Funding strengthens UK-Rio research links

The University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham have a new funding agreement to work with leading research institutions in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.

The agreement will initially support up to 10 collaborative research projects over two rounds of funding, with £120,000 allocated for 2014/2015 and a further £120,000 allocated for 2015/2016. 

The Rio de Janeiro State Funding Agency (FAPERJ) has committed £120,000 to the fund over the next two years, an amount which has been matched by combined funding from the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham.

Research can be conducted in any academic discipline, across arts and humanities, health, physical and biological sciences and engineering, to establish new links or strengthen existing relationships. The funding will also support the exchange of researchers a range of activities including facilitating original research and workshop events from the State of Rio de Janeiro and from the UK. 

Ultimately, the partners hope to develop their collaboration to enable them to make further joint applications to external funding bodies to support bilateral research.

Professor Malcolm Press, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Birmingham and Professor Hai Sui Yu, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Internationalisation, University of Nottingham signed the agreement with FAPERJ’s President, Professor Ruy Marques, at a launch at the Royal Academy of Engineers in London. It marks the first signing between FAPERJ and a UK higher education institute partner.

Professor Press said: “Signing this agreement is an important part of our commitment to working with FAPERJ to support research conducted in leading universities and by internationally recognised academics in the State of Rio de Janeiro, in collaboration with colleagues at the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham. 

“We have already established strong links with FAPERJ following several meetings in Brazil and the UK and recognise that we share common values that promote excellence, career development and strong international partnerships. We look forward to building on this relationship and building a sustainable partnership for the future.”

Professor Yu added: “This joint pump prime fund aims to nurture and support internationally collaborative research and innovation between leading researchers at the Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham and those from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil by helping to dismantle the barriers of working together.

“We very much look forward to the results that this will bring, as we seek to create new knowledge and generate global impact. We are delighted to support our world-leading researchers in this pioneering endeavour between FAPERJ, Nottingham and Birmingham.”

This is the latest development in the collaborative relationship between the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham. Since opening a joint representative office in Brazil in 2011, both universities have committed to developing mutually beneficial partnerships with leading Brazilian institutions and agencies. These include long-term research collaborations; researcher, staff and student mobility; doctoral training; education initiatives; and business engagement and knowledge transfer.

Birmingham’s engagement with Brazil has also won the Outstanding International Strategy Award in the 2014 Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards (THELMAs). The award honours Birmingham’s bold approach to secure its position in Brazil as the UK higher education institute (HEI) partner of choice. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• The University of Birmingham has been named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2013/4. 
• The University of Birmingham is a truly global university producing world-leading research and is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Birmingham benefits from mutual partnerships with a wide range of international institutions and hosts a large international community of researchers and students. 
• With almost 5,000 international students from more than 150 countries, and 31% of academic staff from overseas, Birmingham’s campus is truly a diverse and global place which attracts the brightest and best international students and staff.
• The University collaborates with partners across the world to produce ground-breaking research, deliver innovative teaching, and to create opportunities for students and staff to gain international experience. Although Birmingham’s partnerships are wide ranging and span all continents, the University has identified China, India, Brazil and North America as key strategic regions in which they wish to develop more focused engagement.

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