MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

ON SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION

BETWEEN

THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

AND

THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITIES, AND RESEARCH

The Chinese Academy of Sciences, represented by President Professor Lu Yongxiang, and the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, represented by Minister Dr. Letizia Moratti, here after referred to as the Parties,

taking into consideration

• the principles of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Italy;

• the positive results obtained within the framework of the “Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation Between the National Research Council of Italy and the Chinese Academy of Sciences” of 2005, and the “Agreement Between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare” of 2002;

• their wish to stimulate and further the scientific and technological cooperation in areas of mutual interest and benefit in terms of quality and on the basis of reciprocity;

• considering the increasing collaboration in science and technology between the Parties, witnessed by the projects mentioned in the Addendum to this MoU and by further projects that will be defined in the future;

agreed upon the following:

Article 1

Subject to the laws and regulations of the two countries, the Parties undertake to encourage and develop their cooperation in all the fields of natural sciences and related technologies. The Parties identify as priority areas the following:

• Materials Science;

• Space Technologies;

• Earth observation;

• Environmental monitoring;

• Cultural heritage;

• Sustainable development;

• Physics;

• Medicine;

• Pharmacology;

• Agriculture;

• Human Language Technologies.

Article 2

For the purpose of implementing this Agreement, the scientific cooperation between CAS and MIUR shall be conducted through:

• bilateral or international symposia to be held in China or Italy;

• exchange of scientists with a view to participate in scientific work at scientific institutes and to carry out joint research projects. The Parties will encourage participants in the research projects to publish their results jointly;

• other forms of scientific cooperation agreed upon by CAS and MIUR.

Article 3

The Parties encourage their research institutions to enter into technical agreements to arrange the exchange of scientists for visits in the other country, while maintaining the highest ethical and legal standards and ensuring the effective protection and correct distribution of intellectual property resulting from research performed under this Agreement. Those agreements should specify the procedures to nominate candidates for the visits, the number of visits per year, and the rules to share the cost of the visits.

Article 4

In order to promote the collaboration between the two Parties, they agree to set up a CAS-MIUR Committee. Members of the CAS-MIUR Committee will meet alternatively in China and Italy to:

• review the results of cooperation and the priority areas mentioned under Article 1;

• discuss the cooperation forms and identify potential areas of further cooperation;

• consider financial and other arrangements within the framework of this agreement, including the funding of bilateral projects agreed upon in the frame of the technical agreements under item 3;

• select joint projects on the basis of the availability of funds on both sides, giving special consideration to those jointly agreed upon by institutes having priority according to the policy of CAS and MIUR respectively.

Article 5

This agreement on scientific cooperation will become effective upon signature, and remain in effect until terminated by either of the two Parties. Termination will subject to a six months due notice in writing. All documents, notices and meetings pertaining to this Agreement shall be in English.

Signed in Beijing on July 1, 2005 in duplicate in English, both copies being equivalent.

for the for the

CHINESE ACADEMY ITALIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,

OF SCIENCES UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH

President Lu Yongxiang Minister Letizia Moratti