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25 September 2018, 18:55

Belarus, Slovakia to arrange contest of joint R&D projects in early 2019

MINSK, 25 September (BelTA) – Belarus and Slovakia will arrange a contest of joint R&D projects in early 2019 in priority avenues of bilateral cooperation, including power engineering, information technologies, nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, healthcare, and pharmaceutics. The contest's organization was discussed during the first session of the Belarus-Slovakia commission on cooperation in science and technology. The session was chaired by Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus Alexander Shumilin and State Secretary of the Education, Science, Research, and Sport Ministry of Slovakia Olga Nachtmannova, the committee's press service told BelTA.

The sides also agreed to establish mutual contacts with technology parks in Belarus and Slovakia, to consider the possibility of expanding the implementation of joint projects, including as part of the European Union's research and innovation program Horizon 2020. “Belarus' national priorities in R&D and innovations coincide a lot with Slovakia's. This is why we have a considerable potential for implementing mutually beneficial projects,” said Alexander Shumilin. In his words, Belarusian and Slovak organizations are now implementing five projects worth over $470,000 within the framework of the Horizon 2020 program. They have previously implemented 15 projects worth over $3.5 million.

“Adding topics geared towards cooperation with partners from Slovakia on mutually agreed priorities to contests will make aspirants much more active and will make European grants more productive,” stressed the chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus. Alexander Shumilin remarked that innovative infrastructure in Belarus grows dynamically and already includes 14 R&D parks, nine technology transfer centers, various R&D centers and holding companies as part of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and industry-specific ministries. Resident companies in the technology parks focus on instrument making, mechanical engineering, electronics, information technologies, software development, healthcare, pharmaceutics, production of medical equipment, optics, laser technologies, energy saving, bio- and nanotechnologies.

Marek Hajduk, Head of the Science and Technology Office of the Education, Science, Research, and Sport Ministry of Slovakia, mentioned it is important to expand bilateral cooperation for the sake of carrying out joint research projects, including projects involving other European countries. “Science and innovations are important components for small countries like Slovakia and Belarus. This is why it is necessary to choose projects, which will produce maximum effect for all the parties concerned,” he said. Marek Hajduk also said that Slovakia spends about €740 million or about 0.8% of the GDP on science and R&D projects.

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