Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics (IMFM) was established by the National assembly of National Republic of Slovenia on April 28th 1960. On July 5th 1972, the University of Ljubljana has taken over the establishment rights. The company of the institute, specified in the statute, is the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics of the University Edvard Kardelj of Ljubljana. According to article 64 of the Law of Institutions (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia no., 12/91), IMFM is acting as an Institution under the Public Law. The council of IMFM passed a Resolution of Statuary Modifications on December 17th 1992, based on which the Institute turns into an Institution with April 1st 1991.

IMFM has since this Resolution strove to achieve an adjustment of the entry in the court register. It has addressed several applications for reorganization of IMFM into a public institution to competent Ministries, former Ministry of Science and Technology, later renamed into Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and now named Ministry of High Education, Science and Technology as well as to the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, but the reorganization has not yet taken place.

Public Prosecutor’s Office of Slovenia summoned IMFM on January 24th 2003, it should, according to the Regulation of Entry Standardization of the Republic of Slovenia, mark in the court register Republic of Slovenia as the founder of the Institute. The District Court of Ljubljana has on May 5th 2006 entered Republic of Slovenia as the IMFM founder, from June 06th 1998 on. This was done at IMFM’s suggestion.

IMFM is not a budget beneficiary. It mostly gains means for its work with participating at open public tenders, mostly at Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Research Work (ARRS) for basic, post-PhD and applicative projects, research and infrastructure programs with a period of five years as well as at open public tenders for Target Research Programs, which are co financed by the ARRS and the Ministry of Defense. Funds gained through contracts with economic organizations represent a minor part of incomes.

At IMFM around 45 full time and 120 supplementary employees perform scientific research work. Beside the scientific research work, which is the basic activity of the IMFM, also 24 junior researchers are being trained-the purpose of this training is the Master’s Degree or the Doctor’s Degree (PhD). The funds for their training come from ARRS, except for the nutrition and transport costs, recourse and other costs which are being managed by the regulations of Labor Law Legislation-these costs need to be assured by IMFM.

The aim of IMFM is to become a public institution which co founders are beside the state also the Slovenian universities. IMFM will outgrow in a Research Network Jurij Vega, Development of Mathematical Science and Technologies. It will strengthen the even now enviable excellence of Slovenian mathematics and will simultaneously orient oneself into development of high technologies. This way it will significantly contribute to Slovenian prestige and to Slovenian academic and economic development. IMFM would like to become an example of the European model of knowledge community, in which it forms together with the universities and the economy in public private partnership a triangle of knowledge in the field which is very significant for development.

Ljubljana, April 24, 2007

Prof. Dr. Matjaž Omladič, director