The ties that bind guarantee future support for international scientific collaborations funded by the Human Frontier Science Program.
A new agreement on a three year budgetary framework will extend the avenues for interactions within the global scientific community.
At an Intergovernmental Conference hosted by the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium on June 11th, representatives from the governments that support the Human Frontier Science Program came together to confirm a financial framework for the continuation of the Program from 2014-2016. The meeting resulted in a joint communiqué, signed by all participating countries, setting out the financial contributions.
HFSPO President, Hirokawa Nobutaka of the University of Tokyo, underlined that he "is extremely grateful to participating countries for continuing their unwavering support for this global effort which brings together young scientists across continents."
In an encouragingly positive atmosphere, the delegates lent their enthusiastic support to the continuation of HFSP, recognizing its success in promoting exceptional research of the highest international standards and in facilitating the careers of many talented young scientists. HFSP was recognized as occupying a special niche at the frontier of the life sciences by its emphasis on quantitative approaches to the emergence of higher order functions in biological systems. The delegates committed to ensure the future success of HFSP by maintaining the competitiveness of its support for outstanding scientists.
A three year budgetary plan was agreed for the period 2014-2016. Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, Secretary General of the HFSPO, comments "that this financial agreement will maintain the Program's viability and will open the door for new member countries interested in enabling their researchers to participate in such a unique and competitive Program."
The Communiqué issued by the European Commission as the Chair of the Intergovernmental Conference is available on the HFSP web site at http://bit.ly/14STF8Y
The Human Frontier Science Program is an international program of research support implemented by the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO) based in Strasbourg, France. Its aims are to promote intercontinental collaboration and training in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research focused on the life sciences. HFSPO receives financial support from the governments or research councils of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, UK, USA, as well as from the European Union.