9 February 2024

In 2023, Global Wales agreed a new partnership with the Research Foundation - Flanders, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (FWO) to promote the participation of Welsh research groups in in the FWO 2023 call for Scientific Research Networks (SRN). Under the agreement, each SRN submitted involving Welsh research groups could request a top-up from Global Wales of up to £4,000 a year for three years.

Aberystwyth University’s European Duckweed Network, and Swansea University’s Heritage Practice Communities in a Digitized World project both submitted successful applications to the FWO and have been awarded top-up funding from Global Wales.

The universities will be working closely with many European partners, including 10 Flemish institutions and universities and institutions in Ireland, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden.

Dr. Dylan Gwynn Jones from Aberystwyth University said:

“We are delighted at Aberystwyth to be a part of this excellent collaboration with colleagues from Flanders and Ireland, looking at the role of duckweed in cleaning the environment and as valuable future source of green protein"

Dr Hilary Orange, Lecturer in Heritage and Co-Director of CHART (Centre for Heritage Research and Training) at Swansea University told us:

“We are delighted that the work of CHART has been recognised through this important award that will enable us to understand community forms of heritage-making from transnational perspectives. We are proud to bring to the project expertise in industrial heritage and an understanding of heritage design through digital technologies. We are looking forward to working with the University of Antwerp and the other international network partners to contribute to social and cultural benefit in each region.”

Gwen Williams, Head of the Global Wales programme, said:

“International collaboration is a driving force for excellence, and I’m proud that Global Wales is able to support Welsh universities in collaborating with their European partners.

“Flanders and Wales have developed strong partnerships and undertaken significant research and innovation activities together, and this activity further supports these longstanding connections.

“We hope that these networks will enable Welsh institutions to make connections to leverage further funding from European funding programmes.”

FWO Secretary-General, Dr. Hans Willems told us:

“Within the FWO we are constantly seeking for ways to boost international collaboration opportunities for our researchers in Flanders. Therefore, we are pleased to see that through our existing channel for Scientific research Networks, we managed to stimulate increased partnerships between Flanders and Wales in fundamental basic research."