Ireland signs major science co-operation deal with China

9 Dec 2014

Ireland’s leading science body Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has signed a new co-operation agreement with its counterpart in China, the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC).

The agreement will allow for greater collaboration between both foundations in maintaining and developing co-operative activities in the fields of science and engineering, such as new research projects, exchange of researchers and bilateral workshops.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony in the Hebei Room in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, by Prof Mark Ferguson, director-general of SFI and chief scientific adviser to the Government of Ireland, and Prof Yang Wei, president of the Natural Science Foundation of China.

This renewed agreement will build on the foundations that have been achieved since the signing of the first agreement between SFI and NSFC in 2005.

State visit

“This signifies a further development of even closer links between the two organisations. I look forward to more and widespread scientific activities under the new collaborative framework, which, I believe, will contribute to the progress of science in both countries,” Yang said.

Ferguson said Ireland and Chinese researchers collaborate through a number of programmes, including the SFI International Strategic Cooperation Award.

“There are numerous opportunities for further co-operation in many research areas and I look forward to growing links between our two foundations to our mutual benefit,” Ferguson added.

The agreement’s signing coincided with a State visit to China by Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins.

Great Hall of the People image via Shutterstock

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com