Warsaw and Cambridge universities to form ‘Centre of Excellence’

University of Warsaw: photo wikipedia

The Centre, part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 plan, where leading research institutions can partner to create joint centres and will each receive 15-20 million euros over several years.

Professor Marcin Pałys, rector of the University of Warsaw, has said that “the Centre of Excellency, which will arise from the co-operation, will focus on research of the highest levels. It will be a place where conditions will be favourable to the development of innovative ideas.”

“We also want to create a unit which will train students and young researchers in the areas of enterprise and help them to set up firms, which will be using the best ideas and technology.” he added.

“Cambridge is a small town. However currently some 600 new firms are forming around Cambridge, and 18% of all new technological firms in the UK,” says Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor at Cambridge University.

Although the co-operation will officially end in 2020 as stated in the Horizon programme, both universities expressed hopes that they could continue it afterwards.

The two universities already co-operate in fields such as biotechnology and genetics, holding an annual bilateral ‘Young Scientists Meeting.’

The first phase of selecting the proposals to get financing will be over by March, with final decisions due to be made in 2016. (sl)

source: PAP