British Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever and Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan on June 3 signed a government-level memorandum of understanding (MOU) on assisting Vietnam in technological and scientific research and innovation under the Newton Program Vietnam.
As part of the program, the UK will provide up to 10 million pounds to support Vietnam-UK research collaboration and innovation partnership until 2019. Researchers, fellows, management officials in science and businesses with creativity will be the beneficiaries of the program.
The Newton Program Vietnam will focus on scholarships for researchers, research projects on challenges related to development and cooperation plans to commercialize research. Priorities will be given to innovation projects in the healthcare, life science, environment, energy security and digital technology sectors.
The British Council, Research Council UK, Innovate UK, institutions, the International Cooperation Department, the National Science and Technology Fund and the International Education Department under the Ministry of Education and Training will coordinate to implement the Newton Program Vietnam.
The Ministry of Science and Technology and the British embassy in Hanoi will be coordinators of the program.
The Newton Program is an initiative of the British government to support social-economic development in 15 partner countries, including Vietnam.
The British government pledges to provide 375 million pounds to the Newton Program in 2014-2019.
http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/41229/UK-funds-technology-innovation-.html
