This is the twentieth issue of our RESEARCH MANAGEMENT BRIEFING

1. NETWORK FOR BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH LAUNCHED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
2. UK LOSING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO OTHER COUNTRIES
3. NIGERIA TO LAUNCH HOME-BUILT SATELLITE BY 2025
4. INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE OPENS AFRICA OFFICE
5. AUCKLAND'S RESEARCHERS AWARDED NZD8.6M IN MARSDEN FUNDING
6. LIVERPOOL LEADS NEW EUROPEAN TISSUE ENGINEERING PROJECT
7. MACFARLANE LAYS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA'S SCIENCE INDUSTRY
8. DEVELOPED NATIONS CAN MITIGATE EFFECTS OF BRAINDRAIN
9. CALLS FOR INTEGRATION OF ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURE RESEARCH
10. FINNISH ACADEMY SEEKS GREATER R&D COOPERATION WITH INDIA
11. GOVERNMENT AGREES TO REVIEW OF PHARMACEUTICAL REGULATION IN THE UK
12. BLAIR ANNOUNCES RESEARCH EXCHANGE SCHEME WITH INDIA
13. INDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN GALILEO
14. CHAIR APPOINTED TO SCOTLAND'S NEW HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING BODY
15. RESEARCHERS CALL FOR END TO PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY'S 'CYNICAL USE' OF DRUG STUDIES

1. NETWORK FOR BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH LAUNCHED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Efforts to increase capacity for biological research in Southern Africa were given a boost this month with the creation of the Southern African Network for Biosciences, reports SciDev.net.

The new network is part of the African Biosciences Initiative, and brings together researchers and institutions from 12 countries across the region and encourage to pool knowledge and resources.

SANbio, which aims to build regional networks of 'centres of research excellence', will be based in South Africa. It will focus on research relating to agriculture, human and animal health, the environment and industry.

2. UK LOSING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO OTHER COUNTRIES

International students are increasingly choosing to study within Australia, Japan and New Zealand, the FT reports.

An annual audit published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has shown that, although the UK continues to attract foreign students because of the English language teaching and perceived quality of education, its position is weakening.

The UK suffered the fastest decline in attracting foreign students among OECD members during 1998 to 2003. Its share of foreign students falling from 16.2 per cent to 13.5 per cent.

3. NIGERIA TO LAUNCH HOME-BUILT SATELLITE BY 2025

Nigeria intends to launch its first indigenously built satellite by 2025, reports the Daily Champion. The announcement was made by Robert Borofice, Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency at a News Agency of Nigeria forum in Abuja.

Borofice said that the agency had prepared a 20-year development programme that would facilitate the process of designing, building and launching of an indigenous satellite "within the next 18 years".

Borofice added that Nigeria now has a pool of scientific talent, and that "in terms of the design of software and hardware, we have trained engineers who have the basic ideas in designing, fabricating, integrating and launching of satellite".

4. INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE OPENS AFRICA OFFICE

The International Council for Science has opened an office in South Africa, reports SciDev.Net. The new office, located at the National Research Foundation in Tshwane, has a USD1 million budget for the current financial year and one of its first activities will be to set up a network of climate change researchers from across the continent based on the UN's Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.

Sospeter Muhongo, director of ICSU-Africa, has outlined health, the environment, sustainable energy and global climate change as his main priorities. Following the launch, Muhongo said Africa should focus on renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy, and using small hydroelectric stations on rivers to supply towns or villages with cheap, clean energy.

According to Robert Kriger, ICSU-Africa's programme director, "there are 1,500 known scientists on the continent engaged in a range of global change and environmental change work".

Mosibudi Mangena, South Africa's science minister, said the opening of the office filled him "with hope and excitement", but he warned that Africa's science community suffers from brain-drain, poor funding and weak links with the private sector.

5. AUCKLAND'S RESEARCHERS AWARDED NZD8.6M IN MARSDEN FUNDING

A total of 17 University of Auckland research projects have been awarded funding from the prestigious Marsden Fund. Administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Marsden Fund has awarded a total NZD39.4 million to 79 new 'blue-sky' projects which pushes the boundaries of existing knowledge.

The University of Auckland received a combined total of $8.6m for the projects over the next two to three years.

6. LIVERPOOL LEADS NEW EUROPEAN TISSUE ENGINEERING PROJECT

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have won a leading role in a major European clinical engineering project, which is one of the largest research contracts in Europe and a major part of the EU's Framework 6 programme.

The GBP17 million project is led by the University of Liverpool and Italian pharmaceutical company Fidia. It will accelerate the development of tissue engineering, bringing together the expertise of 23 academic and industrial partners across Europe.

7. MACFARLANE LAYS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA'S SCIENCE INDUSTRY

Australian Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane has launched a blueprint for the science industry for the next 10 years.

 'Measure by Measure' identifies the expansion of an industry made up of 5000 manufacturers, distributors, laboratory services providers and researchers.

The industry plans to triple its annual exports, now worth about AUD1 billion, by 2015 while growing the local industry by more than 10 per cent a year.

Mr Macfarlane said the science industry developed the Action Agenda to help unlock the creativity needed for its continued high growth and development in the 21st century with the support of the Australian government.

"Australia's science industry is recognised globally for its scientific research, and innovative products and laboratory technical services.

Through the Action Agenda the industry has a cohesive plan to capitalise on its good reputation," he said.

8. DEVELOPED NATIONS CAN MITIGATE EFFECTS OF BRAINDRAIN

A report published by Leeds Metropolitan University says that developed nations can help offset the brain-drain of skilled workers from poorer countries, reports SciDev.Net.

The report, which focuses on Africa, argues that universities could transfer resources, technology and knowledge to developing nations through exchanges of staff and students, research collaborations, and  'twinning' institutions.

Although developing countries see some benefits from the brain drain because migrant workers send money home, these benefits are dwarfed by the effects of losing so many teachers, scientists, engineers and health workers.

The report argues that if skilled labour in general is important, academics specifically are even more so, because of the role they play in research and innovation, and teaching and training others.

The report suggests compensating poor countries for the loss of skilled workers. It also suggests developing international recruitment protocols similar to those that the UK National Health Service uses when recruiting healthcare workers from the developing world.

9. CALLS FOR INTEGRATION OF ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURE RESEARCH

An agricultural R&D forum has heard calls for integrating the efforts of all Ethiopian research institutions to maintain successful technology development, reports the Ethiopian Herald.

Seid Ahmed, director of the Organization Crop Research, said that as the Ethiopian agriculture moves from subsistence farming to market-oriented production, it is "imperative that research should be conducted in line with the government's policies and strategies". The presence of indigenous crops could benefit the Ethiopian economy if effectively utilised, he said.

10. FINNISH ACADEMY SEEKS GREATER R&D COOPERATION WITH INDIA

The Academy of Finland has signed cooperation agreements with India's Department of Science and Technology and Department of Biotechnology.

The agreement aims to develop jointly funded research programmes between the two countries.

11. GOVERNMENT AGREES TO REVIEW OF PHARMACEUTICAL REGULATION IN THE UK

The government has agreed that the UK's regulatory regime for pharmaceuticals must be improved, as suggested by the Commons health select committee in a report published in April.

In a detailed response to the committee's report on the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, the government agreed there should be a review of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The government also said that promotional material for new products should be vetted by the MHRA. However, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry warned that such procedures must not be allowed to delay innovative new medicines from reaching patients.

The government acknowledged the committee's concerns over the timely and transparent dissemination of clinical test results, saying that it "shares the committee’s commitment to transparency and accountability relating to registration of clinical trials and publication of their results". It added that the MHRA is working to minimise the number of inadequate trials conducted by the pharmaceutical industry.

The ABPI welcomed the calls for increased transparency. Its director general, Richard Barker, said, "It is important that clinical trials are well designed, that their results are transparent and the benefit/risk of new medicines is rigorously monitored once they are in regular use."

The committee's report recommended that responsibility for representing the interests of the pharmaceutical industry should move into the remit of the Department of Trade and Industry, allowing the Department of Health to concentrate on medicines regulation.

The government said it will ensure close cooperation between the DTI and DH. It acknowledged the importance of the pharma industry in helping achieve the R&D investment levels set out in the government's science and innovation framework.

12. BLAIR ANNOUNCES RESEARCH EXCHANGE SCHEME WITH INDIA

Tony Blair has announced a GBP10 million programme of academic exchanges between Indian and British universities, including joint research projects and awards for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, reports the Guardian.

The programme will also enable exchanges between faculties at a senior level and encourage collaboration between centres of excellence in science and technology.

13. INDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN GALILEO

India has reached an agreement with the EU on its participation in Galileo, Europe's satellite navigation system. The agreement, signed at the EU-India summit in New Delhi on Wednesday, aims to ensure the availability of Galileo services in India and to promote the establishment of regional augmentation systems based on Egnos and Galileo.

Welcoming the outcome of the negotiations, the Transport Commissioner, Jacques Barrot said: "This is another important step for the development of Galileo as an international programme, but also a major milestone in the EU/India partnership".

India is the fourth country after China, Israel and the Ukraine to join the Galileo programme. Discussions are also underway with a further ten countries.

14. CHAIR APPOINTED TO SCOTLAND'S NEW HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING BODY

The appointments of a chair and members of the new single funding body for Scotland's colleges and universities have been announced. John McClelland - a former member of the Higher Education Funding Council - will chair the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council.

Nicol Stephen, Deputy First Minister, said, "John McClelland is a highly respected industry leader who is totally committed to lifelong learning.

He has an impressive track record and is the right person for this job.

There is no doubt his enthusiasm and ambition will inject new momentum  into the development of higher and further education in Scotland over the next few years."

The council will be established formally in October and will be responsible for providing funding for learning and teaching, research and other relevant activities in Scotland's 65 colleges and higher education institutions.

15. RESEARCHERS CALL FOR END TO PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY'S 'CYNICAL USE' OF DRUG STUDIES

Patients who volunteer for studies that help drug companies to develop new products are often misled into taking part in what is little more than a marketing gimmick, say research ethicists in the British Medical Journal.

When developing new drugs, most pharmaceutical companies carry out open label extension studies (OLES), which enable them to collect data after clinical trials have been carried out but before the drug receives final approval.

Researchers investigating OLES estimate that less than four per cent of these studies were published in scientific journals and found that many of the trials they looked at were of dubious scientific integrity.

The ethicists have called on drug companies to immediately end what they say is a "cynical use of these studies for marketing purposes".

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