprus devoted to R&D activities continues to be low compared to other countries.
The share of R&D expenditure to the GDP of the member states of the European Union stands at 1,84% on average.
By sector of performance, the higher education institutions accounted for CYP 12,4 mln or 38,9% of total R & D expenditure, the government for CYP 10,1 mln or 31,8%, the business enterprises for CYP 7,0 mln or 22,0% and the private non-profit institutions for CYP 2,3 mln or 7,2%. In the business enterprise sector, computer and related activities constituted the principal source of R & D activity, with a total R & D expenditure of CYP 2,6 mln, while of particular importance was also the contribution of the manufacturing industry (and particularly the manufacturers of chemicals and chemical products) with CYP 2,3 mln.
The biggest part of R & D expenditure was devoted to the natural sciences (CYP 11,0 mln), while the agricultural sciences absorbed CYP 5,9 mln, engineering and technology CYP 5,8 mln, the social sciences CYP 5,2 mln, the humanities CYP 2,5 mln and the medical sciences CYP 1,5 mln.
About 45,3% of R & D activity in 2005 was financed from government funds (CYP 14,4 mln), as compared with CYP 11,9 mln or 43,8% in 2004, while CYP 6,9 mln was drawn from the budget of the University of Cyprus and CYP 3,5 mln from sources from abroad (including CYP 2,7 mln from European Union funds). An amount of CYP 7,0 mln constituted the contribution of the private sector, compared to CYP 6,6 mln in 2004.
The number of persons engaged in R & D activities in 2005 stood at 2.470, compared to 2.235 in 2004. In full-time equivalent terms, this number is estimated at 1.157 persons, of which 442 or 38,2% were women. Of these persons, 25,1% were holders of PhD level degrees.
