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FAPESP signs agreement with Canadian universities Versão em português
Cooperative agreement with universities in Toronto and Western Ontario to include a call for research proposals and encourage collaboration between Brazilian and Canadian scientists in all fields of research (photo: Un.Toronto)
FAPESP has signed an agreement on scientific and academic cooperation with the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario, both located in the province of Ontario, Canada.
The agreement, signed on March 30th by FAPESP President Celso Lafer, University of Toronto President Paul Young, and University of Western Ontario Vice President for Research and International Relations Ted Hewitt, will promote and support collaborative research projects involving researchers at institutions of higher education and research located in the state of São Paulo and the province of Ontario.
A total of $200,000 Canadian dollars (approximately $330,000 reals) will be invested in the collaboration. FAPESP will contribute half of the total funding amount, the other half being divided between the two Canadian universities.
According to Lafer, the agreement represents yet another FAPESP effort to strengthen international ties. “The [agreements with the] University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario are part of a broader process that is creating opportunities for researchers in the state of São Paulo to collaborate and interact with researchers at those two universities,” he told FAPESP News.
Representatives of the two Canadian universities also consider this to be a groundbreaking initiative. “This is a great opportunity for us, because it will promote collaboration among researchers in all fields of study,” Hewitt said.
Hewitt also noted that there is currently little opportunity for collaboration between Brazilian and Canadian researchers. He hopes that the call for proposals, along with other planned initiatives, will encourage joint research projects between the two countries.
“I believe that the agreement will result in the development of projects that are broader and more scientifically meritorious. That will benefit not only Brazil and Canada but the rest of the world as well,” Hewitt said.
Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto is the largest university in Canada and is internationally recognized for excellence in research and teaching. According to the Times Higher Education Supplement, it ranks among the top 16 schools worldwide in all fields of knowledge, a distinction shared by only four other universities.
The University of Toronto has five campuses and institutes, with more than 2,500 professors and 65,000 students, as well as 6,500 foreign students.
The University of Western Ontario was founded in 1878. It employs approximately 3,500 professors and researchers and has 30,000 students enrolled in over 400 undergraduate, graduate, and specialized courses.
More information about the agreement: www.fapesp.br/en/6192