Cooperation agreement between the University of Toulouse and University of Groningen/Campus Fryslân

The University of Toulouse (UT) and the University of Groningen/Campus Fryslân (UG/CF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Juli 4^th 2017. The agreement builds on a history of cooperation with faculty at both institutions, namely Pascal Gaillard (Director of the Center for Human and Social Sciences, Toulouse) and his team, and Matt Coler (Program Manager and Assistant Professor, UG/CF), who work on a number of interdisciplinary projects though their shared French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) affiliation. With the agreement, both organizations strive to strengthen their international cooperation along shared areas of interest. UT is a top ten university in France, and a top 300 university worldwide.

UG/CF Dean Prof. Jouke de Vries, is pleased with the agreement. "The collaboration with a respected institute like the University of Toulouse will be a great way to connect science and innovation initiatives in Fryslân with those in Toulouse, and vice-versa. "

The motivation for cooperation isn't only to develop an international network in Leeuwarden, but also for the research institutions to apply for grants, host joint seminars and workshops, and exchange PhD students. Also on the radar is the possibility for co-financed doctoral students, who work between both universities. Collaboration will be further strengthened by the motivation of Campus Fryslân and the UT to elaborate pilots in cooperation with private sector partners, promoting the contributions of scientific research to applied "real world" questions, with Campus Fryslân as partner or subcontractor.

The MOU will promote collaboration on projects aligned with the Frisian Flagships, the thematic topics that characterize research at the Graduate School of Campus Fryslân. At the top of the list are Big Data, health monitoring, serious games, and sister Living Labs. Notably, cooperation with the UT will allow for researchers at UG/CF to make use of the cutting-edge simulators, laboratories, scientific instruments, and the world-renowned expertise there. This will be a significant asset for the newest faculty of the University of Groningen.

The Franco-Dutch agreement responds to the internationalization ambitions of the 11th faculty of the University of Groningen and indicates the international appeal of unique interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary characteristics of the Campus Fryslân.