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INTERNATIONAL IBERIAN NANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (INL)

RESULT FROM THE JOINT EFFORTS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

In November 8, 2003, Portugal and Spain signed a Science & Technology Cooperation Agreement in areas of top priority, aiming to give a new boost to the bilateral cooperation between both Countries.

In November 19, 2005, the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education of the Portuguese Republic and the Minister for Education and Science of the Spanish Kingdom signed together a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint creation and operation of a Portugal-Spain International Research Laboratory).

This Institute will be created by both Countries, installed in Portuguese territory and operated and managed under joint responsibility of Spain and Portugal. Its scope will be international, open to the participation of institutions and specialists from all over the world and its aim will be to be established as pole of international excellence.

The entities responsible for the application of this MoU are:

In November 2006 the Portuguese Council of Ministers approved the creation of a non-profit association of public interest to prepare the installation of the INL. The members of the association are

In November 24-25, 2006, was held in Badajoz, Spain, the XXII Portugal-Spain Summit, presided by the president of the Spanish Government and the Portuguese Prime Minister. By joint decision of the two Iberian Countries, was signed the International Convention regarding the creation of the INL as an international entity to be located in Braga and its statutes.

In February 23, 2007, took place, at the headquarters of the Installation Committee of INL, a meeting with the heads of the main Nanoscience/Nanotechnology laboratories of Spain and Portugal, the coordinators of national Nanotechnology networks and representatives of the Ministries os science of both Countries.

In March 19, 2007, the Installation Committee of INL was formally created, with the publication of a Portuguese Decrete-Law. The Installation Committee of INL started to operate immediately, having the task, in the initial phase, to develop the physical infrastructure of the INL, the recruitment and the management of the initial Human Capital.

In July 2007, took place a General Assembly of the Installation Committee of INL. Upon proposal of the Management Board, issues concerning with the Basis of Design of the future campus and future buildings, decisions were took.

In September 2007, the the President of the Board of Management of the Installation Committee of INL, Professor José Rivas Rey, invited the main Nanoscience/Nanotechnology laboratories of Spain and Portugal to join in a training program directed to young scientists having the levels of post-graduate or doctoral.

In November 19-21, 2007, was held the High Level Conference on Nanotechnologies, at University of Minho in Gualtar, Braga, Portugal. This High Level Conference was organized by The Portuguese Presidency of the European Union. The symbolic selection of University of Minho in Gualtar, Braga aimed to emphasize the installation of the INL in this Portuguese city, on a location very close to the University of Minho.

In December 3, 2007, the International Scientific Advisory Board of the INL attended to a meeting in Lisbon with the objective o evaluating the plans of constitution of the laboratory [source: Portal of The Government of the Portuguese Republic].

In January 17, 2008, in a ceremony at the Círculo Universitário do Porto, the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education of the Portuguese Republic, Mariano Gago and the Regional Minister for Education and University Development of the Galician Government, Mrs. Laura Sánchez Piñón, signed jointly a protocol of cooperation for the creation of a post graduate program in Nanomedicine between [source: Diário de Notícias, 17 de Janeiro de 2008]:

In January 18, 2008, the Chiefs of Government of Spain and Portugal launched the foundation stone, at Braga, during a ceremony of foundation of the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), accomplishing this way what was set at Évora, on the XXI Portugal-Spain Summit. This ceremony was hosted by the XXIII Portugal-Spain Summit, in Braga, presided by the president of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and the Portuguese Prime Minister, José Sócrates [sources: Portal of The Government of the Portuguese Republic; www.mctes.pt; Diário de Notícias, 17 de Janeiro de 2008].

In August, 2008, the the Installation Committee of the INL was closed and replaced by a management board: General Director and Staff of the INL.

The nanogolive portal, in the person of its Editor-in-Chief, Luís Bastos, wishes to express its gratitude to the General Director and Staff of the INL as well as the former Installation Committee of the INL for the information kindly provided).