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Government of Canada announces support for over 6,900 top-tier researchers, projects and infrastructure across the country

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Funding will support the next generation of scientific talent and enhance research excellence

SHERBROOKE, QC, Sept. 13, 2024 /CNW/ – Canada’s outstanding researchers and institutions are at the forefront of science and innovation, playing a crucial role in shaping a stronger, healthier, and more resilient country. We also know that supporting our students means empowering them to solve the world’s biggest challenges and making sure every generation gets a fair chance to reach their full potential. That is why the federal government continues to invest in the research community, spurring tomorrow’s groundbreaking discoveries and enhancing quality of life for all Canadians.

Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced support for over 6,900 researchers and research projects across Canada. Over $502.3 million in funding has been awarded to researchers, students and institutions, which underscores the government’s efforts to support Canada’s research community. Minister Bibeau was accompanied by Élisabeth Brière, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, and Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke.

As part of Budget 2024, the federal government unveiled a package of measures worth over $4.6 billion to strengthen Canadian research and innovation, including $825 million over five years to increase support for master’s and doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows, as well as $1.8 billion over five years to the federal granting councils to increase core research grant funding and support Canadian researchers. The funding announced today reflects the federal government’s ongoing commitment to empowering researchers and innovators. Distributed through a range of grants, scholarships, fellowships and other programs, it provides researchers, students and institutions with cutting-edge tools and resources to advance knowledge and drive discovery. By fostering a diverse and inclusive research community, this investment strengthens Canada’s global leadership in tackling today’s most pressing challenges, while preparing the next generation of experts to shape a brighter and more equitable future.

The funding is distributed across the country through:

2023–2024 scholarships and fellowships – awarding $264.2 million to 5,554 scholarship and fellowship recipients through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)the College and Community Innovation program – awarding $29.05 million to 58 research projects and programs through the Mobilize grants and the College and Community Social Innovation Fund grantsthe John R. Evans Leaders Fund – awarding $86 million to 316 projects at 47 institutionsSSHRC Insight Grants – awarding $86.3 million to 503 established scholarsSSHRC Insight Development Grants – awarding $36.8 million to 509 emerging and established scholars

Quotes

“Today, we celebrate the remarkable researchers, students and institutions set to benefit from this vital funding. The Government of Canada will continue to empower them by providing the resources and opportunities to advance their groundbreaking work. By investing in their growth and development, we are reinforcing Canada’s leadership in global research and innovation and paving the way for a more prosperous and sustainable future for everyone.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Better support for the next generation of researchers and more modern science and research infrastructure is key to supporting the secure and thriving economy of tomorrow. By supporting researchers at all levels and promoting diversity, we are reinforcing Canada’s leadership in tackling challenges and improving quality of life for all.”
– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue

“The Université de Sherbrooke is an important knowledge and research hub and a source of pride for our region. It has generated a number of major discoveries and innovations that now help improve our community’s quality of life. I am proud that our government recognizes the importance of our researchers and students by supporting them financially and giving them the opportunity to go even further.”
– Élisabeth Brière, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, and Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke

“The federal research funding agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation are proud to stand by the brilliant minds that have cemented Canada’s reputation as a global leader in research. Today’s announcement further demonstrates Canada’s unwavering commitment toward its thriving research ecosystem. Through scholarships and fellowships for the next generation of scientists and engineers, research grants for excellence in social sciences and humanities, and funding to ensure researchers at colleges and universities have access to cutting-edge facilities and tools, these investments will support the pursuit of ideas and innovations that will offer social, economic and environmental benefits for Canadians.”
– Professor Alejandro Adem, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee

Quick facts

Since 2016, the federal government has invested over $22 billion in science and research initiatives, including infrastructure, emerging talent and other science and technology support measures.In addition, Budget 2024 is providing $825 million over five years, and $199.8 million per year ongoing, to increase support for master’s and doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows, as well as $1.8 billion over five years, and $748.3 million per year ongoing, to the federal granting councils to increase core research grant funding and support Canadian researchers.Budget 2024 also includes investments in modern, high-quality research facilities and infrastructure to help solve real-world problems, create economic opportunities, and attract and train the next generation of scientific talent.The scholarships and fellowships programs are administered by Canada’s three federal research granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Among these programs are:the Canada Graduate Scholarships master’s program, which helps develop research skills and assists in the training of highly qualified students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studiesthe Canada Graduate Scholarships doctoral program, which promotes continued excellence in Canadian research by rewarding and retaining high-calibre doctoral students at Canadian institutionsother agency-specific scholarship and fellowship programs supporting doctoral and postdoctoral research traineesSSHRC Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants build knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world by supporting research excellence in the social sciences and humanities.The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions, equipping researchers with the tools they need to be global leaders. The CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund helps institutions recruit and retain outstanding researchers by supporting the infrastructure they need to conduct leading-edge research and grow their expertise.The College and Community Innovation program, administered by NSERC, in collaboration with SSHRC and CIHR, provides funding for applied research at Canadian colleges, CEGEPs and polytechnics. This funding strengthens research links and collaborations between Canadian colleges and partners from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, with a common goal of creating economic, social, health and environmental benefits for Canada.

Associated links

Strengthening Canadian research and innovation | Prime Minister of Canada (pm.gc.ca)CFI John R. Evans Leaders FundCollege and Community Innovation programScholarships and fellowshipsSSHRC Insight Grants SSHRC Insight Development Grants 

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NAVER Partners with Brookfield and NVIDIA to Expand Korea’s National AI Factory Infrastructure Buildout

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NAVER, Brookfield and NVIDIA announced an expansion of Korea’s sovereign AI factory infrastructure. New investments will increase the initial NVIDIA DSX™ AI factory deployment from 55 megawatts to 200 megawatts.

Announced during Korea President Jae Myung Lee’s AI Summit visit to San Francisco, the planned 200-megawatt expansion will be built with the NVIDIA DSX platform at NAVER’s GAK Sejong hyperscale data center in Sejong, South Korea. The expanded infrastructure will provide Korea- and U.S.- based AI innovators with access to production-scale AI compute for building next-generation models, agents and AI-powered services.

Under the terms of the agreements, Brookfield will fund up to $9 billion as the exclusive capital partner, NVIDIA will invest $1 billion and NAVER will fund the remaining amount to finance the $10 billion project.

This builds on NAVER’s June announcement to extend its GAK Sejong data center with NVIDIA DSX, with a long-term path to gigawatt-scale sovereign AI infrastructure serving Korea’s enterprises, industries, government organizations and global AI cloud customers. Combining Brookfield’s capital with NVIDIA’s computing platform, the investment supports NAVER’s AI factory deployment.

“NVIDIA’s strategic investment and our infrastructure supply agreement with Brookfield have propelled NAVER’s vision for the AI Factory business into a robust execution phase,” said Haejin Lee, Founder and Chairman of NAVER. “Leveraging the solid partnerships with our global partners, we will drive technological innovation, foster a sovereign AI ecosystem, and spearhead efforts to strengthen South Korea’s AI competitiveness.” 

AI Factory Expansion and Open Model Collaboration to Fuel AI Innovators

NAVER, as an NVIDIA Cloud Partner, provides deep expertise in operating hyperscale infrastructure powered by the full-stack NVIDIA AI platform. The 200-megawatt AI factory, featuring NVIDIA Vera Rubin and Blackwell platforms, will establish a dedicated resource pool for emerging AI companies, providing the compute, software and support needed to develop and deploy competitive AI models and applications at scale.

This expanded infrastructure also builds on NAVER and NVIDIA’s collaboration on open model development for agentic and physical AI. NAVER is advancing its HyperCLOVA X models to be based on NVIDIA Nemotron™ 3 Ultra open models with its proprietary data and training expertise. NAVER is also the first Korean company to join the NVIDIA Nemotron Coalition, contributing to open model development across pretraining, post-training and reinforcement learning.

NAVER plans to launch an AI agent platform in Korea in the second half of the year, powered by NVIDIA Agent Toolkit software including NVIDIA NemoClaw™ blueprints. NAVER is also developing a Seoul World Model using proprietary urban street-view and spatial modeling data, built on NVIDIA Cosmos™ world foundation models.

About NAVER

Founded in 1999, NAVER is Korea’s largest Internet company and one of the world’s top tech companies. Leading cutting-edge technologies, NAVER operates the No.1 search engine in Korea and holds various business portfolios encompassing commerce, fintech, cloud, AI and robotics.

NAVER recorded sales of KRW 12.04 trillion (USD 8.18 billion) in 2025. TEAM NAVER continues to enhance its business portfolio and expand its global presence across Japan, North America, and Europe, while pursuing innovation through continuous research and development in future technologies.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/naver-partners-with-brookfield-and-nvidia-to-expand-koreas-national-ai-factory-infrastructure-buildout-302834577.html

SOURCE NAVER

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Beijing Review: Walking Through Time: China and U.S. Youths Explore Dali’s Past and Future

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BEIJING, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On July 17, a China-U.S. youth delegation came to Dali of Yunnan Province. By examining how Dali’s rich history intersects with modern development, the delegates explored new pathways for rural development.

They visited Dali Old Town, tried their hand at making the Bai people’s Three-Course Tea and also explored the ancient town of Xizhou, where they learned how modern tourism and indigenous life coexist.

In Yunnanyi Village, they explored its history as a stop along the Tea Horse Road and learned about the role it played during the Second World War (WWII).

Tyler James Smith

“I think it’s a very underappreciated part of World War II history. Hearing these stories of different countries working together despite cultural differences is incredibly inspiring.

I also think there are many stories like these that haven’t been widely told, simply because World War II is such a complex period in history. That’s why I think it’s so meaningful to visit museums like this and experience these stories firsthand.”

At Xiangyun Economic and Technological Development Zone, they visited a local new energy company to see how green, low-carbon development is driving regional growth.

Valerie Marie

“I recently started studying energy transitions. I know China has been really big in the renewable energy sector. So actually getting to hear more about [China’s] 2060 [pledge], learning more about carbon neutrality [goals], as well as other zero-carbon goals, was cool.”

During their stay in Dali, they also strolled along the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor.

Bai Yiwen

“I’d describe this journey as “to be continued,” because my own connection with Yunnan is far from over. For the U.S. delegates, this was only their first visit, so they’ve only had a glimpse of what Yunnan has to offer. I hope they will have more opportunities to come back to China, explore other cities in Yunnan, and discover even more of its people, culture and traditions.”

After Dali, the delegates will visit Beijing for more tours and exchanges. The event was co-hosted by China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas and the U.S.-based International Student Conferences.

https://x.com/beijingreview/status/2080104404552663067?s=46&t=yfVMVdMyE2zKAFrYaLoV-g

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EtGCCKzy4/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.tiktok.com/@cachinachic/video/7665536913532587294?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7227134149436605995

https://youtu.be/jGONWTqwduc?is=KfL-Zn3HyVYE-KEm

Contact: Jiaweibellapeng@163.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beijing-review-walking-through-time-china-and-us-youths-explore-dalis-past-and-future-302834587.html

SOURCE Beijing Review

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Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung Announces Physical AI Vision at San Francisco AI Summit

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Hyundai Motor Group shares roadmap for realizing its Physical AI vision and collaboration strategy with global tech leaders at the San Francisco AI SummitExecutive Chair Euisun Chung presented, “Hyundai Motor Group is evolving beyond the traditional boundaries of automotive manufacturing to become a Physical AI solution company,” adding, “The ultimate Physical AI vision we pursue is the realization of integrated intelligence at the city level”The Group to leverage manufacturing competitiveness and leading robotics capabilities centered on Boston Dynamics, while establishing a data flywheel system connecting real-world operational data with continuous AI model advancementThe Group to leverage strategic partnerships with global technology leaders, including NVIDIA and Waymo, as well as Boston Dynamics’ strategic partnership with Google DeepMindThe Group to collaborate with NVIDIA to develop a Robot Reference Platform that combines Hyundai Motor Group’s and NVIDIA’s Physical AI capabilities

… The initiative to support Korea’s Physical AI industry through an open ecosystem

The Group to cultivate strategic domestic hubs through investments in Saemangeum AI Valley and future advanced industries in Korea’s Yeongnam region

SAN FRANCISCO, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) Executive Chair Euisun Chung today outlined the Group’s vision and strategy for Physical AI at the San Francisco AI Summit held in San Francisco, California.

The event brought together approximately 150 attendees, including Executive Chair Chung, business leaders from major Korean companies, executives from leading U.S. technology firms, startup representatives and students.

At the summit, Executive Chair Chung presented the Group’s roadmap for advancing Physical AI and outlined strategic collaboration plans with global technology leaders.

“Hyundai Motor Group is evolving beyond the traditional boundaries of automotive manufacturing by expanding into autonomous driving, robotics and AI Defined Factories, accelerating our transformation into a Physical AI solution company.” — Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung

Accelerating the Transition to a Physical AI Solution Company

Hyundai Motor Group’s Physical AI vision extends beyond intelligent devices such as vehicles and robots to intelligent spaces, including AI factories where AI seamlessly connects and optimizes entire operations. Ultimately, the Group envisions integrated intelligence at the city level, where urban infrastructure is organically connected and operated through AI.

A key differentiator for the Group is its ability to create a data flywheel that continuously connects real-world operations with AI advancement. Drawing on extensive experience in large-scale manufacturing, mobility, robotics and service operations, the Group is positioned to deploy, refine and scale Physical AI technologies in real industrial environments.

Executive Chair Chung also outlined strategic partnerships with leading technology companies, including NVIDIA and Waymo, as well as Boston Dynamics’ strategic partnership with Google DeepMind, to further advance Physical AI capabilities.

By combining Hyundai Motor Group’s manufacturing competitiveness, mobility and robotics technologies and extensive operational data with the AI infrastructure and algorithm capabilities of global technology leaders, the Group aims to help foster a new innovation ecosystem for the Physical AI era.

Executive Chair Chung also introduced initiatives designed to support the growth of Korea’s robotics and AI ecosystem, including the development of a Robot Reference Platform with NVIDIA that combines Hyundai Motor Group’s and NVIDIA’s Physical AI capabilities, as well as investments in initiatives such as the Saemangeum AI Valley.

Physical AI Vision: From Intelligent Devices to Integrated Intelligence at the City Level

During the summit, Executive Chair Chung presented Hyundai Motor Group’s Physical AI vision.

“The ultimate Physical AI vision Hyundai Motor Group pursues begins with intelligent devices such as vehicles and robots, expands to intelligent spaces such as AI factories, and ultimately realizes integrated intelligence at the city level, where urban infrastructure is seamlessly connected and operated.” — Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung

The Group’s vision begins with intelligent devices, where AI capabilities enhance vehicles and robots. It then expands to intelligent spaces, including AI factories where AI autonomously integrates logistics, production and quality management across entire operations.

Ultimately, Hyundai Motor Group envisions city-level intelligence, where critical infrastructure and assets — including energy, mobility and robotics systems — are connected and optimized in real time.

Executive Chair Chung also highlighted the Group’s key strengths in realizing its Physical AI vision:

World-class manufacturing competitiveness: Hyundai Motor Group has built extensive expertise through decades of operating global manufacturing facilities, managing quality systems and optimizing supply chains. This foundation enables the Group to apply AI technologies to products, processes and services while rapidly validating and scaling innovations in real-world environments.Leading robotics capabilities: Hyundai Motor Group has established robotics as a key pillar of its future business portfolio. Boston Dynamics’ quadruped robot Spot®, logistics robot Stretch®, and Hyundai Motor Group Robotics LAB’s next-generation mobile robot platform MobED are recognized for combining technological competitiveness with real-world applicability.

In particular, the humanoid robot Atlas® is emerging as a representative example of Physical AI, supporting and collaborating with people across manufacturing, logistics and mobility environments.

Establishing a data flywheel system: Hyundai Motor Group is establishing a data flywheel system that leverages data generated across manufacturing operations, vehicles, logistics systems and robotics demonstrations to continuously advance AI models. Enhanced algorithms are then reapplied to real-world operations, creating a virtuous cycle that improves performance and strengthens Physical AI capabilities.

Accelerating the Future of Physical AI Through Partnerships with Global Tech Leaders

Executive Chair Chung also outlined concrete initiatives to position Hyundai Motor Group as a leader in human-centered Physical AI through strategic collaborations with NVIDIA and Waymo, as well as Boston Dynamics’ strategic partnership with Google DeepMind.

“By combining Hyundai Motor Group’s strengths in manufacturing, robotics and data with the capabilities of global technology leaders, we can help create a new innovation ecosystem for the Physical AI era.” — Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung

NVIDIA – Advancing Physical AI infrastructure and talent development

Hyundai Motor Group is expanding collaboration with NVIDIA to strengthen Physical AI infrastructure and cultivate AI talent. Building on a supply agreement for 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs and a memorandum of understanding signed last year to advance Korea’s Physical AI capabilities, the Group is pursuing a range of initiatives, including the establishment of Hyundai Motor Group Robot Application Center, as well as various collaborations aimed at strengthening Korea’s Physical AI infrastructure and AI talent ecosystem, including the NVIDIA’s AI Technology Center.

In manufacturing, the Group is leveraging NVIDIA’s platform to create more sophisticated digital twins of production facilities, enhancing process design, operational optimization and validation efficiency. The collaboration also includes the integration of NVIDIA’s autonomous driving solutions, including automotive semiconductors, sensors and architecture, with Hyundai Motor Group vehicle platforms.

Waymo – Strengthening autonomous driving collaboration

Hyundai Motor Group continues to strengthen its strategic partnership with Waymo in the autonomous driving sector to support the development of a safe and innovative autonomous driving ecosystem. Autonomous driving vehicles require a wide range of specialized capabilities, including redundant systems for steering, braking, power and communications, dedicated features such as power-operated doors, as well as enhanced functional safety and cybersecurity technologies.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to produce IONIQ 5 vehicles with specific autonomous-ready modifications at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia.

Google DeepMind – Accelerating next-generation humanoid robotics

Boston Dynamics has established a strategic partnership with Google DeepMind to accelerate the development of next-generation humanoid robots. Advanced AI models and training systems are essential for robots to perform complex tasks in real-world environments and collaborate effectively with people. Through this partnership, Boston Dynamics robots are expected to achieve greater autonomy and adapt more effectively to complex operating environments.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to establish a robot production facility in the U.S. with an annual capacity of up to 30,000 units by 2028. The Atlas humanoid robot will first be deployed at production facilities including HMGMA before broader deployment is expanded through phased validation.

Building an Open Ecosystem Through the Robot Reference Platform and Continued Investment in Korea’s Physical AI Future

Executive Chair Chung also outlined initiatives aimed at supporting the growth of Korea’s Physical AI ecosystem through open collaboration and continued investment.

“The outcomes of collaboration with global technology leaders should contribute to the growth of Korea’s Physical AI industry. To that end, Hyundai Motor Group plans to foster an open ecosystem that supports innovation in robotics and AI technologies.” — Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung

Key initiatives to build an open ecosystem for robotics and AI innovation include:

Robot Reference Platform: Hyundai Motor Group and NVIDIA are collaborating to develop a Robot Reference Platform that combines Hyundai Motor Group’s and NVIDIA’s Physical AI capabilities.

The platform will provide research robot models to universities, research institutes and startups, helping foster an open ecosystem that supports technological innovation and the development of Physical AI talent while contributing to the broader growth of Korea’s robotics and AI industries. 

Supporting universities, research institutes and startups: The Robot Reference Platform is expected to provide universities, research institutes and startups with a standardized hardware and software environment, enabling them to more easily develop and validate Physical AI technologies. The initiative aims to help address challenges faced by organizations with innovative ideas but limited access to commercialization opportunities and validation infrastructure.

Hyundai Motor Group is also continuing large-scale investments aimed at driving the next leap forward in Korea’s industrial and technology ecosystem. Continued investments in Korea’s industrial and technology ecosystem include:

Saemangeum AI Valley: In the Saemangeum region of Jeonbuk State, the Group is developing Saemangeum AI Valley, which includes an approximate KRW 9 trillion investment in AI data centers, robotics manufacturing clusters, electrolyzer plants and AI hydrogen city infrastructure. 

In particular, the robotics manufacturing cluster will serve not only as a production base for the Group’s own robotics products, but also as a robotics foundry that provides manufacturing services for small and medium-sized enterprises that lack manufacturing expertise.

Advanced industrial hubs in the Yeongnam region: Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest a total of KRW 42 trillion over the next decade to foster advanced industrial hubs focused on AI-driven manufacturing, future aerospace industries and sustainable energy infrastructure.

Through these initiatives, Hyundai Motor Group aims to strengthen key foundations for the Physical AI era, including data and energy infrastructure, robotics production capabilities and real-world validation capabilities. The Group also expects these investments to contribute to enhanced industrial competitiveness, balanced regional development, job creation and broader economic vitality in Korea.

About Hyundai Motor Group

Hyundai Motor Group is a global enterprise that has created a value chain based on mobility, steel, and construction, as well as logistics, finance, IT, and service. With about 250,000 employees worldwide, the Group’s mobility brands include Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Armed with creative thinking, cooperative communication, and the will to take on any challenges, we strive to create a better future for all.

More information about Hyundai Motor Group can be found at: http://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai, Kia Global Newsroom, Genesis Newsroom

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SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company

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