Funding boost for national research and innovation

National funding for research and innovation projects has seen a twofold increase over the past two years. Last year’s National Research and Innovation Fund increased by 58 per cent to €1.1 million over 2010. The sum was then increased further by the...

National funding for research and innovation projects has seen a twofold increase over the past two years.

Last year’s National Research and Innovation Fund increased by 58 per cent to €1.1 million over 2010. The sum was then increased further by the same percentage to €1.6 million for 2012.

This surge was one of Malta’s achievements in the innovation and research area for 2011, according to the Malta Council for Science and Technology’s annual report.

Another accomplishment for the island is its participation in the EU Seventh Framework programme, which continued to increase to a total of 112 projects since 2007. This places Malta fourth in Europe in terms of FP7 projects per capita.

MCST chairman Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said there was a lack of human resources in the science and technology field. There was need to raise the uptake in science subjects.

The council was determined to change the public perception of science, especially through its €25 million National Interactive Science Centre project, which will be completed in 2014.

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