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At the present stage, international science and technology cooperation is aimed at facilitating scientific development, re-export of scientific knowledge and construction of a sustainable interaction system between science, education and business. International cooperation is construed as a means of integration into the global scientific space and as a tool of the Russian Federation foreign policy. Over the recent years, a fair number of statutory instruments relating to international science and technology cooperation have been adopted in order to establish favorable conditions, which would allow Russia to carry out world-class research and development works while at the same time providing mechanisms to support domestic and foreign scientists experienced at commercialization of their research. The instruments mentioned above suggest new forms of international cooperation, namely: joint participation of leading Russian and foreign scientists in the so-called mega-grants; operation of innovation centers intended to gain competitive technologies and products with an opportunity of their further commercialization; training of highly qualified professionals; and conducting works in scientific research and development. The findings of this research reveal the necessity for the development of the legal model to regulate international science and technology cooperation in the field of comprehensive Arctic studies, including the following issues: forms, principles and directions ensuring strong connection between science, technology and economy; demand for state stimulation of direct scientific ties; commercialization of research results with due consideration of foreign countries' statutory regulation experience. It is also important to determine the development prospects of multilateral and bilateral science and technology cooperation with certain Arctic states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Latin American Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An EU-wide cooperation on HTA has been proposed recently by the European Commission, focusing on relative effectiveness assessment (REA) for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. This cooperation is operationalised through a proposal for a regulation. While a good step in the right direction, this HTA cooperation framework needs to be more explicit and pragmatic about clinical value definition, what constitutes quality of evidence, how real-world evidence is handled, whether the same assessment requirements will apply for medical devices as they do for pharmaceuticals, and how to safeguard consistency in REA interpretation. If demand-rather than supply-driven, this initiative can deliver wider benefits: Europe can improve its power in global drug design and development, while Member States will have at their disposal more resources to assess performance of interventions in their healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) concerning environmentally sound technology (EST) development and transfer. Topics explored include the compliance of these policies to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the United Nations (UN), the revised focus of the EAEU on sustainable economic growth, and the economic modernization projects of EAEU member states.

Cultural variations across nations and organizational culture-based differences between organizations that are involved in the transfer of various kinds of technologies are considered two major factors that influence the success of transfer. Relevant contributions from cross-cultural studies on management and organizations are integrated into the literature on organizational culture and diffusion of innovations, and a conceptual model is developed. Implications for research in international and comparative management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion about the paradox of technology transfer. Technology transfer is the transfer of technical know-how from advanced countries to developing countries. Third World countries can use technology transfer to improve the state of their countries. However, technology can also be an avenue to colonialism. Some people believe that weak countries cannot cope up with the technology transfer so they end up asking for help from multinational corporations. There are five major antagonisms in international technology transfers. One antagonism involves the dynamics of development economics.

The article presents the author's views on the role of science and technology in international development. According to him, science and technology plays an important role in international economic growth. He asserts that international scientific and technological cooperation must be supported in a way to improve quality of life in developing countries. He opines that the cooperation between the scientific community and educational institutions can play a main role in this move.

The article discusses the development of "Nth country" problem and its impact on the society. It refers to the possibility of the increasing acquirement of nuclear weapons by several countries which can trouble international stability and rise the danger of global thermonuclear war. The author suggests that restriction of nuclear tests will have some inhibiting effect on "Nth country" capabilities by slowing down international competition. Moreover, he stresses the regulation of spreading the reactor technology, since this technology could later be misused to develop nuclear bombs.

How and on what grounds do international organizations allocate aid to their member states? I answer this question in the context of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). I find that political considerations affect the likelihood of receiving aid, as well as the amount of aid that countries receive. In particular, membership in the IAEA board of governors and the acceptance of tougher IAEA inspections increase the likelihood of IAEA assistance. These factors also increase the amounts of assistance, but only for countries with divergent policy preferences from those of the United States. In consequence, those states that receive IAEA assistance are not always those most in need of it. My findings track with theories that countries receive foreign aid in exchange for cooperation and concessions to donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the factors that impact on the duration of technology licensing contracts. Using a transaction costs framework, we derive some propositions related to the influence of the contractual safeguards and of institutions on the failure rate of such agreements. We conduct an empirical investigation based on a new dataset of 250 contracts from the French National Institute of Intellectual Property. We show that the actual duration of licensing agreements (a) is positively associated to their profitability and to the level of technological competition, (b) is positively associated to the presence of a renegotiation clause, and (c) is independent of other contractual or institutional safeguards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the U.S. efforts to abolish the League of Nations' Economic and Financial Section (EFS), led by its chief Alexander Loveday, at the beginning of World War II during 1939 and 1940. An overview of the EFS's technical services and assistance, including to non-state actors, is provided. An overview of the League of Nations Secretary General (S-G) and Conservative French banker Joseph Avenol, including his efforts to have technical cooperation between the U.S. with the League, is also provided.

Copyright of Marketing (0354-3471) is the property of SEMA - Srpsko udruzenje za Marketing i Ekonomski fakultet Beograd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Australia, Japan and the USA are all facing dual pressures that require them to do more with less. Internationally, they deal with the challenge of managing China’s rapid rise. However, domestically, they must cut government spending and reduce government debt. With internal balancing effectively ruled out as a long-term solution, the three states are seeking ways to optimise external balancing, or cooperation with like-minded states. This article focuses on Australian motivations regarding the recent proposal for submarine cooperation with Japan, and places it in the context of longer trends that poise the USA, Australia and Japan for even greater trilateralism in the future. Australia’s proposal to buy submarines from Japan, should it go through, would cement Australia and Japan’s fledgling security relationship in steel and coin. For Australia, it would help it to overcome its undersea capability gap, and Japan could set a precedent to re-enter the global weapons market if all goes well. Furthermore, Australia can use defence-technology cooperation with Japan to signal to the USA the seriousness of its commitment to burden-share in pursuit of regional security and determination to politically support the USA’s ‘Pivot’ to the Asia-Pacific. However, domestic politics have begun to play an important role in Australia, with a ‘spill’ motion against Prime Minister Tony Abbott barely overcome by a backroom deal with the opposition to build the submarines domestically, and this is an important development to keep an eye on. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

India and China have made sizeable growth in publishing science and engineering research papers in co-authorship with international institutions and patents granted in collaboration with foreign inventors during the period 1997-2012. However, the growth in case of China is much higher in comparison to India. The pace of growth in publishing research papers in co-authorship with international and domestic institutions is more or less the same in case of China, whereas India has shown higher growth in publishing research papers in co-authorship with international institutions in comparison to those with domestic institutions. The share of India and China to research papers published in co-authorship with international institutions increased from 1.8% and 4.1% respectively, in 1997 to 3.5% and 14.7% respectively in 2012. China's share to patents granted in collaboration with foreign inventors increased from 0.94% in 1997 to 13.68% in 2012, compared to an increase of 0.56% to 7.39% in case of India. The analysis shows that China has harnessed the fruit of its international cooperation in S&T to its advantage, as reflected by significant increase in research papers co-authored with international institutions and patents granted in collaboration with foreign inventors in comparison to India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a systematic checklist to guide proactive bilateral and international regulatory cooperation (in the sense of "alignment" or "harmonization") in the context of emerging technologies. The article is structured along a lifecycle starting with preregulatory activities and ending with postregulatory processes. The background research is based on a series of interviews with American and Canadian experts carried out in late 2013 as well as studies of previous international regulatory alignment examples. Our aim is to inform the regulatory debate on how to best develop proactively aligned regulatory programs for emerging technologies in bilateral (e.g., United States--Canada) and international contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological and military cooperation remains a viable solution for carrying out the current Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMA). The concepts of Smart Defence and Pooling and Sharing promoted by NATO and the European Union are part of the current Revolution in Military Affairs, where there are plans for the creation and implementation of evidence underlying the capabilities of the new RMA. Any project launched within the two concepts is a challenge for the NATO / European Union members to implement the RMA. The budgetary restrictions in recent years have had a major influence in completing certain stages set within the two concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the fortieth symposium of the International Committee for the History of Technology (ICOHTEC) held under the auspices of the Twenty-fourth International Congress of History of Science, Technology and Medicine (ICHSTM) in Manchester, England from July 21-28, 2013. Topics, including international collaboration in science and technology during the Cold War, the social aspects of military history and the role that geometry played in 16th century forts of Italy, are discussed.

Postnational, or after or more than national, is a world that connects the international with the local. Technollaboration, is how creative digital communities use technology to improve methods and environments for collaboration. Postbiotanical, after or more than biotanical, represents the future of human-centric collectives around farming and urban living and sustainability. Village, is ambiguous and raises the question how large is local, and how does a village-centric view impact the way we treat each other? Art traditionally functions as an environment for philosophical and creative activity that works to secure its borders from intruding dictatorial ethics, ideology, politics or dogma that might sully its aim to maintain its open arduous exploration of the clash between image and meaning, icon and significance, or perception and identity in reference to culture and history. Integrating technology into this discourse introduces a milieu of associations, expectations and conclusions about how technological innovation, practices and products should be steered, which can also influence what we both make and teach. The web has since evolved into a pervasively instantaneous space for more involved forms of communication (Google hangout), content sharing (SVN), publishing (blogs), community building (messageboards, Facebook), creative performance (Isadora) and more. Now creative interactive initiatives are not limited to merely making a statement or triggering a semiotic synapse, but rather can have a social impact, enacting, mobilizing and serving as a resource for the public. Telematic Art that includes the activities surrounding Digital Communities and their behaviour, does not merely provide an environment to discuss social issues, but embodies social interaction in ways in which new forms of collective expression can be realized. The development of telematics tools is empowering for the public while serving as a medium that influences how individuals interact. Between DIY/DIWO models, open source hardware, software, and creation initiatives, practivist initiatives, creative hacking ideologies, immersion, and web-based communication tools to localize the international collaborative workshop, I believe our formats for education and exchange are becoming more collective and empowering, and with the inclusion of digital social collaboration initiatives seen in myriad examples of Telematic Art, there exists the potential to motivate a mindset desiring new shifts in perception and making with the goals of serving the global community in significant and direct ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses his mission related to science and technology (S&T) in Brasilia, Brazil. He received a briefing from the U.S. State Department on the progress in developing S&T cooperation between both countries. He provides a background on the international S&T cooperation and notes the difference between international science cooperation and science diplomacy. The science funding in the U.S. is also discussed.

Copyright of Sociologias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores the history of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a fusion energy megaproject currently being built in southern France. It examines three main aspects of the project's history, focusing largely on the European research community's perspective. First, it explores how European scientists and science managers constructed a transnational research community around fusion energy after 1960 that was part of Europe's larger technological integration. This article also expands Gabrielle Hecht's concept of 'technopolitics' to the larger international dimension and explores how the political environment of the late Cold War and the post-9/11 era helped shape ITER's history, sometimes in ways not entirely within researchers' control. Finally, this essay considers ITER as a technological project that gradually became globalized. At various stages in the project's 30-year history, we discover processes whereby national borders became less important while social, economic, legal and technological linkages created a shared social space for fusion research on an expanding scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Ciencia, Tecnologia y Sociedad is the property of Centro de Estudios sobre Ciencia, Desarrollo y Educacion Superior and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Indian space programme, whose objectives involve acceleration of economic and social development through applications of space technology, has been engaged in the development of state-of-the-art satellite systems, launch vehicles and equipment necessary for applications. Even during the early phase of evolution of this Programme, deliberate policies have been adopted by the national space agency, namely, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to promote spin-off benefit from the technologies developed for the use of space projects. Consistently adhering to this policy, ISRO has transferred over 280 technologies till date, spanning a wide spectrum of disciplines. This has resulted in a fruitful two-way cooperation between a number of SMEs and the ISRO. In order to make the technology transfer process effective, ISRO has adopted a variety of functional and organizational policies that included awareness building measures, licensee selection methods, innovative contract systems, diverse transfer processes, post licencing services and feedback mechanisms. Besides analyzing these policies and their evolution, the paper discusses various models adopted for technology transfer and their impact on assessment. It also touches upon relevant issues relating to creating interface between public funded R&D and the private commercial enterprises. It suggests few models in which international cooperation could be pursued in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is one of the longest-running European instruments supporting cooperation among scientists and researchers across Europe. COST is an intergovernmental framework composed of 35 countries, allowing the coordination of research that is otherwise funded on a European level, through the provision of platforms for European scientists to cooperate on a particular project and exchange expertise. As a precursor of advanced multidisciplinary research, COST contributes to reducing the fragmentation in European research investments and to opening the European Research Area to cooperation worldwide. It anticipates and complements the activities of the EU Framework Programmes, constituting a 'bridge' towards the scientific communities of emerging countries. It also increases the mobility of researchers across Europe, fostering the establishment of scientific excellence (see www.cost.esf.org). COST Foresight 2030 was an initiative designed to explore a broadly-shared vision for a future world beyond 2030, permeated and shaped by the digital revolution. It consisted of a set of events presenting long-term perspectives in the selected fields -- Information and Communication Technologies/Computer and Communication Sciences and Technologies (ICT/ CCST), Energy, Food Security, Natural Resources Management, Life Enhancement and Society -- which play fundamental roles in human life and which are envisaged to be highly influenced by ICT/CCST-enabling technologies. The workshop 'Living the Digital Revolution: The European Society in 2030', the concluding one of the six workshops of the initiative, gathered 20 distinguished scholars and experts from Europe and beyond (AU, NZ, US) for an exploratory brainstorming session. Representing various fields in the social sciences and humanities, such as sociology, education and learning, future studies, law and ethics, economics and business, demography and ICT, the experts focused on the possible trajectories of European societies with regard to the accelerating advancements in ICT/CCST leading up to 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses economic relations between Russia and Belgium. The history of healthy commercial ties between the two countries is discussed, including improving economic and financial relations in the early 21st century. Prospects for Russian-Belgian cooperation in various high technology industries, including space technology, avionics, and nanotechnology, are also discussed, as are similar ventures in the energy and health care sectors. Areas of challenge are also discussed, including falling demand for Russian exports due to the global economic crisis, among others.

The article examines the significance of the formation of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) in allowing developed countries to use their influence and permitting underdeveloped countries to benefit from technology transfer in Asia. It looks into the activities of APSCO which involved education and training in the field of space technology and its applications in which China led a liaison committee to enact specific educational programs. It discusses the efforts of China to develop and launch satellites supporting the objectives of APSCO's member nations and the motivating factors behind APSCO membership.

The article examines how information technology can help save the planet. On April 29, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) hosted the first large scientific meeting to discuss the H1N1 influenza A virus which at the time was previously unknown. More than 100 individuals participated in a teleconference which was followed up with a series of international scientific, technical, and consultation meetings. The purpose of the meetings was to integrate and disseminate information about the H1N1 influenza A virus in an effort to help WHO member countries to mitigate the adverse impacts of H1N1. Topics include an in-depth look at how mechanisms for rapid information sharing are vital in a fragmented and multi-actor environment.

International technology transfer (ITT) processes are complex, risky, and often fail. When financial services organisations have the opportunity to transfer their business model and core technologies to a foreign market, comprehensive research into the technology and the market is compulsory. Numerous applicable theories and models in technology transfer were reviewed to develop a comprehensive ITT model. Interviews with key individuals and focus group sessions were used to rank factors that affect the success of ITT in the financial services industry - specifically, a case in the direct short term insurance industry. These success factors were implemented in the developed market evaluation model where the user is required to enter evaluation values for each factor. The evaluation model then delivers a value that represents the market potential. This model can be used to evaluate one market or many potential markets. There are two factors that an organisation must always be aware of: the influence stakeholders have on the ITT process, and what ITT strategy is employed. Further research is proposed to validate the developed model beyond the specific case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconciling the spread of nuclear power with the abolition of nuclear weapons will require policymakers, regulators and the nuclear industry to take non-proliferation much more seriously than they have to date. In particular, states should be willing to forsake sensitive nuclear technologies where the 'proliferation costs' are deemed to outweigh any economic benefits. The long-term goal should be a multilateral, non-discriminatory ban on the most sensitive nuclear technologies. In the interim, those states that have forsaken sensitive technologies have policy tools at their disposal to make it less likely that others will seek those technologies. These tools include a willingness to trade in less sensitive technologies, taking back spent fuel, as well as the example set by desisting from sensitive technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the directions of the research and implementation of the Open Information System Technology in the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in Russia. One program developed by RAS is the Informatization of the Scientific Organizations and Presidium of RAS intended for the joint information system of the academy. It states that the level of international cooperation particularly in the field of standardization of open systems is still insufficient.

Copyright of Revista de Administração e Inovação (RAI) is the property of Revista de Administracao e Inovacao- RAI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article gives a global overview of some aspects of small satellite developments since the launch of Sputnik-1 50 years ago. These developments are offering new opportunities for remote sensing. The earliest satellites were small but, as time went on, the satellites that were flown were developed to serve several different projects and they became larger and more expensive and took a long time to design, build and be launched. One of the extreme examples was Envisat. For these large satellites compromises often had to be made between different objectives and different instruments. A failure of the whole system meant the death of many different projects. The future is likely to see more small satellites, each of which is dedicated to a particular mission objective and carries a single instrument. Through this approach more and more countries around the world are becoming involved in Earth observation from space, not just in using the data from the major established systems but also in constructing their own systems. There were some small, low-cost satellites in the early days, but they were overlooked or considered toys by the space community. The first microsatellites were built by enthusiasts of the amateur radio community and launched in the early 1960s. The invention/introduction of the microprocessor in the 1970s represented a quantum jump for the onboard capabilities of a spacecraft. This technology introduction represented a prime catalyst in the development of microsatellites since it enabled small physical structures in support of sophisticated data handling applications. The engineering of microsatellites, which emerged in the early 1980s, took a radical change of approach from the custom design of traditional spacecraft, namely a design-to-capability scheme to achieve cost reductions by focusing on available, and existing technologies using a general purpose bus and 'off-the-shelf' components and instruments. The new approach of small satellite design was pioneered by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) of Surrey University, UK. SSTL's lead has now been followed by various companies and space agencies throughout the world. A key feature of this work is the development of microsatellite technology transfer programmes, providing partnerships and on-the-job training of engineers and scientists of foreign national organizations in cooperative programmes - in particular to those who were not in a position to start or afford their own space projects - to participate in the development of their own microsatellites. In addition to discussing these developments, this article also covers small satellite classification, small satellite initiatives in the USA, small satellite development in the rest of the world, some aspects of the technology and applications of small satellites, and small satellites developed by universities, particularly the CubeSats programme. Today, small satellites are changing the economics of space. These spacecraft embrace cutting edge Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology, permitting novel and less-expensive ways to perform meaningful observation missions, although there are various technical challenges. There are several synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and hyperspectral imaging missions on small satellites in operation and in planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the numbers of internet users worldwide continue to grow, the internet is becoming 'more local'. This article addresses the epistemological challenge posed by this global process of internet localization by examining some of the conceptual tools at the disposal of internet researchers. It argues that progress has been hampered by an overdependence on the problematic notions of community and network whose paradigmatic status has yet to be questioned by internet scholars. The article seeks to broaden the conceptual space of internet localization studies through a ground-up conceptualization exercise that draws inspiration from the field theories of both Pierre Bourdieu and the Manchester School of Anthropology, and is based on recent fieldwork in suburban Malaysia. This exploration demonstrates that a more nuanced understanding of the plural forms that residential sociality can take is needed in order to move beyond existing binaries such as 'network sociality' versus 'community sociality'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study situates prospective technology within the framework of economic and social development. This is based on an investigation into the key aspects of the prospective process, such as its environmental and strategic value. Once the framework for the study was established, prospective international activity was seen from the viewpoint of a technique-denominated content analysis. Concretely, more than twenty prospective activities are examined in five continents. The study aims at capturing the technological priorities in the international arena, by identifying key transverse technological areas in a global context. This proximity to the key areas for economic and social development is assumed to be something new in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation in science has become an important part of the relations between China and the United States, and is usefully seen in the context of the worldwide phenomenon of increasing international scientific cooperation. Attempts to explain this increase in international scientific cooperation have called attention to the importance of government-to-government agreements and to self-organizing tendencies within the international scientific community. In the China-U.S. case, however, co-ethnic identity, manifested in coauthoring patterns, seems to be an especially important factor in cooperation as well. This article explores these patterns with an eye toward understanding the complex relationships between transnationalism and our understanding of Chinese nationalism and multiple Chinese identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are projected to rise primarily in the developing countries, the potential for developing new GHG mitigation technologies exists primarily in the industrialized countries. It is thus important, not only for predictions about future emission paths but also for climate change mitigation policies, to understand how the international diffusion of such technologies takes place and how it affects the energy infrastructure andGHGemissions in developing countries. This paper provides an overview of the channels through which these technologies diffuse and focuses on the empirical evidence pertaining to the effects these technologies have on GHG emissions in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The March 2006 US-India nuclear accord has been criticised for its likely adverse effect on the nuclear non-proliferation regime, especially the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Without such an accord, however, India, as a rising power, will remain outside the regime and remain less than fully integrated, strategically, politically, economically and technologically, in the international system. The damage critics envision to the non-proliferation regime from the US-India accord pales in comparison to the damage that can be done by India's actions and rhetoric as a dissatisfied state. But in fact the deal upholds and strengthens rather than undermines the regime. Attempts by the United States to integrate India into the non-proliferation regime as a lead actor augur well for the longevity of both the nonproliferation regime and the international order, and suggest to other rising powers that the system is flexible enough to allow for inevitable changes in the global distribution of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last 20 years, the widespread adoption of shallow tubewells in Nepal Terai region enabled substantial improvement in access to water, but recent national water quality testing showed that 3% of these sources contain arsenic above the Nepali interim guideline of 50 μ g/L, and up to 60% contain unsafe microbial contamination. To combat this crisis, MIT, ENPHO and CAWST together researched, developed and implemented a household water treatment technology by applying an iterative, learning development framework. A pilot study comparing 3 technologies against technical, social, and economic criteria showed that the KanchanTM Arsenic Filter (KAF) is the most promising technology for Nepal. A two-year technical and social evaluation of over 1000 KAFs deployed in rural villages of Nepal determined that the KAF typically removes 85-90% arsenic, 90-95% iron, 80-95% turbidity, and 85-99% total coliforms. Then 83% of the households continued to use the filter after 1 year, mainly motivated by the clean appearance, improved taste, and reduced odour of the filtered water, as compared to the original water source. Although over 5,000 filters have been implemented in Nepal by January 2007, further research rooted in sustainable development is necessary to understand the technology diffusion and scale-up process, in order to expand access to safe water in the country and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pro-poor water engineering aims to deliver water services to individuals and communities in a manner that yields obvious and significant net-benefits to the poorest people. Technology transfer in the field of pro-poor water engineering has too often been seen as one-way (north to south), with industrialised nations exporting their supposedly superior technologies and organisational priorities to the ‘grateful poor’ in the under-developed world. While north-to-south technology transfer can boast significant successes, failures are more numerous, arguably due to the contrast between technocratic (northern) and communitarian (southern) traditions of water management. There is much the northern countries might learn from the southern perspective. One concrete example illustrates how direct experience of community-based, NGO-fostered development of borehole water supplies in Bolivia led to the conscious adaptation of this model for application to problems of remediation of severe contamination of streams in a former mining district in the UK. This application was highly successful, leading to the development of robust community organisations that have gone on to tackle other social and environmental problems. This experience has in turn prompted the testing of the low-cost, technological approaches to acid drainage treatment developed in the UK case for potential application to similar problems in Bolivia. Following further ‘acclimatisation’ of the technology, field trials proved successful and led to plans for full-scale application of the approach with community-based NGOs in Bolivia. Lessons are drawn for furthering the implementation of pro-poor, participative strategies in water management in both the North and the South, with brief critical analyses of Participación Popular in Bolivia, and of both policy and polity in relation to community engagement in aspects of water management in Europe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article analyses differences between scientific and technological co-operation and collaboration. International cooperation represents opportunities for partners, mainly strategic alliances. In North-South collaborations usually developed countries define the project/program and become the sole owner of the results. Opportunities and risks for countries such as Brazil are to recognize these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the standard models of North-South technological-knowledge diffusion, the larger the initial technological-knowledge gap between countries, the greater the Southern catching up. However, this result does not adjust well to Southern reality as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the disparity between the theoretical outcome and the empirical findings can be reduced by considering that: (i) the South can only imitate Northern technological knowledge when it is sufficiently close to the Northern frontier; (ii) the advantage of the South's moderate backwardness, together with its imitation capacity, is a mechanism of catching up with the North; and (iii) the Southern catching-up specification can be country specific. In particular, we show that the behavior of the South's relative level of employed human capital affects Southern imitation capacity and depends on the catching-up specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The VUT 100 ‘Cobra’ general aviation aircraft project, as a unique example of functional technology transfer from university research to industrial application and vice versa, is described. New design challenges and their educational impact on the skill level of students and teaching staff at the Institute of Aerospace Engineering are also discussed. Finally, the current state of the project and its future milestones have been mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides insights on the papers/studies on cross-national transfer of policy methods to developing countries, including Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Senegal, published within the issue. The author explores the lessons learned from the historical and contemporary narratives and analyses in the previous articles. He commented that the success or failure of a particular policy or technology transfer does not only depend on the efficacy and goodness of the policy, but also on the human factor and the socio-cultural values in which the policy is integrated.