On 1 November 2007, ISTC’s Executive Director and the chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the financing of ISTC Regular Projects on Belarusian territory.

Belarus to co-fund ISTC science projects 

On 1 November 2007,ISTC’s Executive Director, Norbert Jousten, and the chairman of the Presidium ofthe National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB),Mikhail Myasnikovich, signeda Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)on the financing of ISTC Regular Projects on Belarusian territory.

For the first time in ISTC’s history an organization that is not an ISTC Funding Party undertakes totake part in financing ISTC Regular Projects. Regular Projects are R&D projects traditionally funded by donor countries that are signatory to the ISTC Agreement: Canada, EU, Japan, Republic of Korea. Norway, and the US. 
The MOU allows for NASB to fund between 10 to 20% of selected Regular Projects that are to be carried out in Belarus. Any funding from NASB will not change the rights and obligations of ISTC’s national Funding Parties.

The Executive Director was in Minsk following an invitation by the National Academy of Sciences to attend the first Congress of Belarus scientists, during which the significant contribution of the ISTC to Belarus was highlighted. The Congress was attended by more than 2,000 Belarus scientists. President Lukachenko delivered a programmatic address to the Congress, underlining the objective of developing a science based economy in Belarus.

On the picture: ISTC’s Executive Director, Norbert Jousten, and the chairman of the Presidium ofthe National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB),Mikhail Myasnikovich, signing the MOU.