Covering the business of education and training

$9.9 million has been set aside for Indian and British researchers to collaborate on research.

Over 70 institutions in the two countries will share the pot...meaning, no one is likely to get enough to make a big difference to anyone.

Why not give a majority to a few places instead of a little to everybody? But, then, what do I know?

The areas of research the funds are to go to:

1. environmentally friendly airplanes

2. climate change - what a waste!

3. human genetic makeup

Successful collaborators for major awards are:

- University of Cambridge and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, on genomics.

- University of Nottingham and the Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow, on the animal stress-response network.

- University of Leicester and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on reliable smart adaptable air vehicles.

- Imperial College, London University, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on smart materials for environment-friendly aero-engines.

- Walker Institute, University of Reading, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, on regional climate change.

- City University and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, on application specific micro-structured optical fibres.

All things considered, with the exception of the wasted award for climate change, when Indian and British minds get together, we can surely expect excellent results from research.

What do you think?