British Council honours Newton Fund awardees at Princess Anne visit
The British Council has recently concluded panel deliberations for its Newton Fund awards and is pleased to announce ten total grants for Institutional Links and Researcher Links awards. The Newton Fund is part of the UK’s official development assistance, and aims to develop science and innovation partnerships that promote the economic development and welfare of partner countries. Newton Fund delivery partners—British Council and the Royal Academy of Engineering, in partnership with the British Embassy Manila—launched calls for applications last year.
Institutional Links are grants for establishing links between higher education, research institutions and businesses with the aim of translating research to drive economic development and social welfare in partner countries. Researcher Links grants are workshop and travel grants for research visits, with a focus on early career researchers.
The Royal Academy of Engineering, in partnership with DOST, also launched their Leaders in Innovation Fellowships, which seek to build the capacity of researchers within the Philippines for entrepreneurship and commercialization of their research.
The winners of the Researcher Links and Institutional Links grants, as well as the Leaders in Innovation Fellows were honoured at a reception at The Peninsula Manila Hotel Thursday, 19 March, on the occasion of the visit of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. The awardees include researchers from the country’s top schools, namely the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, St. Luke’s College of Medicine, the University of the Philippines—Diliman, Manila and Los Baños, University of San Carlos, as well as chief research and business development specialists from DOST research institutions.
The Newton Fund is a £375 million fund for 5 years beginning 2014. Through the Newton Fund, the UK will use its strength in research and innovation to promote the economic development and social welfare of partner countries. By working together on bi-lateral and multi-lateral programs with a research and innovation focus, the UK will build strong, sustainable, systemic relationships with partner countries. This will support the continued excellence of the UK research base and innovation ecosystem and act as a golden key to unlock opportunities for wider collaboration and trade.
The British Council will be launching calls for PhD Programmes, Researcher Links and Institutional Links grants under the Newton Fund this year. Calls are likely to open in late April and in July with deadlines in July and September.