Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, today announced the opening of a new Research Councils UK (RCUK) office in India
Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham said: "International collaboration is important in tackling the global challenges of the 21st Century, such as climate change and disease. It brings together the world's best researchers and improves research outcomes through the sharing of information, facilities and resources. With its rapidly expanding economy and its increased spending on research, India is a country of continuing strategic importance to the UK for developing international education, research and innovation partnerships."
Amongst the successful UK-India collaborations already underway is the Chandrayaan mission - India's first mission to the moon. The UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is building the primary instrument for this mission - an x ray camera - that will map the moon for minerals. This will provide part of the jigsaw that will help scientists discover the true origin of the moon.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is also engaged in many important partnerships with India and in 2006 launched a UK:India Partnering Award scheme to build long-term partnerships that should ultimately lead to new collaborative research programmes. Early awards include development of novel targets for antibacterial agents against tuberculosis, computer-aided vaccine design and brassica oilseed crop improvement.
Other successful Research Council collaborations include joint partnerships on several international climate change programmes and a study between the Medical Research Council's Cancer Cell Unit and Kidwai Memorial Hospital Institute of Oncology to find transitional approaches to improving cancer screening and diagnosis.
Speaking on behalf of Research Councils UK, Professor Ian Diamond said, "Our existing collaborations with India demonstrate how successful they can be. We are very excited about this new office. We believe it's the best way to build partnerships between the best researchers in the UK and India so that both countries can benefit."
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Notes
The RCUK Office in India will be launched later this year. It will be located at the British High Commission in New Delhi.
About Research Councils UK
The seven Research Councils are independent non-departmental public bodies, funded by the Science Budget through the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). They are incorporated by Royal Charter and together manage a research budget of over £2.8 billion a year.
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the partnership between the UK's seven Research Councils. Through RCUK, the Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support.
The seven UK Research Councils are:
Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
Medical Research Council (MRC);
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
Contact
Chloë Somers
RCUK Press Officer, Tel 01793 444592