British Diplomat Completes Visit to Seven Israeli Academic Institutions
The UK's commitment to maintaining strong business and research collaborations with Israel, despite political disagreements, was evident in a recent tour led by British Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey. The tour, which included visits to all of Israel's seven research universities, underscored the UK's support for sustaining scientific cooperation and innovation exchange with Israel.
During the tour, Ambassador Quarrey met with President Prof. Menachem Ben Sasson at Hebrew University, as well as members of the UK Israel Science Council. He also visited a laboratory where Prof. Eli Keshet, a SIN Fellowship scheme host and BIRAX grantee, performs cardiovascular research with British partners.
The UK Government's Science & Innovation Network (SIN), the British Council in Israel, and other partners are supporting Ambassador Quarrey's aim to extend scientific cooperation and present bilateral programs to hundreds of students and academics.
Amidst this, Israel's participation in Horizon Europe, the EU's major multibillion research and innovation program, has faced partial suspension proposals from the European Commission. These specifically target Israeli entities’ access to certain funding components, such as grants from the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator. However, collaboration under other grants and consortia remains possible.
Despite these challenges, new international cooperation programs continue to operate, providing opportunities for UK involvement. For instance, a new set of Researcher Exchange Programmes on water science, agri-sciences, nanoscience, and neuroscience have been established through a partnership between SIN and the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology and Space.
Moreover, the third round of the BIRAX research initiative, a £10 million joint UK-Israeli effort to fund cutting-edge research on world's most dreadful diseases, has been launched. The Chevening Scholarships Programme, the UK government’s scholarship scheme that awards scholarships to outstanding leaders across various fields, has also seen an increase in applicants this year.
Ambassador Quarrey highlighted the potential for collaborations to protect the environment and enhance understanding of societies. He spoke about the opportunities for Israeli students and scientists to work with their British peers, emphasising that collaborations between British and Israeli scientists can have a significant impact on global health challenges such as heart disease, Parkinson's, and diabetes.
The tour concluded this week with a visit to Jerusalem's Hebrew University, where Ambassador Quarrey met with grantees of British Council funding schemes. The tour aims to foster a spirit of collaboration and mutual learning, strengthening the already robust ties between the UK and Israel in the realm of science and research.
Scholars are offered the opportunity to study for a one-year Master's degree at one of the UK's leading universities through the Chevening Scholarships Programme. The next rounds of the prestigious Frost Fellowships to Oxford and Blavatnik Fellowships to Cambridge have also been announced, providing more opportunities for promising researchers to further their education and contribute to the global scientific community.
With almost 500 Chevening Alumni in Israel, the impact of these programs is already visible. The ongoing developments in UK-Israel scientific cooperation underscore a resilient landscape, navigating broader EU political complexities while maintaining a focus on advancing knowledge and addressing global challenges.
Science and education-and-self-development opportunities are being extended to UK scholars through the Chevening Scholarships Programme, where they can study for a Master's degree at one of the UK's leading universities. Additionally, online-education platforms and collaborations are fostered between UK and Israeli scientists, as Ambassador Quarrey emphasizes the potential for learning and global health innovations in areas like heart disease, Parkinson's, and diabetes.
