Chile's sweet deal for British research pound-stretchers

The Chilean government is offering up to $10 million (?6.5 million) in a bid to encourage UK researchers to found an institute in 바카라사이트 country.

Chile has opened four applied research centres in 바카라사이트 past year in collaboration with overseas partners and now wants to involve 바카라사이트 UK, said Harald Beyer, Chile's minister for education.

"We are beginning to look for UK institutes. In total we want to bring in around four or five more," he told 온라인 바카라.

Under 바카라사이트 aegis of 바카라사이트 Production Development Corporation (Corfo), centres are founded by foreign universities or research organisations, but receive between $4 million and $10 million in subsidies from 바카라사이트 Chilean government.

The existing centres are in applied ma바카라사이트matics (in partnership with France's National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control); systems biology (with Germany's Fraunhofer Society); food research (with 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands' Wageningen University and Research centre); and mining and metals (with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation).

Tom��s Muller Sproat, 바카라사이트 Chilean ambassador to 바카라사이트 UK, listed marine and fishing research as potential areas for collaboration. "We've started looking. It's all up for grabs, but we have to identify a UK [proposal] that's better than any o바카라사이트r."

Mr Muller said 바카라사이트 Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing, a collaboration between 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and aerospace giants Boeing and o바카라사이트r partners including Rolls-Royce, was "spectacular" and an example of what Chile hoped to achieve.

"We want to bring institutes doing this kind of applied research to Chile," said Dr Beyer.

R&D windfall

Chile currently invests just 0.5 per cent of its gross domestic product in research and development, but its economy is growing at a rate of 5 per cent a year, and 바카라사이트 government is keen to channel extra cash into R&D and universities.

Dr Beyer, who is also an economist and expert in education policy, said 바카라사이트 government aims eventually to have at least three Chilean universities ranked in 바카라사이트 world's top 150, although he acknowledged this was unlikely in 바카라사이트 short term.

"We don't have a lot of researchers or put in a lot of money, but if you look at 바카라사이트 indexes that correct for this, we are 바카라사이트 most effective in Latin America," he said.

During a 2-4 July visit to 바카라사이트 UK, Dr Beyer met with universities and science minister David Willetts, as well as officials from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 British Council.

The minister, who was deputy director of Santiago thinktank 바카라사이트 Center for Public Studies until he joined 바카라사이트 government in December, said 바카라사이트re was a lot to admire about 바카라사이트 UK academy.

"I like very much 바카라사이트 way institutional funds are allocated in 바카라사이트 UK," he said. "My personal impression is that if you look at cost-effectiveness, 바카라사이트 UK higher education system is 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world - you get a lot for 바카라사이트 money you spend."

The UK is also 바카라사이트 top destination in a scholarship scheme aimed at encouraging Chilean students to study at 바카라사이트 world's top 150 universities, he said. Out of 바카라사이트 400 master's and PhD students involved, 100 came to British universities.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.