In the talks of the Israel-China joint committee, which took place in early November 2008 in China, the framework agreement was signed to support joint projects in the field of science for the years 2008-2010
The cooperation with China has existed since 1993 and is distinguished by the fact that the Israel-China joint scientific-technological research fund was established, in which each country deposited 2.5 million dollars, from the fruits of which the research activity is funded.
In the voice of the reader to be published at the end of December 2008, about seven joint studies in the fields of water technologies and renewable energies will be funded for a period of two years. Each state will allocate $500,000 for these studies.
This is the fifth round of joint studies with China. So far there have been four rounds: the first began in 1997-1999 in the field of advanced materials and agricultural biotechnology, a second round in 1999-2001 and a third round 2001-2003, both in the field of biomedical engineering and water resources management and a fourth round in 2005-2007 in the field of advanced materials.
The Israeli-Chinese meeting and the signing of the protocol of the talks took place as part of the visit of the Ministry of Science delegation to the first international conference in the city of Nanjing in the Jiangsu province of China for the commercial application of scientific-technological knowledge (CITTC) in November 2008.
Dr. Shlomo Sharig, in charge of the field of medical and biomedical research at the Ministry of Science, Culture and Sports, presented in the opening lecture of the conference the field of science and technology in Israel, focusing on the direction and government funding of the priority areas of civil research. Among other things, he noted Israel's high position in scientific achievements in fields such as mathematics, computer science, chemistry and life sciences.
In the lecture, the scope of the binational and international cooperation between researchers and research institutions from Israel was emphasized, under the umbrella of the agreements of the Ministry of Science with the corresponding ministries in countries such as: Germany, France, South Korea, China, Japan, India, Russia, Ukraine and more.
About 1,000 people participated in the conference, including 300 guests from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Denmark, Russia, Israel, Italy and more.
As mentioned, at the end of the conference, the talks of the Israel-China Joint Committee took place, which had not been held since 2002, and the protocol of the talks was signed, which forms the basis of the work plan for the next two years.
The delegation of the Ministry of Science visited the Beijing Agricultural University and the prestigious Jinghua University, where a common problem between Israel and China was discussed - "brain drain" and the efforts to return scientists to their homeland. It turns out that the Chinese are investing a lot of money in bringing talented Chinese scientists back to China while emphasizing the provision of appropriate research conditions (equipment, laboratories, etc.).
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PR chatter. The money will go to committees that will be set up to decide what the research is about
A million dollars! Amazing!
What will we do with a million dollars? You can buy some copies of Rafi Perski's old CD with a song with a similar name. Countries like Israel and China, which are world leaders in the field of technology and science, should be ashamed of such poor cooperation. And just to put things in proportion, here is a quote from the body of the article:
"About 1,000 people participated in the conference, including 300 guests from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Denmark, Russia, Israel, Italy and more"
300 people who came from abroad spent at least a thousand dollars on the visit (probably much more, but let's say 1000 for now). Another 700 people from Israel + the organization of the conference and surrounding expenses, let's say that adds up to another 200 thousand dollars. Modest. Here we blew half a million in one day. We blew up what an entire country, Israel and/or China is willing to give for research. For such an amount, it can be thought that this is literary or even biblical research - certainly not something that is at the forefront of science like advanced materials.
And if all this is not enough, it should be noted that this is a support fund for the years 2008-2010. Half a million dollars from each country divided by three years. The countries of Israel and China give 170 thousand dollars a year for research each...
Then we are surprised that the research in Israel looks the way it does and that the children dropped from 19th place in the world in mathematics to 24th place. How much does the State of Israel spend on the office of the outgoing president, let's say? Is a serial harasser (and some would say a rapist) worth more to the State of Israel than the forefront of scientific research and cooperation with the world's third space power?
A strange world... a very strange world. I'm glad I'm not a scientist.
Oh… wait! sailing!!!
Greetings friends,
Ami Bachar