Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama have proposed a new relationship to strengthen collaboration between the UK and US in science and higher education.
The UK and the United States are to increase the links between their universities, including through increased post-graduate student and researcher exchange programmes. Both countries will collaborate on a number of significant research projects and will embark together on an ambitious programme to create the world’s first combined space weather model.
Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: “Our most productive science and higher education relationship is with the US and we are determined to strengthen it further. As globalisation gathers pace international cooperation in these areas has become even more important to boost Britain’s economic growth, and they are a key part of our overall relationship with the United States.”
The joint statement agreed today will lead to strengthened cooperation and new collaborative projects. It includes US company Johnson & Johnson and its company Janssen investing £5 million in a partnership with six leading British universities to undertake cutting edge neuroscience research.
Also included is a new positive approach to sharing satellite data and modelling will improve space weather forecasting and up to £1 million of UK funding for joint research with the US in health and wellbeing, supported by the UK Research Councils.
A meeting of the UK-US Higher Education Policy Forum will be held in Windsor this coming October. Post-graduate student and researcher exchange programmes are to be further encouraged.
