"The Institute of Chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius, in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia has gained international recognition due to its scientific results and collaboration with distinguished research groups from European universities and research centres. It is nominated as a potential centre of excellence due to its competence supported by the fact that 28.3 % of all scientific papers published in international journals cited in SCI between 1971 and 2004 from R. Macedonia come from this Institute. The association of the country to FP7 has brought opportunities for researchers to take part in European research activities. Performing an international independent expert evaluation of the level of the research quality and capability of the Institute of Chemistry, FSM, will be very important with regards to its positioning in the country and wider as an established research entity and a Centre of excellence. This assessment will direct the strategic orientation of the Institute to keeping the existing research groups competent and competitive in the ERA and strengthening and encouraging the others. The group working in the area of food analysis has been involved in the FOOD-Cluster initiative of the European Commission due to its coordination of a FP7 Capacities project related to food science. Considering the fact that R. Macedonia is mainly an agricultural country, assessment of the triangle university-industry-government in the food sector performed by independent experts and local researchers will greatly contribute to identifying the priorities in the food sector, especially in research and development, and produce a strategy for a more active involvement in food research. Finally, this evaluation will not be solely used as an instrument for internal evaluation, but it will show the way for building strategy by consulting other partners in society and making bridges between the Institute and its environment."