Within the first open call for the Serbian Science and Diaspora Collaboration Program: Vouchers for Knowledge Exchange, the Science Fund will finance 92 projects in the total amount of 797.591,70 EUR. Duration of the projects is one year and the maximum amount per project is up to 10.000,00 EUR.
This is the first of the three planned Programs within the Collaboration with Diaspora Initiative and represents financial incentive for Scientific and Research Organization to develop collaboration with diaspora and to enhance their capacities though short-term study visits of Serbian researchers, collaboration with their diaspora peers and support for joint activities.
The Serbian Science and Diaspora Collaboration Program aims to establish scientific cooperation, knowledge exchange, joint work on projects, scientific papers, researches and patents, planning and widening of the collaborative network between researchers from Serbia and their counterparts from diaspora.
Within the Serbian Science and Diaspora Collaboration Program, projects in collaboration with Scientific and Research Organizations from 22 countries will be realized. They will be implemented trough partnership with diaspora researchers and their respective Scientific and Research Organizations. Researchers from Serbia will have an opportunity to carry out part of their research in Europe: Germany (13 projects), Great Britain (11 projects), Austria (7 projects), Sweden (5 projects), Netherlands (4 projects), France (4 projects), Spain (3 projects), Portugal (3 projects), Switzerland (2projects), Italy (2 projects), Belgium (2 projects), Russia (1 project), Finland (1 project), Denmark (1project), Norway (1 project); USA (22 projects), Canada (1 project), Brazil (1 project); Asia: China (2 projects), Singapore (1 project), Kuwait (1 project); Australia (4 project).
The open call lasted from November 29th 2019 until January 31st 2020 with 126 project proposals submitted. The Program Board evaluated project proposals, based on the date of their application and formed lists that were forwarded to the Scientific and Advisory Boards for their approval.
Out of 92 projects approved for funding, 31 projects are from natural science, 27 from technology and engineering sciences, 22 from medical science, 5 from biotechnical science and 7 from social science and humanities.
Of 92 approved projects, 62 came from Faculties and 30 from Institutes, while 70 Scientific and Research Organizations are form Belgrade, 13 from Novi Sad, 4 from Niš, 3 from Kragujevac, and 1 from Valjevo and 1 from Subotica.
Primary investigators on projects are: 57 female and 35 male scientists.
In line with current situation caused by global COVID-19 pandemic, primary investigators of the project will check all necessary condition and protocols with their partners from diaspora, regarding travel and visiting requirements in their respective countries, and thus plan the start and realization of their projects.
The final list of the project approved for funding within the Serbian Science and Diaspora Collaboration Program can be found on the following LINK.
In the name of the Science Fund, we congratulate to all the teams whose projects have been approved for funding and we thank everybody for their interest and effort!