The five-year agreement with FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation) will make it easier for UK researchers to work alongside colleagues from Brazil’s top-ranked universities. Each party will contribute £50,000 to fund calls for proposals across a range of science disciplines.
The memorandum of understanding signed today (26 September) by FAPESP President Celso Lafer and Colin Bailey, Vice-President and Dean of Manchester’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. The two are attending a conference at the Royal Society sponsored by FAPESP.
FAPESP already has similar cooperation agreements with 13 UK universities and all the UK Research Councils.
Professor Lafer said: “Researchers at Brazilian universities sponsored by FAPESP are already working very closely with experts from The University of Manchester to study the way Amazonia affects global climate change. We now look forward to fruitful cooperation on a much wider wide range of scientific disciplines.”
Professor Bailey said: “The University continues to enhance its partnership with organistations in Brazil and we are particularly pleased to sign this agreement with FAPESP, which will continue to support and grow our research links with the state of São Paulo
The fast-growing ties between the UK and Brazil were praised by Universities and Science Minister David Willetts who is this week scheduled to address the FAPESP Week conference in London.
“Brazil has a growing reputation for developing cutting edge research,” said the minister. “It’s essential that the UK works closely with colleagues from Brazil to maximise this potential.”
Ends
Notes for editors
More information about the FAPESP Week Conference held 25 to 27 September at:
http://www.fapesp.br/week2013/london/program
This conference, being held at the Royal Society, brings together leading scientists and policymakers from the UK, Brazil and European nations. David Willetts MP, Universities and Science Minister, opens the conference with a keynote address. The conference covers developments in climate change, health science, biofuels, biodiversity and nanotechnology.
São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is Brazil’s leading regional grant-funding body. The State constitution allocates 1% of all state taxes to the foundation. FAPESP’s expenditure in 2012 was of R$ 1.035 billion (approximately US$ 500 million/£300 million). FAPESP recently announced an 11-year support to 17 targeted research centers, with a total of US$680 million of own and matched funds.
FAPESP's key areas of funding in sciences are: Biodiversity; Climate Change; Biofuels; Nanotechnology; Health Sciences. For further information visit: http://www.fapesp.br/en/
The University of Manchester, a member of the Russell Group, is one of the largest and most popular universities in the UK. It has 20 academic schools and hundreds of specialist research groups undertaking pioneering multi-disciplinary teaching and research of worldwide significance. According to the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, The University of Manchester is one of the country’s major research institutions, rated third in the UK in terms of ‘research power’. The University had an annual income of £807 million in 2011/12.
For further information contact:
In Brazil:
Luiz Fernando Cunha
FAPESP
+55+11+3838 4151
cunha@fapesp.br
Samuel Antenor
FAPESP
+55+11+ 3838 4381
samuel@fapesp.br
In the UK:
Ann-Marie Baptiste
FAPESP
07777 602 636
Jess Farley
FAPESP
077650 47799
Richard House
Nextar Communications
07798865950
richardhouse@nextar.biz
Aeron Haworth
Media Relations
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
The University of Manchester
+44 (0)161 275 8387
aeron.haworth@manchester.ac.uk