King's College London and FAPESP sign agreement to strengthen scientific cooperation

King's College London has signed a unique agreement with the Funda--o de Amparo - Pesquisa do Estado de S-o Paulo (FAPESP), the State of S-o Paulo Research Foundation, Brazil. With this agreement King's has become FAPESP's first and only university partner in the UK.

The two institutions have agreed to encourage and support more scientific cooperation between King's and researchers working at institutions in the State of S-o Paulo. The cooperation agreement spans all areas of knowledge, covering Biological Sciences, Health Sciences, Exact Sciences and Earth Sciences, Engineering, Agrarian Sciences, Applied Social Sciences, Human Sciences, Linguistics and Literature & Arts.

It aims to encourage the development of joint research projects, which may include the exchange of researchers and post-graduate students. The two institutions will jointly select projects from proposals submitted by researchers from either King's or researchers in the State of S-o Paulo.

Keith Hoggart, Vice Principal (Arts & Sciences) and External Affairs, comments: 'I am delighted that FAPESP has chosen King's as a partner for international research projects. Brazil is a country of great importance to King's and we are excited to be the first university to sign such an agreement with FAPESP. I am sure today marks the beginning of a great collaboration that will foster strong research relationships and will lead to high-quality research output across all areas of knowledge.'

In its 47 years of operation, FAPESP has awarded more than 45 thousand scholarships and 35 thousand financial awards to research. In 2008 FAPESP invested - 74 million in fellowships and - 136 millions in research awards. The foundation supports research in all fields of knowledge and has also special programs in Bioenergy, Climate Change, Biodiversity, Neurosciences and Advanced Internet. The balance of these years of continuous investment clearly shows that the Foundation has made a decisive contribution to the expansion and strengthening of scientific and technological research in the State of S-o Paulo, with considerable impact on the economic, social and cultural development of the State and of Brazil.

Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, Scientific Director, FAPESP said: 'International collaboration is essential for the development of science in S-o Paulo, Brazil. In partnering with King's College London FAPESP opens a broad set of opportunities for scientific collaboration and, as has been the tradition for FAPESP, we expect proposals in all fields of science.'

The agreement adds to King's many links with research institutions and universities in S-o Paulo, such as the University of S-o Paulo, which is one of King's key international strategic partners. The College has recently launched the King's Brazil Institute, which is intended to promote research and teaching on Brazil, as well as being home to a Centre for the Study of Brazilian Culture and Society. The Department of Portuguese and Brazilian Studies at King's is the only independent Portuguese department left in the UK. The Department is acknowledged as a 'world leader' in the fields of Portuguese, Brazilian and Lusophone-African studies. King's research links with Brazil are further distinguished by the naming of two new research centres after King's academics; namely, the Centro de Apoio - Pesquisa 'Robin Murray' at the Universidade de S-o Paulo and the John Ernsting Aerospace Physiology Laboratory at the Pontif-cia Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Porte Alegre.

Notes to editors