Scientific-pedagogical characteristics of the person
Second degree of higher education
Study field and programme: Public Administration and Regional Development, 2014, University of Economics in Bratislava
Third degree of higher education
Study field and programme: Public Administration and Regional Development, 2018, University of Economics in Bratislava
Current and previous employment
Assistant professor
University of Economics in Bratislava
2018 - present
Analyst
The Government Office of the Slovak Republic
2016 - 2017
Project manager
Aurex s.r.o.
2013 - 2016
Overview of activities within the teaching career at the university
Number of defended theses
Bachelor's (first degree): 8
Diploma (second degree): 9
Overview of the research/artistic/other outputs
Number of the research/artistic/other outputs registered in the Web of Science or Scopus databases: 19
Number of citations registered in the Web of Science or Scopus databases: 21
The most significant research/artistic/other outputs
REHÁK, Štefan - RAFAJ, Oliver - ČERNĚNKO, Tomáš. EU Integration, Regional Development Problems and the Rise of the New Radical Right in Slovakia. - Registrovaný: Web of Science, Registrovaný: Scopus. In Regional Science Policy & Practice. - Oxford : John Wiley and Sons. ISSN 1757-7802, 2021, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 1-19 online. I-20-106-00, VEGA 1/0705/18, VEGA 1/0774/19.
RAFAJ, Oliver. The Effect of Human Capital on the Output of Slovak Urban Regions. - Registrovaný: Scopus. In Scientific papers of the University of Pardubice. - Pardubice : Fakulta ekonomicko-správní Univerzity Pardubice, 2020. ISSN 1211-555X, 2020, vol. 28, no. 4, s. 1-10 online. VEGA 1/0774/19.
RAFAJ, Oliver - REHÁK, Štefan. Spatial Aspects of University Graduates in Slovakia. - Registrovaný: Web of Science. In GeoScape : The Journal of Jan Evangelista Purkyne in Usti nad Labem. - Usti nad Labem, 2016, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 26-34 online. APVV-14-0512.
RAFAJ, Oliver - REHÁK, Štefan - ČERNĚNKO, Tomáš. Smart Cities – Overview of Citizen Participation Across Application Domains. - Registrovaný: Scopus. In Scientific papers of the University of Pardubice. - Pardubice : Fakulta ekonomicko-správní Univerzity Pardubice, 2022. ISSN 1804-8048, 2022, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 1-10 online. APVV-19-0263.
Rafaj, O., & Siranova, M. (2023). De‐branching, too‐much‐branching, and cost of debt of SMEs in Slovakia. European Financial Management, 29(5), 1576-1619.
The most significant research/artistic/other outputs over the last six years
REHÁK, Štefan - RAFAJ, Oliver - ČERNĚNKO, Tomáš. EU Integration, Regional Development Problems and the Rise of the New Radical Right in Slovakia. - Registrovaný: Web of Science, Registrovaný: Scopus. In Regional Science Policy & Practice. - Oxford : John Wiley and Sons. ISSN 1757-7802, 2021, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 1-19 online. I-20-106-00, VEGA 1/0705/18, VEGA 1/0774/19.
RAFAJ, Oliver. The Effect of Human Capital on the Output of Slovak Urban Regions. - Registrovaný: Scopus. In Scientific papers of the University of Pardubice. - Pardubice : Fakulta ekonomicko-správní Univerzity Pardubice, 2020. ISSN 1211-555X, 2020, vol. 28, no. 4, s. 1-10 online. VEGA 1/0774/19.
Rafaj, O., & Siranova, M. (2023). De‐branching, too‐much‐branching, and cost of debt of SMEs in Slovakia. European Financial Management, 29(5), 1576-1619.
RAFAJ, Oliver - REHÁK, Štefan - ČERNĚNKO, Tomáš. Smart Cities – Overview of Citizen Participation Across Application Domains. - Registrovaný: Scopus. In Scientific papers of the University of Pardubice. - Pardubice : Fakulta ekonomicko-správní Univerzity Pardubice, 2022. ISSN 1804-8048, 2022, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 1-10 online. APVV-19-0263.
Rafaj, O., & Némethová, V. (2024). Efficiency Analysis of Elementary Schools in Bratislava–A Two Step DEA Approach. Review of Economic Perspectives, 24(1), 1-15.
The most significant citations corresponding to the research/artistic/other outputs
CA18214 The geography of New Working Spaces and the impact on the periphery (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18214/). The focus of the project is oriented on identification of New Working Spaces (such as coworkings, makerspaces, fab labs and others) in urban and rural regions. The main aim of the project is to describe relations between these organizations and surrounding actors.
ERASMUS+ (DIGI-SOC) Digital skills and cross-domain entrepreneurship for societal challenges (DIGI-SOC) No. 2021-1-PL01-KA220-HED-000027649. The partnership decided to apply for this project given that it offers an optimal framework to address the needs that are shared by all participant organisations: develop transnational cooperation to foster innovative curricula promoting crossentrepreneurial mindsets and competences around digital skills, while doing so with a pan-European perspective that is inclusive and that introduces in the curricula a global approach which, while tackling local challenges, addresses common needs at a European level. The project offers a platform to work around these aspects and it offers the possibility to enrich a new paradigm in which HEIs work in strong partnerships to improve competences in curricula with a EU transnational approach.
APVV-19-0263 Possibilities of application of methods and tools of "smart governance" on local and regional level (https://nhf.euba.sk/en/49-veda-a-vyskum/aktualne-projekty/3-1-2-domestic-research-projects-from-grant-schemes-vega-apvv-kega/1442-moznosti-aplikacie-metod-a-nastrojov-smart-governance-na-lokalnej-a-regionalnej-urovni). The project is focused on identifying suitable tools of smart governance and their application in the selected city and self-governing region. The aim of the project is to improve the public service provided by the city or self-governing region through the application of a selected smart governance tool.
APVV-14-0512 Universities and the economic development of regions (https://www.apvv.sk/buxus/docs/zk/zk-apvv-14-0512.pdf). Project was focused on the identification of economic impacts of universities on their surrounding actors.
VEGA 1/0774/19 The accumulation of human capital in regions – economic and social consequences (https://nhf.euba.sk/49-veda-a-vyskum/aktualne-projekty/domace-vyskumne-z-grantovych-schem-vega-apvv-kega/715-akumulacia-ludskeho-kapitalu-v-regionoch-ekonomicke-a-socialne-dosledky). Project is focused on the identification of economic and social consequences of the accumulation of human capital in urban and rural regions.
VEGA 1/0249/22 Coworking spaces and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – opportunities for urban economic development. The project is focused on investigating coworking spaces and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operation.
VEGA 1/0384/23 The evolution of university knowledge creation in EU regions. The project is focused on researching the creation of knowledge by universities in EU regions.
Participation in conducting (leading) the most important research projects or art projects over the last six years
CA18214 The geography of New Working Spaces and the impact on the periphery (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18214/). The focus of the project is oriented on identification of New Working Spaces (such as coworkings, makerspaces, fab labs and others) in urban and rural regions. The main aim of the project is to describe relations between these organizations and surrounding actors.
ERASMUS+ (DIGI-SOC) Digital skills and cross-domain entrepreneurship for societal challenges (DIGI-SOC) No. 2021-1-PL01-KA220-HED-000027649. The partnership decided to apply for this project given that it offers an optimal framework to address the needs that are shared by all participant organisations: develop transnational cooperation to foster innovative curricula promoting crossentrepreneurial mindsets and competences around digital skills, while doing so with a pan-European perspective that is inclusive and that introduces in the curricula a global approach which, while tackling local challenges, addresses common needs at a European level. The project offers a platform to work around these aspects and it offers the possibility to enrich a new paradigm in which HEIs work in strong partnerships to improve competences in curricula with a EU transnational approach.
APVV-19-0263 Possibilities of application of methods and tools of "smart governance" on local and regional level (https://nhf.euba.sk/en/49-veda-a-vyskum/aktualne-projekty/3-1-2-domestic-research-projects-from-grant-schemes-vega-apvv-kega/1442-moznosti-aplikacie-metod-a-nastrojov-smart-governance-na-lokalnej-a-regionalnej-urovni). The project is focused on identifying suitable tools of smart governance and their application in the selected city and self-governing region. The aim of the project is to improve the public service provided by the city or self-governing region through the application of a selected smart governance tool.
APVV-14-0512 Universities and the economic development of regions (https://www.apvv.sk/buxus/docs/zk/zk-apvv-14-0512.pdf). Project was focused on the identification of economic impacts of universities on their surrounding actors.
VEGA 1/0774/19 The accumulation of human capital in regions – economic and social consequences (https://nhf.euba.sk/49-veda-a-vyskum/aktualne-projekty/domace-vyskumne-z-grantovych-schem-vega-apvv-kega/715-akumulacia-ludskeho-kapitalu-v-regionoch-ekonomicke-a-socialne-dosledky). Project is focused on the identification of economic and social consequences of the accumulation of human capital in urban and rural regions.
VEGA 1/0249/22 Coworking spaces and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – opportunities for urban economic development. The project is focused on investigating coworking spaces and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operation.
VEGA 1/0384/23 The evolution of university knowledge creation in EU regions. The project is focused on researching the creation of knowledge by universities in EU regions.
Overview of organizational experience related to higher education and research/artistic/other activities
Slovak section of the European Regional Science Association - member
European Regional Science Association (https://ersa.org/)
2016 - present
Slovak economic association - member
Slovak economic association
2021- present
COST CA18214 - Member Committee for Slovak republic
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18214/#tabs+Name:Management%20Committee)
2019 - present
COST CA18214 - Manager for horizontal activities
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18214/#tabs+Name:Main%20Contacts%20and%20Leadership)
2022 - present
RSA - member
RSA - The Regional Studies Association
2023 - present
RSA - Ambassador to Slovakia
RSA - The Regional Studies Association
2023 - present
Overview of international mobilities and visits oriented on education and research/artistic/other activities in the given field of study
Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano MI, Italy
30.10.2017 - 30.1.2018,
EUBA Foreign Mobility Fund for PhD. Students
UTB: Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Mostní 5139, 760 01 Zlín, Czech republic
07.07.2021 - 28.07.2021,
Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) from project COST CA18214
Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano MI, Italy
04.07.2022 - 09.07.2022,
Summer School on workplace management - SSWM: Focus on coworking (COST ACTION CA18214) - as a student
University of Economics in Katowice, Bogucicka 3, 40- 227 Katowice, Poland
10.10.2022 - 14.10.2022,
ERASMUS+ project (no. 2021-1-PL01-KA220- HED-000027649), "Digital skills and crossdomain entrepreneurship for societal challenges" - as a teacher
University of Bologna, Via U. Foscolo 7, Bologna, Italy
17.04.2023 - 21.04.2023,
ERASMUS+ project (no. 2021-1-PL01-KA220- HED-000027649), "Digital skills and cross-domain entrepreneurship for societal challenges" - as a teacher
Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano MI, Taliansko
03.07.2023 - 07.07.2023,
Summer School on workplace management - SSWM: Focus on coworking (COST ACTION CA18214) - as a teacher
Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano MI, Taliansko
03.07.2016 - 10.07.2016,
29th ERSA Summer School "Space, Territory and Growth. Advances in Regional Science” - as a student
Politecnico di Milano, Via Eduardo Bonardi, 20133 Milano, Italy
01.02.2024 - 31.07.2024,
Research stay under the supervision of Ilaria Mariotti. Research topic: Examining the interactions between users of coworking spaces and the factors related to the rate of interactions. Research stay was supported by SAIA, n. o. (Slovak Academic Information Agency)
