The RSE has announced the latest recipients of the Scotland Asia Partnerships Higher Education Research (SAPHIRE) Fund - including an academic from the College of Arts and Humanities.
The SAPHIRE Fund is a grant scheme funded by the Scottish Government aimed at developing new, as well as enhancing existing international research partnerships between Scottish universities, research institutes and partners in Australia, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Singapore and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Dr Michael Kho Lim, a Lecturer in Creative Industries and Cultural Policy at School of Culture & Creative Arts, has been awarded funding for a project entitled Towards a Creative Old Town District: A process evaluation study of the creative district development of Sakon Nakhon in North East Thailand.
The academic is working with parnter organisations Thammasat University, Thailand and the Creative Economy Agency, Thailand
Dr Lim said: "It's really great that RSE has created this new grant scheme that is specific to partnerships with Asian universities. This extends the opportunity especially to those who are conducting research in the global south and to our partners who have limited funding access. I hope this becomes a permanent RSE funding scheme."
Another two academics from the University of Glasgow - Dr Qammer Abbasi, James Watt School of Engineering and Dr Gang Li, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, also received SAPHIRE funding.
In this round, a total of £144,987.19 was awarded to 17 researchers, whose projects focused on environmental issues and climate change through the following key themes:
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Clean Energy and Environment (inc. animal welfare)
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Digital, Physics and Space, Advanced Manufacturing
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Health
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Sustainable Cities and Urbanisation
International Development Minister Neil Gray said: "Congratulations to the successful recipients of the latest round of Scotland Asia Partnerships Higher Education Research (SAPHIRE) funding. The SAPHIRE scheme is funded by the Scottish Government to enhance educational collaboration between some of Scotland and Asia’s most prestigious universities and projects like these will support our goals in the transition to net zero and building a healthier, wealthier, fairer Scotland.”
Professor Charles W J Withers FBA FRSE, Research Awards Convener, Royal Society of Edinburgh commented: "This is the largest cohort of researchers that has been supported through the SAPHIRE Fund: a scheme which encourages international collaboration to address crucial environmental issues. On behalf of the RSE, I offer my congratulations to these leading researchers and their international colleagues and look forward to following the outcomes of their exciting work.”
