Israel and the United Kingdom have entered into a memorandum of understanding valued at £1.7 million ($2.1 million) to enhance their ties and promote research collaboration in the fields of science and innovation, with a particular emphasis on critical technologies.
The agreement was officially signed in London by Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Ofir Akunis, and his British counterpart, George Freeman. Under the terms of the deal, both nations will allocate a combined total of £1.7 million to support joint research projects in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, environmental science, and to collaborate on the advancement of critical technologies, including quantum computing.
George Freeman praised Israel’s innovative ecosystem, referring to it as the “Start-up Nation” and emphasized the importance of this collaboration for the UK’s global research and development initiatives. He noted that the partnership would bring together scientists, researchers, investors, and companies from both countries.
The majority of the funding, amounting to £1.1 million, will be directed to the Universities UK International’s UK-Israel Innovation Mobility Scheme. This initiative will support UK-based researchers in traveling to Israel and working in collaboration with Israeli partners at the country’s leading institutions.
An additional £600,000 will be earmarked for the UK-Israel quantum collaboration, led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. This project aims to develop disruptive quantum technologies that may eventually have commercial applications and underpin the functioning of quantum computers.
Ofir Akunis highlighted the significance of this agreement for scientific and technological cooperation and networking across multiple sectors in both nations. He noted the long-standing history of technological advancements achieved by both Israel and the UK in various fields and stressed that this collaboration would not only benefit scientific communities but also have a positive impact on the broader economies and security of both countries.
This agreement builds on the 2030 roadmap for UK-Israeli bilateral relations, which was previously established, and highlights the shared commitment to technological innovation and cooperation.