Baku, June 7 (AZERTAC). The results of the first Azerbaijan-Belarus international grants competition held jointly with the Science Development Fund under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Foundation for Fundamental Research of the Republic of Belarus were announced on 6 June.

The competition honored seven scientific projects. Thus, Azerbaijan will receive financing at the total amount of $625,000. The projects that cover physical, mathematical and technical sciences as well as humanitarian and social scientific sectors will be implemented in the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the Institute of Radiation Issues, the National Academy of Aviation, the Azerbaijani R&D Institute of Energy and the Baku Slavic University.

Partaking in the joint research and development projects on Belarus’ behalf will be B.I Stepanov Institute of Physics, V.A. Belyi Metal Polymer Research Institute, the Institute of Energy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, A.N. Sevchenko Institute of Applied Physical Issues of the Belarusian State University and the Maxim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University.

Attending the ceremony of announcing the results of the competition was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Azerbaijan Nikolai Patskevich and the embassy personnel.

Executive Director of the Science Development Fund under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elchin Babayev told the participants of the meeting about the development of the Azerbaijan-Belarus partnership, expansion and compliance with the requirements of a new period of cooperation between the two countries in all areas including the scientific field.

A proposal was made to hold an exhibition of Belarus’ scientific achievements in Azerbaijan in association with the Science Development Fund under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a joint Azerbaijani-Belarusian scientific conference on the fund-sponsored grants projects.

Nikolai Patskevich noted consistent expansion of relations between the two countries in the political, economic and humanitarian areas. In his words, the embassy will provide all necessary assistance for the development of efficient cooperation between the scientists of Azerbaijan and Belarus.

The participants of the meeting discussed expansion of cooperation via grants competitions, its prospects and concrete spheres.

Azerbaijani scientists show an increased interest in applied devices – lidar systems for atmospheric investigation, gamma spectrometers used in the environmental research, laser devices for the cleaning of archeological and historical specimens, others.

The participants of the meeting emphasized great importance of the Azerbaijan-Belarus international grants competition in further strengthening of all-round cooperation between the two countries.

The international agreement on cooperation between the Science Development Fund under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the National Academy of Sciences and the Foundation for Fundamental Research of Belarus was signed in Minsk on 28 September 2012. The issue was included into the protocol of the seventh meeting of the Azerbaijani-Belarusian intergovernmental commission in 2012.

Under the agreement and with a view of supporting R&D projects planned for joint implementation, promotion of international scientific cooperation and creation of additional opportunities for addressing joint scientific matters, the Science Development Fund under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan announced the Azerbaijan-Belarus international grants competition.

The decision to conduct the competition was made public on 28 December 2012. During the competition the executive directorate of the Science Development Fund under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan held a consultative seminar to provide assistance to grant claimants. The joint projects presented at the competition underwent the relevant registration in the Copywriting Agency of Azerbaijan. Permanent and independent experts conducted technical and scientific expertise of the projects. The expertise was also offered to the projects presented to the Foundation for Fundamental Research of Belarus.