GRC Asia Pacific Regional Meeting
The 2024 Global Research Council (GRC) Asia Pacific Regional Meeting, hosted by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka (NSF Sri Lanka), took placed in Beijing, China from 29th October to 1st November, 2024.
This meeting is one of five parallel regional meetings that will contribute insights and input to the 13th Annual GRC Meeting in 2025. The GRC is a virtual organization that promotes collaboration and the sharing of data and best practices among funding agencies worldwide.
The main topics for discussion of this meeting include:
- Research Management in the Era of AI
- Working Together in Co-Creation to Address Global Challenges
- GRC Roadmap and Vision
- Discussion on Gender and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
- Responsible Research Assessment
- Multilateral Engagement
About Global Research Council
The Global Research Council (GRC) is a virtual organisation, comprised of the heads of science and engineering funding agencies from around the world, dedicated to promote the sharing of data and best practices for high-quality collaboration among funding agencies worldwide.
The worldwide growth of public support for research has presented an opportunity for countries large and small to work in concert across national borders. Cooperation and collaboration can enhance the quality of science, avoid unnecessary duplication, provide economies of scale, and address issues that can only be solved by working together. Research funding agencies have a responsibility to meet these objectives on behalf of the research communities. Read more
National Natural Science Foundation of China
The NSFC was established on February 14, 1986, with the approval of the State Council of China. Since 2018, NSFC has been affiliated with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) but still keeps its due independence in the operation of the National Natural Science Fund, responsible for designing funding plans and programs, conducting reviews, making funding decisions, and supervising the implementation of its grants.
With its main mission of supporting basic research, NSFC has developed a merit-review system to select the best proposals and formed a well-operated system to inspire innovations. The funding programs of NSFC can be grouped into four categories: exploration, talent, infrastructure, and convergence. As the main funding source for basic research in China, NSFC has contributed to the improvement of China's innovation capability by focusing on the fundamental research, frontiers of science, and talent fostering, while equally emphasizing talented teams and interdisciplinary research. In 2024, NSFC received 384,564 applications and invested 36.31 billion yuan in basic research grants. More details : https://www.nsfc.gov.cn/english/site_1/index.html
National Science Foundation Sri Lanka
The NSF functions under the purview of the Ministry of Education. Its dedicated service to the nation extends over 54 years. The organization was initially established as the National Science Council (NSC) in 1968 (Act No. 09 of 1968). NSC was restructured as the Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority (NARESA) in 1982 (Act No. 78 of 1981). After 16 years of service, NARESA was reorganized as the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1998 by the Act No. 11 of 1994. More details : https://www.nsf.gov.lk/index.php/about-nsf/nsf-at-a-glance