The World Bank announced this month a $430 million initiative to establish centers of excellence at universities in West and Central Africa. The World Bank will provide $129 million, and an institution may receive up to $8 million for each center of excellence. The initiative is designed to promote regional specialization in development and to […]

Brazil’s government plans to invest $2.85 billion into research on renewable power and biofuels in an effort to rely less on imported technology and to increase long term R&D. As part of the PAISS program and the new Inova Energia program, the Financiadora de Estubdos e Projectos (Finep) research agency and the Brazilian Development Bank […]

South Korean president Park Geun-hye signed the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (REACH) bill into law this month. The registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemical substances are covered by the law, which is based on the EU system. The law takes effect January 1, 2015. Registration is mandatory if a firm manufactures or imports […]

As part of Canada’s fiscal 2014 (FY14) budget, the government will fund research partnerships between academia and industry with CAD 37 million ($37 million) in both fiscal FY14 and FY15. The amount includes CAD 15 million each year for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Strategy for […]

According to a March report from the Eurydice Network, part of the European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual and Cultural Executive Agency, the financial crisis has led to educational (defined as primary, secondary, tertiary and adult education) budget cuts in 20 European countries/regions for which data was available in 2011 and 2012. However, nine countries increased their […]