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Policy paper

Newton Fund: building science and innovation capacity in partner countries

Updated

1. Overview

The Newton Fund is part of the UK’s official development assistance. Its aim is to develop science and innovation partnerships that promote the economic development and social welfare of partner countries.

The Newton Fund was launched in 2014 and originally consisted of £75 million each year for 5 years. In the 2015 UK Spending Review it was agreed to extend and expand the fund. The Newton Fund was extended from 2019 to 2021 and will expand to £150 million per year by 2021, resulting in a £735 million UK investment to 2021, with partner countries providing matched resources within the fund.

We expect that the UK funding will lead to extra funding from:

  • partner countries
  • private foundations
  • multi-lateral organisations
  • corporate partners

2. Activities

The fund will cover 3 broad categories of activity:

  • people: improving science and innovation expertise (known as ‘capacity building’), student and researcher fellowships, mobility schemes and joint centres
  • research: research collaborations on development topics
  • translation: innovation partnerships and challenge funds to develop innovative solutions on development topics

3. Partner countries

The countries we will work with under the fund are:

4. Bidding for research funding

Calls are likely to be opened at different times according to the country and the programme area. For regular information on research calls you can visit the delivery partner websites or follow the Newton Fund Twitter account.

5. Who will administer the fund

In the UK there is a governance board chaired by the Minister for Universities and Science. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will administer the fund.

6. Delivery partners

For further information on the Newton Fund please visit delivery partner websites:

7. Resources

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