The Newton Fund is a £375m fund (£75 million each year from 2014 for five years), part of the UK’s official development assistance programme. Its aim is to develop science and innovation partnerships that promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries. The fund will cover three broad categories of activity:
- people: capacity building, student and researcher fellowships, mobility schemes and joint centres
- programmes: research collaborations on development topics
- translation: innovation partnerships and challenge funds to develop innovative solutions on development topics
It will support projects which promote the economic development and welfare of the partner country and will be focused around their priority areas. The countries that are eligible under the fund are Brazil, Chile, China, Columbia (Newton-Caldas Fund), Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan (Newton-Al Farabi Partnership Program), Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa and wider Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
The topics will vary across the countries and will be dependent on the partner countries development needs. The calls will be managed by: the Academies; British Council; Research Councils; TSB; and Met Office. Priority areas will be published at the time calls for proposals are issued. Funding will be allocated on a competitive basis. Calls are likely to be opened at different times according to the country and the programme area.
Research and Innovation Services and the International Office will work together to support academics interested in submitting proposals under the Fund.
If you would like to receive more information on the Newton Fund or have an interest in a specific country, please let me know so that we can keep you informed of developments as they occur – Niki Price, Faculty Research Manager, Research and Innovation Services [email protected] (x28574).
Further details:
Programme Description