The Canon Foundation for Scientific Research provides support for scientists and academics from developing countries in the scientific and engineering fields in order to promote technology and knowledge transfer, and improve industrial and social infrastructure and capability.

The world faces significant challenges because of climate change, population growth and rapid industrialisation. Science and engineering have an essential part to play in helping to overcome these problems, and it is important that available talent and expertise is developed and used, no matter where it may come from. This is particularly true in developing countries, where scientists and engineers may lack the resources to participate fully in international networks. This is a problem for them as individuals, for their home countries and for the international scientific community. We think that we cannot afford to lose such scarce resources when the challenges that we all face are so severe.

The Canon Foundation for Scientific Research (CFSR) was established at the start of the new millennium to promote the progress of science and technology in developing countries. We award grants for research and study projects, equipment and conference attendance to outstanding individuals from developing countries. We hope that this will enhance technology transfer and help industrial and social frameworks that will improve human welfare.

CFSR was named after the 'al-Qanum', Ibn Sina's famous encyclopedia of medicine. Over 1000 years ago, Ibn Sina also made vital contributions to mathematics, physics and the understanding of their importance for people's lives. For instance, he successfully explained the casting of nines and its application to the verification of squares and cubes and focused on the study of different forms of energy and concepts such as force, vacuum and infinity. He also proposed that the speed of light must be finite and found links between time and motion.