Nepal eligible for research funding from EU

The European Union (EU) has said research institutes in Nepal are eligible to submit proposals for funding from the EU's 7th Framework Programme (FP-7) to conduct research on different topics related to science and non-science streams.

The EU Delegation informed about this amidst a gathering of prominent research institutes from Nepal including the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology on 24 September.

Addressing the programme, Dr. Alexander Spachis, Head of the EU Delegation to Nepal said that the EU and its Member States have been organizing a series of information seminars throughout SAARC countries to raise awareness among research stakeholders about the opportunities that the EU can offer for research and innovation cooperation.

Ambassador Spachis also made public the funding opportunities for research institutes at the Sixth National Conference on Science and Technology organised by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in the presence of Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Ministers, secretaries and eminent scientists.

EU is a world leader in research and innovation, accounting for 24% of world expenditure in research, 32% of high impact publications and 32% of patent publications, while representing only 7% of the population.

European research and innovation efforts are set to receive a significant increase in funding with the announcement of the largest set of calls for proposals ever under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), a statement issued by the EU said. Worth a total of EUR 8.1 billion, projects funded by these calls are open to organisations and businesses in all EU Member States, FP7 partner states and specifically eligible countries. nepalnews.com