Israel and Britain signed Today Memorandum of Understanding on Science
Cooperation
Ministry for Science, Technology and Space May 23, 2013

Foreign Secretary William Hague and Israel’s Minister for Science,
Technology and Space Yaakov Peri, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on
science cooperation between the UK and Israel.

The memorandum sets out five priority areas of science cooperation between
the UK and Israel: advanced materials and nano-technology; agri-sciences
with a focus on water; neuroscience; space research; technology; and
regenerative medicine. It celebrates the achievements of the BIRAX
Regenerative Medicine programme and confirms that the UK and Israel will
award 30 new fellowships in 2013-14.

The Ministers were joined at the ceremony at Hebrew University by the
British Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, the President of Hebrew
University, Professor Menahem Ben-Sasson, and members of the UK Israel Life
Sciences Council.

Commenting on the agreement, the Foreign Secretary said, “Both the UK and
Israel are scientific superpowers, and many of our universities and
academics are already doing tremendous work together. Today I had the
pleasure to meet some Israeli scientists working closely with British
colleagues working on cures to some of the world’s worst diseases as part of
the BIRAX project. The Memorandum of Understanding I signed today will
focus our efforts in five key areas, and increase our cooperation even
further.”

Minister for Science, Technology and Space Yaakov Peri said: "Despite the
fact that there are people in British academia who call to boycott Israel,
the British government shows that it acknowledges the importance of
scientific collaboration with Israel and is interested in expanding our
co-operation on our path to excellence".

Hebrew University President Prof. Menachem Ben Sasson added" it is symbolic
that the British Foreign Secretary continues to deepen the academic ties
between the two countries, in the way his predecessor Lord Balfour had done,
in the beginning of the 20th century". The president presented a copy of the
historic speech to the Foreign Secretary. He added: "the Hebrew University
has many research fellowships with the UK. We are proud to participate in
the signing of the memorandum between the two countries".