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Research Councils UK (RCUK) China will today, 24 September 2012, hold a high level event in Beijing to celebrate their fifth anniversary.
The delegates attending the ‘RCUK China – five years and beyond’ event, include key representatives from all seven UK Research Councils and Chinese funding organisations including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Announcements of new major investments will be made at the event to build on RCUK China’s success and ensure that the UK and China remain at the cutting edge of science and innovation.
Leading UK energy scientists have received £4million in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) with matched resource from the NSFC, to work in partnership with researchers in China to develop better smart grid technology, and help both countries to reduce their carbon footprint.
The British Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood, on behalf of RCUK, will also announce with NSFC a new multi-million pound joint collaboration in smart grids and the integration of electric vehicles. This then brings the RCUK commitment to UK-China energy research alone to over £24million with matched funding from Chinese partners.
David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, said: “The UK’s relationship with China is extremely valuable in driving research and innovation. By co-operating in this way, both countries can enjoy more of the benefits that high-quality scientific research brings, including economic growth and a better quality of life. The new investments announced today will help to ensure that the partnership between our two countries goes from strength to strength.”
Since its launch in 2007, RCUK China has supported a range of activities to promote UK-China research collaborations including 40 Summer Schools and 30 UK-China workshops. The team has also developed a significant multi-million pound programme of joint funding activities with key research funders in China in areas including healthcare, social sciences, food security and energy.
Professor Paul Boyle, RCUK’s International Champion, said: “International cooperation is a fundamental part of enhancing and stimulating the research we support in the UK, and China is a highly valued and important partner for us. RCUK China was the first overseas RCUK office and we are very excited about the great opportunities for building partnerships with our Chinese colleagues over the next five years.”
RCUK China was set up by the Research Councils to enhance research funding partnerships between the UK and China. It supports the best researchers in the UK and China to develop high quality, high impact research partnerships, working closely with Chinese partners to agree mutual areas of research interest and jointly review and fund UK-China collaborative research.
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Contact:
Katie Clark
Press and Communications Manager
Tel: 01793 444592 or email: Katie Clark
EPSRC’s announcement on its funding for UK-China research in smart grid technology is available here.
RCUK China’s strategy focuses on:
RCUK China is based in the British Embassy in Beijing. We work closely with the UK’s Science and Innovation Network-China, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, British Council and the UK’s Department for International Development.
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils who annually invest around £3 billion in research. We support excellent research, as judged by peer review, that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the UK. To maintain the UK’s global research position we offer a diverse range of funding opportunities, foster international collaborations and provide access to the best facilities and infrastructure around the world. We also support the training and career development of researchers and work with them to inspire young people and engage the wider public with research. To maximise the impact of research on economic growth and societal wellbeing we work in partnership with other research funders including the Technology Strategy Board, the UK Higher Education funding bodies, business, government, and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk.
The seven UK Research Councils are: