Scientific co-operation between Israel and Britain has been strengthened with the signing of an agreement between two leading research organistions.

The Royal Society and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities will collaborate on a five-year exchange programme to build relationships between Israeli and British researchers.

A series of symposia and workshops will be held and five Royal Society fellowships created and named in honour of the Kohn Foundation, which is funding the programme.

The Israel Academy will also offer several fellowships to British researchers wanting to work in Israel.

The Academy's president, Professor Ruth Arnon, said the deal recognised the high level of co-operation between Israel and the UK, countries which shared "scientific excellence".

"The agreement serves as a clear statement in support of the unfettered exchange of ideas," she said.

Royal Society president, Sir Paul Nurse, said the agreement would allow the best researchers to work in Britain and would contribute to the country's culture and economy.