Dr. Kolar has a wide range of knowledge, skills and experiences, ranging from policy development and implementation, research and innovation to entrepreneurship. She had been Director General of Science and Technology at the Ministry in Slovenia. She is currently member of a high-level expert body advising the Austrian Minister responsible for Science and Research, as well as member of the governing board of the European Institute of Technology and Innovation (EIT).

After the deliberation of the Assembly, Jana Kolar stated, "Pressures of global challenges, which affect also public research budgets, require a coordinated approach to research in Europe. CERIC-ERIC is an exciting initiative, which enables the brightest minds of the world to access high quality research infrastructures across Central Europe. It paves the way towards an integrated European research area."

CERIC-ERIC is an integrated multidisciplinary Research Infrastructure open for basic and applied users in the fields of Materials, Biomaterials and Nanotechnology. With a single entry point to excellent facilities, it allows structural investigation, analysis and synthesis of materials, using photon, electron, neutron, and ion based techniques.