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1. Political Commitment to Evidence-Based Youth Policy

2. Cooperation between policy-making and research

3. National Statistics and available data sources

4. Budgetary Allocations supporting research in the youth field

Political Commitment to Evidence-Based Youth Policy

The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic supports youth policy through research and data, though the term “evidence-based youth policy” is not formally defined. This commitment is reflected in the use of research outputs in strategic planning and programme development.

Cooperation between policy-making and research

Institutionalised Cooperation

• Institute for Educational Policy: Operates under the Ministry and provides analytical support, primarily in education, with relevance to youth transitions and inclusion.
• National Institute of Education and Youth: Manages www.vyskummladeze.sk, a national platform for youth research since 2006. The archive remains a key source of studies and surveys.
• Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (CVTI SR): Conducts sociological research and statistical monitoring on youth-related topics, including civic participation, prevention, and youth organizations.

Ad-Hoc Cooperation

The Ministry and its agencies collaborate with universities, NGOs, and independent researchers during strategy development, evaluations, and thematic studies.

National Statistics and available data sources

Slovakia collects and publishes youth-related data at the national level through several institutions. The most comprehensive and policy-relevant source is the Youth Report (Správa o mládeži), which has been produced in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2024. 

These reports are based on:

• Quantitative surveys
• Qualitative studies
• Administrative data
• Expert consultations

They serve as a key input for strategic planning and programme development.

Budgetary Allocations supporting research in the youth field

The Slovak government does not maintain a dedicated budget line exclusively for youth research. However, funding for research and data collection relevant to youth policy is provided through targeted calls and thematic programmes under the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth.

One such example is the annual grant call for entities registered under §15 (2) of the Youth Work Support Act. This call supports organizations that collect, analyze, and process data on youth through surveys, research, and reports

There is no separate line of funding for systematic, government-led evaluation of youth policies. Evaluations are typically embedded in project implementation or supported through broader education and social policy frameworks. Research relevant to youth is also occasionally funded under the general social sciences category through national or EU programmes.