Bournemouth University (BU) has successfully completed the SUNRISE project, a collaborative initiative with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) funded by the British Council’s UK-Malaysia Going Global Partnerships Grant for Student Mobility. The SUNRISE project aimed to build capacity for sustainability research and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through a series of events and workshops, the project facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers from both universities. Key activities of the project included joint research seminars, student research conferences, capacity building workshops, and training on diversity and inclusion in research. By fostering collaboration and sharing expertise, the project has contributed to the development of innovative solutions to global sustainability challenges. The SUNRISE project has had a significant impact on both universities, strengthening academic partnerships and creating a culture of sustainability research.
PingPong, a leading global cross-border payment platform for businesses, has played a pivotal role in the 136th Canton Fair as a cooperative partner of the “Trade Bridge” initiative. This multi-day event brought together over 30,000 global companies and attracted more than 130,000 buyers from over 200 countries and regions. As part of its commitment to facilitating global trade, PingPong mobilized a delegation of over 300 buyers from Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam to connect with top Chinese sellers and screen suppliers. The platform also hosted online and offline procurement matchmaking events, creating new opportunities for global expansion. Jianqin Shu，Partner and General Manager of SMB Business Group at PingPong said, “At this year’s Canton Fair, we’ve mobilized local teams, partners, and buyers from around the world, including Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand, forming a delegation of hundreds to meet face-to-face with trade companies. This shows PingPong’s value is more than just in payments, it is a global ecosystem of buyers and sellers. In September, we also led an industry summit in Vietnam with over 4,000 attendees to help businesses access global markets. Going forward, we will continue expanding our network to more countries and regions, offering valuable connections and…
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the presentation of projects for the production of electricity from solid waste. Uzbekistan generates 14 million tons of waste annually. However, only 4-5 percent of it is recycled. More than 7 million tons of greenhouse gases and 43 thousand tons of toxic leachates generated at waste landfills are emitted into the atmosphere and penetrate the soil. By recycling waste, it is possible to both reduce its impact on nature and make a profit. For this purpose, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, together with foreign investors, has developed a number of projects. It is planned to build 8 waste incineration plants and process landfill gas at the Akhangaran landfill, investing about $1 billion 300 million. For example, two plants will be built in Andijan and Tashkent provinces through direct investment of $350 million by the Chinese company “CAMC Engineering”. They will process 4 thousand tons of waste per day and generate 630 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Another Chinese company, “Shanghai SUS Environment|, has also shown interest in this area. It plans to invest $310 million in direct investments and build two plants in Samarkand and Kashkadarya regions. They will…
Japan has made a significant investment of $43 million in Ecuador’s Chachimbiro geothermal project, a key step towards diversifying the country’s energy sources and enhancing its energy independence. The Chachimbiro project, located in the Imbabura province, involves the development of a 50-MW geothermal power plant. This project is crucial for Ecuador’s transition to renewable energy and will contribute to the country’s efforts to reduce dependence on hydroelectric power. The investment was formalized at a ceremony in Quito attended by high-level officials from Ecuador and Japan. This collaboration underscores the importance of diversification within Ecuador’s energy portfolio. Key Benefits of the Chachimbiro Project: The Chachimbiro project will reduce Ecuador’s reliance on hydroelectric power, providing greater stability and consistency in electricity supply. The project will save Ecuador approximately $147.9 million in its first ten years of operation through reduced reliance on fossil fuels. The project supports Ecuador’s commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and aligns with global climate goals. The project may lead to local employment opportunities and facilitate the transfer of advanced technologies. The Chachimbiro project is technically and financially supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which ensures that the development adheres to international sustainability standards. JICA’s involvement includes…
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy and State Oil Company (SOCAR) have announced a significant partnership with Italy-based Technip Energies to advance the country’s green energy goals. In a recent meeting, Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy, and Rovshan Najaf, SOCAR President, met with Marco Villa, CEO of Technip Energies, to discuss the potential of renewable energy and sustainable development in Azerbaijan. The meeting underscored the importance of international collaboration and the use of modern technologies to unlock the country’s renewable energy potential. The discussions focused on ongoing green energy projects and explored innovative pathways toward low-carbon business solutions. As a result of these discussions, a new joint venture was formed between SOCAR Downstream Management, the Azerbaijan Investment Company, and Technip Energies S.p.A. The partnership will focus on producing pyrolysis oil from plastic waste, aiming to boost waste recycling, enhance industrial production, and lower carbon emissions. Valued at €97 million, the project will be located at the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park and is expected to process 36,000 tons of plastic waste annually, generating 23,000 tons of pyrolysis oil. The project’s ownership will be distributed among the Azerbaijan Investment Company (30 percent), Technip Energies (35 percent), and SOCAR (35 percent). This initiative represents…
The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have signed a financing agreement for a US$100 million concessional loan to support the development of Nepal’s provincial and local road network. The Provincial and Local Roads Improvement Program (PLRIP)-Phase 1 will focus on constructing and maintaining approximately 3,000 kilometers of all-weather roads and bridges in Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Madhesh provinces. The program aims to enhance rural connectivity, improve access to services and markets, and reduce travel time and costs for Nepalis. By strengthening the institutional and technical capacity of provincial and local governments, the PLRIP will enable them to effectively plan, design, construct, and maintain road infrastructure. The financing agreement was signed by Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire, Finance Secretary of Nepal, and David Sislen, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. A separate project agreement was also signed by the Ministry of Urban Development, participating provinces, and the World Bank. “This program will help enhance rural connectivity, improve access to services and markets, and unlock Nepal’s economic potential in an inclusive manner, while reducing travel time and costs for Nepalis,” said Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Shreekrishna Nepal. The PLRIP will introduce several best practices, including performance-based maintenance contracts,…
A team of scientists from the University of Stirling has been awarded a significant grant of £770,000 to support the development and commercialization of a new vaccine that could revolutionize the aquaculture industry. The project, led by the Institute of Aquaculture, aims to address the pressing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Vietnamese catfish farming. By reducing the reliance on antibiotics, this innovative vaccine could have a profound impact on both animal and human health. The multidisciplinary team, which includes psychologists and behavioral economists, will utilize the funding to further refine the vaccine and promote its adoption among aquaculture farmers in Vietnam. The project seeks to create a more sustainable and resilient aquaculture sector by reducing the harmful effects of antibiotic overuse. Professor Margaret Crumlish, leading the project, emphasized the importance of addressing vaccine hesitancy and promoting vaccination strategies to combat AMR. “The novelty of this project lies not only in the new immersion-based vaccine but also in the integration of behavioral sciences to address vaccine hesitancy directly,” she stated. Vietnam, a major aquaculture producer, has faced an AMR crisis due to the excessive use of antibiotics in catfish farming. The new vaccine offers a promising solution to this problem,…
SK Telecom (SKT) announced today a strategic partnership with Lambda, a leading GPU cloud company, to collaborate in the AI cloud business. The partnership will involve establishing a large-scale NVIDIA GPU cluster to support AI cloud business opportunities in South Korea. SKT and Lambda will deploy NVIDIA GPU clusters in SK Broadband’s Gasan data center by the end of this year. This cluster will be powered by Lambda’s cloud computing platform, accelerated by NVIDIA. This collaboration underscores SKT’s commitment to providing unprecedented access to scalable AI infrastructure in South Korea. SKT plans to launch AI cloud services, including GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), enabling enterprises to access GPU cloud services on an as-needed basis for developing or utilizing AI services. The partnership between SKT and Lambda is expected to boost the expansion of SKT’s AI cloud services into the global market. “A strategic partnership with Lambda will strengthen our competitiveness in AI cloud services and develop greater business opportunities in Korea,” said Kim Kyeong-deog, Vice President and Head of Enterprise Business Division at SKT. “SKT shares in our vision to make GPU compute as ubiquitous as electricity,” said Lambda CEO and co-founder Stephen Balaban. “Given the rapid pace of innovation in AI happening…
KPMG India, a leading professional services firm, and ISACA, a global association of IT governance and cybersecurity professionals, today announced a strategic partnership to enhance the global adoption of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) framework. KPMG in India has been a steadfast ISACA Elite CMMI Transition Partner for over two decades, providing comprehensive CMMI consulting, training, and appraisal services. The new partnership elevates this collaboration to a strategic level, enabling both organizations to expand their reach and impact in the CMMI ecosystem. “We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with ISACA,” said Rahul Turki, Partner Corporate Business Excellence, at KPMG in India. “By combining our deep industry expertise, global reach, and CMMI leadership, we can empower organizations worldwide to achieve their operational excellence goals through the effective implementation of CMMI.” This strategic partnership offers several key advantages to KPMG in India clients: “This strategic partnership reflects our Global Strategy in practice, helping organizations around the world improve their performance, reduce costs, and innovate in a structured and secure manner,” said Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer at ISACA. “We are excited to establish a strategic partnership with KPMG in India and provide an opportunity for organizations to adopt the…
In response to the devastating floods that have impacted over 14.8 million people in Bangladesh, the UK government has announced a £30,000 humanitarian aid package to support affected communities in Sylhet. The funding will be managed by Start Fund Bangladesh and implemented by Caritas Bangladesh, providing essential aid such as cash assistance, clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies. This assistance will complement the ongoing efforts of the Bangladeshi government to address the flood crisis. In addition to the direct aid, the UK is also a major contributor to global humanitarian pooled funds, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) and the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). These funds are allocating a total of £5.9 million to support flood-affected populations in northern Bangladesh with food, water, sanitation, shelter, health care, and cash assistance. Sarah Cooke, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, said: “The UK stands beside all of those affected by the current flooding in Bangladesh. I am pleased to announce the UK is providing humanitarian assistance to support those affected.” “This includes £30,000 (BDT 4.5 crores) through START Fund Bangladesh to provide vital supplies to over 5,000 people in Sylhet,…
