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Global Science

27 February 2006

A delegation of Scientific Attachés from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Science and Innovation Network visited UCL in February 2006.

The seven attachés, who are based in countries throughout the world, attended a series of talks and tours to gain an insight into the work being carried out at UCL. foreign office

After meeting UCL's President and Provost, Professor Malcolm Grant, the group were given an introduction to some of the work being undertaken by UCL's biomedical researchers, the UCL Institute of Neurology, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and the UCL Wolfson Institute for Medical Research.

UCL's world-class standing in these research areas was one of the key reasons why the FCO Science and Innovation Network chose to bring its attachés to UCL: "We've had a lot of contact with UCL in the past  and they have put together a fantastic programme for us today. It presents an excellent opportunity for the attachés to further their scientific knowledge", explained Crispian Wilson, FCO Science and Innovation Group.

The attachés were also given briefings by the UCL Department of Biochemical Engineering, UCL Business and UCL Biomedica and had the opportunity to meet other UCL academic colleagues at a lunch hosted by Professor Michael Worton, Vice-Provost (Academic and International),  before being given a guided tour of the London Centre for Nanotechnology by Professor Gabriel Aeppli. Commenting on the visit, Ursula Roos, Science and Innovation Officer for the British Embassy in Berlin said: "Our job is to promote science and find out more about UK universities, I'm particularly interested in nanotechnology, so this is an especially interesting visit for me."

The FCO Science and Innovation Network has 44 posts in 29 partner countries throughout the world. The network promotes the interests of British science by fostering international research and by bringing UK scientists, students and funding bodies together with their counterparts from other countries, as well as working with industry to identify new technologies and collaborations.

To find out more about UCL's global activities and the FCO Science and Innovation Network, use the link at the bottom of this article.

Images: Scientific Attachés from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office