By Olga Bogomazova
At the same time, a representative office of the Polish Academy of Sciences is planned for Minsk, notes Karol Modzelewski, the Vice President of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He explains, “We’ve come to the conclusion that we need to set up structures to strongly support co-operation and ties between our countries.” Opportunities are currently being studied to open branches of both academies.
Analysing the development of sci-tech ties between our two countries, Mr. Modzelewski adds that some future joint research projects are to tackle agriculture, which he believes is an area requiring more intensive development. The Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Mikhail Myasnikovich, notes that Belarusian and Polish scientists are currently working on 48 joint projects, primarily tackling control algorithms for huge integrated microcircuits and the viability of growing castor plants for bio-fuel production in temperate climate zones. Some deal with the study of polymeric nano-composites while light-sensitive structures are also high on the agenda. Research into natural and manmade influences on the environment and climate in Poland and Belarus is another important sphere of co-operation.
Mr. Myasnikovich stresses that joint IT projects are particularly important, adding, “Via a major joint project with our Polish partners, we’ve recently joined European educational and scientific networks free of charge.”
An international centre has been founded to research the development and application of technological equipment, instruments and tools in industry (at the Centre Scientific and Production Association); this promising project is a joint effort by the Belarusian NAS, alongside Polish, Ukrainian and Russian colleagues.
