ISTC Will Finance 3 Armenian Projects
June 3-5, the chairman of the RA State Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science, S. Harutyunyan, and the vice president of the RA National Academy of Sciences, academician Yuri Shukurian, in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, participated in the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) business meeting, as well as in the ISTC 59th session of the ISTC board of managers and coordinators. During the sessions, the amended project of “Continuing ISTC activities”, the ISTC 2013 annual budget report, the ISTC 2014 budget, as well as questions related to the current development of science and technology and the future prospects in CIS member states were discussed.
During the discussions, S. Harutyunyan delivered a speech, “Reforms inArmeniain Areas of Research and Development”. Academician Yuri Shukurian, the vice president of the RA National Academy of Sciences made a speech as well, presenting the current condition of science and the research policy priorities inArmenia.
In the 59th session of the Governing Board of the ISTC, the ISTC Chairman of the Governing Board, Ronald Lehman, in his speech referred to the significant reforms in the scientific field in theRepublicofArmenia. Lehman especially appreciated the contribution of the Armenian scientific
potential in projects carried out by the ISTC.
In the 59th session, the amended project of “Continuing ISTC activities” was discussed and initially signed. The chairman of the RA State Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science, S. Harutyunyan, as a representative of the side having amended the agreement, participated in the initial signing of the project.
18 scientific projects were represented for the ISTC 2014 grant, 10 of which have received funding guarantees. The 3 research projects from Armenia (“the Radiation Medicine and Burns Research Centre” of the RA Ministry of Health, the Institute of Molecular Biology of the RA NAS, the Institute of Chemical Physics of the RA NAS) have received funding guarantees of a total of 414135 EUR and 180000 USD. 2 scientific projects from Georgia,KyrgyzstanandTajikistanand 1 research project fromKazakhstanhave received funding guarantees. About a third of the total budget will be allocated for the implementation of the Armenian projects.
During the session, it was suggested that from now on, the ISTC only fund projects that are consistent with the following priorities, determined by the centre:
1. Medical Sciences,
2. Agricultural Sciences,
3. Environmental security,
4. Water resources,
5. Bio fuel and energetic security,
6. New materials,
7. Space and space exploration
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