The National Science Council, Taiwan and The Ministry of
Education, Culture and Science, Mongolia (hereinafter referred
to as the "Parties") with a view to promote scientific
cooperation and to further strengthen the close and friendly
relations between the two organizations have agreed on the
following:
ARTICLE I
Meetings at the working level of the two parties shall take
place at either side periodically, as mutually agreed. The
meeting serves primarily to establish the scientific cooperation
projects, symposia, workshops and exhibitions. It also serves to
set up mutual promotion programs for young scientists.
ARTICLE II
Details regarding joint research projects, especially the
financial distribution and the share of results shall be
discussed and decided upon on an individual basis. To enhance
cooperation, both parties shall exchange information relevant to
their research programs.
ARTICLE III
Both parties shall promote the exchange of scientists. The
sending party shall nominate candidates for the exchange of
visits to the receiving party. The duration of visits shall be
determined by mutual agreement between the two parties on a case
by case basis.
ARTICLE IV
For the exchange of scientists, the sending party shall pay the
costs for international transportation; the receiving party
shall provide living expenses. The receiving party shall also
provide support for research related domestic travels within the
receiving country, as well as for medical insurance according to
its valid internal regulations in case of sudden illness or
injury.
ARTICLE V
ANNEX of the Agreement is an integral part of this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
The present Agreement shall come into force upon signature. It
shall remain to be effective until it is terminated by either
party giving another party a six (6) months prior notice in
writing.
Done in Ulaanbaatar on 24 day of August 2007, in two original
copies in the English language, both being equally authentic.
FOR THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOR THE MINISTRY OF MINISTRY
COUNCIL OF TAIWAN OF EDUCATION,CULTURE AND SCIENCE
OF MONGOLIA
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KWANG-LUNG LIN KH. TSOOKHUU
DIRECTOR GENERAL DIRECTOR
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL MONGOLIAN FOUNDATION
COOPERATION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ANNEX TO THE AGREEMENT ON SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE COUNCIL OF TAIWAN AND THE MINISTRY OF
EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SCIENCE OF MONGOLIA
1.General
For the purposes of implementing and promoting the Agreement
of Scientific Cooperation, the National Science Council,
Taiwan (NSC) and the Ministry of Education, Culture and
Science, Mongolia (MECS) decided to develop a mechanism for
bilateral cooperation that involves the establishment of a
mutual funding for scientific cooperation. This mechanism
seeks to promote exchange and cooperation between Mongolian
and Taiwanese scientists, to accelerate technological and
innovative breakthroughs, to bring about mutual benefits, and
to contribute to the economic growth and social well being of
Taiwan and Mongolia. Both sides have agreed as following:
2.Allocation of the Mutual Funding
(1)Scale and share of responsibility: This Mutual Funding (MF)
shall be jointly established by MECS and NSC and maintained
for a period of three years. The MF shall have a budget of
USD138,000 in the first year, toward which the NSC will
contribute USD12,000 and the MECS USD180,000. Beginning with
the second year, the budget shall increase by USD108,000 per
year. The second year's budget shall be USD246,000, toward
which NSC shall contribute USD210,000 and the MECS USD36,000.
The third year's budget shall be USD354,000, toward which the
NSC shall contribute USD300,000 and the MECS USD54,000. The
second and third years' budgets are subject to modification
depending on the results of the first year.
(2)Term of the MF: The MF shall be established in August 2008
and maintained through the end of July 2011. The annual
timetable shall include: submission of proposals from
September through December of each year, with a deadline of
December 31; peer reviews conducted independently by both
sides from January through May; a joint review meeting to be
held around June or July; and the announcement of review
results on August 1. For the first year call for proposals,
call announcement will begin at early October, and the
deadline for submitting the proposals will be at the end of
December 2007.
The application form and the review form shall be provided
and agreed upon by the two sides.
3.Utilization of the MF
(1)Activities: MF shall be used primarily to subsidize joint
projects and symposia. In particular, the MF shall be used to
encourage young researchers to participate in cooperative
projects.
(2)Joint projects: Priority will be given to projects with
topics demonstrating potential and innovation. Contents of
projects should conform to global research directions and
bring benefits to both countries.
(3)To initiate a project, scientists from both sides shall form
a joint research team and prepare one research proposal in
English language. The team shall be led by one principal
investigator from Mongolia and one from Taiwan. Taiwanese
principal investigator should submit proposal to NSC, while
Mongolian principal investigator should submit to MECS, using
the application forms, provided by NSC and MECS. Team members
shall fulfill the hiring/appointment qualifications of their
respective organization.
The average size of grant of projects shall be of USD36,000
per year. Taiwanese and Mongolian researchers equally share
the grant to subsidize personnel expenses, consumables,
travel and living expenses, etc., but may not purchase
instruments or equipment. Travel and living expenses for
Mongolian researchers traveling to Taiwan will be reimbursed
by Taiwanese side and deducted from the part of Mongolian
grant. Travel and living expenses in Mongolia for Taiwanese
researchers will be paid by the part of Taiwanese grant. The
project period may be one year or multiple years, up to a
maximum of three years.
(4)Symposia: The purposes of joint symposia are to allow
scientists from either side to find prospective partners for
cooperative projects and to present the results of joint
research efforts.
To organize a symposium, the conveners (one from either side)
must make a joint request during submission of proposals.
Each conference shall receive a subsidy of USD30,000, can be
convened in either Taiwan, or Mongolia and shall accommodate
6-8 persons from the visiting country and 12-14 persons from
the hosting country. This grant may be used on international
travel, accommodation, and conference expenses. Peer
scientists, scientists from other EU nations, and industry
researchers are welcome to participate in the discussion and
presentation of conference papers, but on their own expenses.
(5)Subsidized items and funding scheme and timetable: For the
two types of activities described in points (3) and (4)
above, the subsidy amounts and specific subsidized items
shall be determined by NSC and MECS at the annual joint
review conferences. The NSC Science and Technology Division
in Moscow will sign a contract with the Mongolian principal
investigator and Institutions, and transfer the grant to them
within one month after the contract signature. If applicable,
the contract should be signed between Mongolian and Taiwanese
Institutions concerning the effective protection and the
correct distribution of intellectual property resulting from
project execution. Subsidies for organizing symposium shall
be disbursed within two months after the symposium.
4.Implementation and Coordination
(1)Steering committees: The NSC and MECS shall nominate members
for a review committee comprised of three persons from each
side. Each year, this review committee shall conduct annual
project reviews, decide on subsidy amounts for various
project items, evaluate results of completed projects, and
select priority/recommended fields of collaboration for the
following year. If necessary, this review meeting could be
held in Taiwan or Mongolia.
(2)Coordination unit: The NSC Science & Technology Division in
Moscow shall serve as the coordination window for both sides.
5.Project Reports and Evaluation of Results
(1)Joint projects: Principal investigator of each project must
submit a mid-term report prior to the end of the annual
project execution period in one month and final report in two
months after the end of the whole project. Research findings
for completed projects may be presented at the annual
conference held by the NSC and MECS.
(2)Symposia: Reports on these activities shall be submitted in
English within two months after the completion of the
activities.
(3)Reports on cooperative projects will be evaluated by experts
in the relevant fields and serve as the NSC and MECS's
reference in future decision making and usage of the MF. All
project reports will be collated into an annual report CD for
future collaboration reference.
6.Duration and Modifications
Either side may at any time propose modifications to this
Amendment, which will be put into effect upon approval by the
other side.
The implementation of this Amendment shall commence on the
date of its signing and shall continue thereafter for four
years.
In the last year, representatives from both sides shall
convene a meeting to evaluate the implementation status and
results from the preceding three years and determine whether
to extend and maintain the MF for a longer period.
Either side may terminate this Attachment at the end of any
fiscal year by giving six months written notice to the other
side.