Increased science cooperation with China

"For a long time, we have been impressed with China's high ambitions for

research and innovation. China is at the forefront of international science and technology," says Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Minister of Education and Research.

"With this Action Plan we want to encourage more joint projects between Chinese and Norwegian researchers. We hope that it will be beneficial for both countries."

Røe Isaksen signed the action plan at the 2^nd Joint Science and Technology Meeting today with the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Wan Gang.

Some of the goals of the Action Plan are to strengthen industry-academic research collaboration, promote knowledge transfer between research organizations and industries, and improve the research capacities of both countries by making optimal use of existing resources.

Both China and Norway will promote various kinds of collaborative activities, including long-term partnerships through research cooperation, academic exchanges and joint cultivation of human resources, and multilateral cooperation, for instance within the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020.

In particular, the Action Plan encourages collaboration within these areas:

• Environment, Climate and Low-emission Societies
• Renewable Energy, Low Carbon Energy Technologies 
• Polar Research
• Marine and Maritime Research (including Fishery Science and Technology)
• Life Sciences (including Health & Care, and Agriculture, Food Safety and Food Security)
• Materials
• ICT

The Joint Committee of Chinese and Norwegian representatives may also agree on other areas of collaboration during the term of the Action Plan.

Collaboration under this Action Plan builds on the bilateral agreement on cooperation in science and technology between China and Norway, which was signed in 2008.