The amount constitutes an 11% rise over last year. More applications will be approved this year.
The Israel Science Foundation, founded by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, will budget more than NIS 160 million in 2000 for the financing of basic scientific research. This sum is 11% higher than the amount budgeted last year.
The Israel Science Foundation is Israel's main body supporting scientific research. The foundation receives most of its financing from the planning and budgets committee of the Council for Higher Learning in Israel. The foundation's research grants are given for all scientific fields, and are distributed according to criteria of scientific levels of excellence.
The sums granted to scientists and the number of approved applications will be increased this year. Last year, 35% of applications were approved, a rate similar to those accepted by funds of this type in western countries. The average sum granted will be increased to NIS 156,500, compared with an average NIS 136,000 in 1999. The foundation said the sums are expected to be increased in the coming years.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 12 January 12, 2000