| International Programme / Events |
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| FORTHCOMING EVENTS |
| To view the General RSE Events Programme, please click here. |
| 26 September 2008 - The Past, Present, and Future of the Impact Factor and Other Tools of Scientometrics |
| Organised by The Polish Academy of Sciences |
| The Conference will take place in Warsaw on the premises of the Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences (4, Trojdena str.) on 26 September 2008. |
| Click here for further information. |
| 14-15 October 2008 |
| The Royal Society of Edinburgh is pleased to be able to support a forthcoming Norway-Scotland Symposia on Internal Waves (14-15 October 2008), hosted under the auspices of the agreement between The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and The Royal Society of Edinburgh. Full details of the symposia are available here |
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| RECENT EVENTS |
| European Lecture - The European Union: Does it have a Future?. 8 May 2008 |
Sir John D K Grant, KCMG Former UK Permanent Representative (Ambassador) to the EU
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The EU was conceived in a different era: the key challenges of the 21st century - globalisation, climate change, terrorism and WMD, poverty in Africa - were far from the minds of its Founding Fathers. Its institutions are widely seen as complex and arcane. Public opinion is indifferent or hostile. And when the EU tries to re-invent itself, the outcome seems to be political controversy, not a coherent and purposive continent. So is the EU past its best, and will it be relevant in the world of tomorrow?
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| Click here to read summary of lecture |
| Click here to read transcript of lecture |
RSE/NSFC WORKSHOP - Management Science, Engineering and Public Policy. 17-18 March 2008
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Scotland and China may be thousands of miles apart, but the RSE/NSFC Joint Workshop on March 17 and 18 very clearly showed how close we are, in terms of both science and business.
Organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the two-day workshop on management science at the RSE in Edinburgh brought together 22 speakers from both countries, discussing everything from wildlife, agriculture and technology to risk, innovation and trust. |
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| This event took place as part of the China Now in Scotland series. Click here for further information. |
| Click here to read reports from the meeting (summary, speakers' presentations and welcome from Ms Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.) |
| The Advancement of Science and the Dilemma of Dual Use: Why We Can't Afford to Fail. 9-10 November 2007, Warsaw |
| Organised by The Polish Academy of Sciences |
| Click here for programme information |
| Memorandum of Understanding with the National Natural Science Foundation of China - 1 July 2007 |
| The RSE is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC). |
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| The agreement was signed by the NNSFC Vice President Professor Zuoyan Zhu and the RSE International Convener, Professor Sir Neil MacCormick FRSE on Sunday 1st July 2007 in the RSE and was witnessed by the Programme Officer of the Bureau of International Cooperation, NNSFC, Ms Yingjie Fan and the RSE Chief Executive Dr William Duncan. |
| The agreement sets out the commitment to facilitate, encourage and support research collaboration in all areas between research groups in Scotland and China. Under this agreement the two academies also agree to fund academic exchanges between the two countries through the RSE – NNSFC Joint Project Scheme |
European Lecture - Thursday 28 June 2007. |
| Commissioner Jan Figel, member of the European Commission responsible for Education, Training, Culture and Youth |
Reforming Europe's Universities: why and how? |
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The Royal Society of Edinburgh holds a prestigious annual European Lecture and is delighted that Commissioner Figel has agreed to give this year’s lecture and speak on the subject of Reforming Europe's Universities: why and how?. |
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| Listen to Commissioner Figel's lecture (MP3) |
European Lecture - 25 October 2006
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| Professor Jüri Engelbrecht, President of ALLEA (All European Academies) |
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Professor Engelbrecht offered a wide-ranging treatment of European research and development issues, including funding, education, research structures and public awareness of science and technology. He discussed ways of maintaining quality of research and encouraging innovation, while ensuring cohesion amongst member states and balancing national and international interests. ALLEA's President talked about the importance of the launch of the European Research Area in supporting basic research, and gave examples of individual member states’ research and development strategies, including those of Estonia, his home country |
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| EU Lecture - Solidarity in the Enlarged European Union - 26 June 2006 |
Mr Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Vice-President, European Parliament
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Solidarity constitutes one of the principal values of European integration. It has two equally important dimensions - internal, concerned with solidarity within the EU itself; assisting the poorer member states; helping in times of national emergency - and external, which is less clear-cut, but which should encompass demonstrating solidarity in relations with its neighbours, through an external policy aimed at supporting transitional efforts, assisting in state building measures and giving concrete aid to civil society. Only then can the Union realise its ambitions and transform itself into a normative soft power. |
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| Languages in Scotland: what's the problem? 24 March 2006 |
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This one-day event explored the current situation with regard to language teaching and learning in Scotland. Speakers included policy makers and influencers, working linguists in the business community, academics, and teachers.
The meeting offered an exceptional platform to discuss current developments and to chart future directions. Specific themes included:
Current practice, including best practice and challenges encountered; Personal examples of careers enhanced by language skills; Consideration of recommSendations on the best way forward. |
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| Click here to view conference report |
| Useful Links |
| Europa Languages Portal |
| Eurydice - The Information Network on Education in Europe |
| Gaelic Online - Free download of Gaelic spellchecker |
| British Council Publications - English Next, by David Graddol |
| 14 February 2006: RSE China Reception |
| The RSE hosted and organised a reception to raise awareness of the International Exchange Programme and specifically the Bilateral Programme with the Chinese Academy of Sciences amongst the postdoctoral research community of Scotland interested in working with their counterparts in China. Amongst those who attended were delegates to a British Council-funded International Networking for Young Scientists meeting on Molecular Mechanisms underlying Plant Biology. |
| Nanomedicines of the Future - Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. 18 November 2005 |
| The meeting represented a singular opportunity that enabled leading experts, researchers and commentators from Scotland and the Czech Republic to come together to; discuss and learn about recent advances in this rapidly changing area; establish international ties; and explore avenues for future exchange and collaboration. Both The Royal Society of Edinburgh and The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic see the meeting as a welcome occasion for the development of long-term ties and an important vehicle for generating collaborative initiatives. |
| Distinguished speakers from Scotland and the Czech Republic addressed strategically important topics and explored emerging areas of mutual scientific and technical interest. The meeting offered an exceptional platform to discuss current developments and to chart future directions. Specific themes covered included advances in self-assembly and nanomedicine fabrication, nanomedicines and the cell and nanomedicines for cancer. |
| Click here to read report |
| National Science Council of Taiwan (NSC) : Hi-tech Forum |
Comprising a Life Sciences meeting on 10 October 2005 (held at the University of Edinburgh) and on 12 October a Micronanotechnology workshop at the RSE. |
| Micronanotechnology Report |
| Life Sciences Report |
| Links with National Academies |
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is pleased to announce that it has recently signed an agreement with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which marks the beginning of increased collaboration between the two national academies and the research communities in their respective countries.
By happy co-incidence, the agreement signing coincided with Dolly the Sheep's first international trip from Scotland. She is appearing at the opening of the new science museum in Budapest arranged by the British Council. Dolly's presence highlights the innovative research taking place in Scotland and the mutual research interests of both Scotland and Hungary.
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| In 2005 we have also signed agreements with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, the Cuban Academy of Sciences and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. |
| European Commissioner for Science and Research, Dr Janez Potočnik. 31 May 2005 |
| Visiting The Royal Society of Edinburgh, European Commissioner for Science and Research, Dr Janez Potočnik called for adequate EU Knowledge for Growth Budget. Read more |
| Current Research in Mathematical Biology - Joint Conference with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 25 November 2004 |
Over the past twenty-five years Mathematical Biology has become an increasingly important research area. It is a wide reaching subject which has seen success in many practical and applicable problems, from helping to determine government policy on conservation and infectious disease control issues to investigating the mechanisms by which tumours grow or wounds heal. This one-day conference brought together experts in several different areas of mathematical biology to present talks and to hold open discussions on what has been achieved to date and what we would like to achieve in the future. |
| Marie Curie Information and Proposal Writing Day: Friday 26th November 2004 |
| The day focused on the new Human Resources and Mobility Work Programme, providing an outline of the key changes as well as lessons learned from the first round of deadlines. The event was divided into 2 separate sessions (morning and afternoon). Each session provided a brief outline of the Marie Curie Actions, the benefits of the fellowships, guidance on preparing proposals and feedback from the first calls. |
Organised by The Royal Society of Edinburgh , in partnership with the UKRO, the UK National Contact Point for Marie Curie Actions.
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| How Brain Science could transform our lives in the 21st Century - 30 September 2004 - Report now available - click here |
The Scottish Executive is organising a ‘season’ of promotional activity taking place in various towns and cities across the Netherlands from September through to November 2004 which is aimed at promoting Scotland as an excellent place to live, work, study, visit and with which to do business. As part of this season, the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) was invited by the Scottish Executive to organise a scientific event as a key part of the Scotland in the Netherlands programme.
Working in partnership with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW), this joint event on Brain Sciences (neurosciences), sought to raise awareness of the importance and relevance of neurosciences to all of our daily lives. Scotland and the Netherlands are world leaders in this field and we hope that our part in Scotland in the Netherlands helped extend existing relations between the two nations' strong research groups and establish new collaboration. As part of our programme, the eminent Neuroscientist, Professor Richard Morris, FRS, FRSE of the University of Edinburgh, will give a free public lecture highlighting the current impact of neurosciences on twenty first century society as well as offering a glimpse into what the future may hold. The following day, KNAW and the RSE arranged a high-level bilateral scientific meeting (by invitation only). This meeting of minds enabled leading exponents of brain sciences to exchange information and views on their latest findings and to explore the potential benefits of increased collaboration. Click here to view Richard Morris' powerpoint presentation. Click here to read full report (PDF File 244KB) |
| Crossroads for Ideas: Biosciences Workshop, 16 - 18 June 2004 |
| Crossroads for Ideas was a series of workshops organised on different themes, held in the UK to welcome the eight new member states of the EU from central and eastern Europe. The Royal Society of Edinburgh along with the Scottish Executive and the British Council Scotland, organised the science part of the project which was a bioscience workshop held at a country house hotel near Perth from 16 - 18 June. |
| Eight young scientists from the Eastern European Accession States met with 8 young scientists from the UK as well as senior scientists from Scottish institutions. |
| They made professional visits to the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow and the MRC Human Genetics Unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. An accompanying social programme introduced the participants to other parts of Scottish life in addition to the science. |
The workshop enabled an increased mutual understanding of biosciences in the respective countries and will give rise to an increased likelihood of future research partnerships.
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| PUBLISHED REPORTS |
| Scotland in the Netherlands - Brain Science - September 2004 |
Stem Cell Research : Opportunities and Challenges - October 2003 |
| 6th Framework Programme - December 2002 |
| Scotland in Sweden - October 2002 |
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