Board 31, 18 November 2010
Joint Statement from the 31th Meeting of the STCU Governing Board
The Thirty First (31st) Meeting of the Governing Board of the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) convened on 18 November 2010 in Kyiv, Ukraine, on the campus of the National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute". Officials from the STCU Governing Parties of Canada, the European Union, Ukraine, and the United States of America participated in this meeting. Also present were government officials and other representatives from the Embassy of Canada in Ukraine, the Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine, the Embassy of the United States of America in Ukraine, and the Georgian Rustaveli NSF.
This 31st Governing Board Meeting takes place on the occasion of celebrating 15 years of STCU operations. The very first meeting of the STCU Governing Board took place on 14-15 December 1995 in Kyiv, Ukraine. At that first Governing Board meeting, representatives from Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, ant the United States approved the STCU operating procedures, statutory documents, and approximately $1.7 million USD in cooperative research projects involving formers weapon scientists in Ukraine. Yesterday, the Governing Board was pleased to participate in 15th Anniversary festivities on the campus of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, where senior officials from all the STCU Parties, as well as institute directors, leading scientists, and former members of the STCU Secretariat gathered to celebrate the achievements of STCU over its 15 years of operations.
At this 31st meeting, the Governing Board approved eight (8) new regular, government funded scientific projects for a total of $384,102 and ˆ316,228. The Governing Board also confirmed eight (8) new Partner Projects valued at $1,981,635, and confirmed seven (7) Partner Project contract extensions valued at $657,155 and ˆ12,426.
The Governing Board also approved six (6) STCU-Azeri Targeted Initiative projects, totaling $299,361, with $299,361 in matching funds from the Azeri National Academy of Sciences, and six (6) STCU-Moldovan Targeted Initiative projects, totaling $149,569, with $149,569 in matching funds from the Moldovan Academy of Sciences.
The Governing Board also approved the 2011 Administrative Operating Budget and Supplement Budget requests from the STCU Secretariat. The Governing Board also noted the inception of a new ˆ4 million Ukrainian biosecurity improvement project, to be implemented through STCU and financed by the European Commission's EuropeAid Cooperation Office.
The Governing Board also approved the re-appointment of the Deputy Executive Director (Canada), Dr. Landis Henry; the Principal Deputy Executive Director (Ukraine), Mr. Igor Lytvynov; and the Deputy Executive Director (USA), Mr. Victor Korsun. The Governing Board also confirmed the extension of the Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Anthony Nichol, and the Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Curtis M. Bjelajac.
About STCU: The STCU is an intergovernmental, non-profit organization created with the goal of aiding unemployed or underemployed scientists previously working on the development of weapons of mass destruction. It was created and is governed by the 'Agreement to Establish a Science and Technology Center in Ukraine', originally signed by the governments of Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United States of America. Subsequently, Sweden was replaced by the European Union as a Governing Party; Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Uzbekistan have also acceded to the STCU Agreement. The STCU finances projects that redirect the know-how of the scientists, who were formerly involved in military programs, into peaceful sustainable civilian applications. Other than government funded projects, the STCU also works in a number of other spheres of activity: Matchmaking; Promotional Missions; Seminars and Workshops; Partnership Projects; Travel Grants; and Patent Support.
The STCU Governing Board meets on a semi-annual basis to determine the Center's policies and funding for scientific projects and supporting activities. The STCU Secretariat, located in Kyiv, Ukraine, is the main body responsible for fulfilling STCU decisions and policies on a daily basis.
The total STCU project funding to date, including funding from this 24th STCU Governing Board Meeting, now stands at approximately $209.2 million, with the donors contributing the following amounts: Canada - $9.9 M, U.S.A.- $75.8 M, European Union - ˆ35.2 M ($42.8 M), Non-Government Partners Sector - $30.3 M, Government Partners Sector - $47.7 M and Other (Japan, Sweden) - $2.7 M.
Funding Table