Foreign relations

The Ministry of Science and Technology aims to expand and deepen the international science relations of the State of Israel. The Ministry's vision is to expand and deepen cooperation with key countries around the world, in an effort to leverage and enhance the country's rise in funding and the consistent strengthening of Israel's image in the world as a technological and scientific power. The Ministry's International Scientific Relations Division initiates and implements the international agreements for cooperation in the fields of science and technology of the State of Israel in full coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Through the Division, the Ministry bears sole or joint responsibility for Israel's representation and participation in international science organizations.

Throughout the years, the Division of International Scientific Relations has become the forefront of international cooperation between the State of Israel and many of the countries of the world. The Division's vision is to diversify and deepen the cooperation with key countries around the world and to expand Israel's participation in key ventures and leading international organizations.

The Ministry operates and implements 38 bilateral scientific cooperation agreements, signed with a number of the world's leading countries in science and technology: Germany, France, Italy, UK, Russia, Czech Republic, Austria, Ukraine, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Canada (Quebec) and Belarus. Agreements have also been signed with the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Ethiopia. The Division also maintains contact with a number of countries with whom relations have not yet developed into scientific agreements, including Australia, Sweden and other countries around the world. These agreements include, among other things, joint research funding, joint workshops and conferences, joint scientific committee meetings, mutual visits of delegations and more.

In addition, the Ministry of Science and Technology represents the State of Israel in a number of international scientific organizations and European scientific infrastructure organizations, within the framework of the European R&D program Horizon 2020. Participation in international organizations allows the Israeli scientific community exposure to innovative and groundbreaking science, access to large and unique research facilities, and access to prestigious research grants with substantial budgets. Among the scientific organizations in which the Ministry participates: CERN - the world's largest particle research center, located in Geneva, Switzerland, containing an ensemble of particle accelerators. SESAME - the Particle Accelerator in the Middle East located in Jordan, which is also a notable example of regional collaboration in science and research. COST - a European program for creating research networks and connections between scientists, in which 40 European countries, including Israel, and more participate.