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Switzerland and India are to issue a call for more joint research projects.

The two countries first signed a bilateral framework agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in 2003. This has already led to 55 joint research projects ¨C in disciplines including nanotechnology, health and medical sciences, urban development and sustainable energy ¨C involving researchers and students from about 20 Swiss and 70 Indian higher education institutions. Recent years have also seen a notable increase in the number of Indian students at Swiss universities, from fewer than 300 in 2005 to more than 900 in 2016.

The fourth Switzerland-India Joint Committee Meeting, held in New Delhi at the end of October, was designed to assess progress to date and to set the agenda for future collaboration. It led to an agreement between the Indian Department for Biotechnology and the Swiss National Science Foundation to launch a joint call for projects at the beginning of 2018.

It was also decided to continue the highly successful Academia Industry Training Programme, which has already helped 24 Swiss researchers to commercialise the results of their work in India.

matthew.reisz@timeshighereducation.com