Georgia Institute of Technology

Global Collaboration, Technological Innovation

Wed, 12/01/2010 - 8:00pm

Yves Berthelot, vice provost and president of Georgia
Tech-Lorraine; Georgia Tech President G.P. "Bud" Peterson;
Jean Yves Le Deaut, member of the French Parliament and vice
president of the Region of Lorraine; Francois Lavergne, vice
president of the General Council of Moselle; Jean Luc Bohl,
president of the Metz Metropole.

Twenty years ago, Georgia Tech began its expansion abroad, creating a new branch campus in Metz, located in the French region of Lorraine. That experiment has proven extraordinarily fruitful: it has given our students an immersive international educational experience, it has fostered new research partnerships and it has enhanced our reputation as a global university.

Georgia Tech-Lorraine has transitioned from an international outpost into a thriving research and educational hub, and I’m pleased to say it is still growing. Starting this week, we joined with the Consulate General of France to host "France-Atlanta 2010: Together Toward Innovation” – a two-week series of scientific symposia, business workshops, and cultural events. It is our hope that exchanges such as these serve to unite the top minds of our respective countries in addressing pressing global concerns in health, energy and humanitarian aid.

One of the major announcements is the creation of the Lafayette Institute, an innovation hub that will expand our European campus and provide the region with a new resource center for industry and academic research. French authorities have pledged more than $30 million in financing for the Lafayette Institute, which will serve to bridge research and industry through an array of technology transfer and commercialization services.

In our new strategic plan, we state we will look for avenues to “extend and leverage Georgia Tech’s impact around the globe.” The Lafayette Institute is a prime example of global collaboration promoting technological innovation. By providing our industrial partners and academic research laboratories access to state-of-the-art facilities, we will be creating an environment where global challenges can be addressed.

The France-Atlanta activities align perfectly with our strategic goals. We look forward to engaging with our friends in France in the pursuit of new solutions and possibilities, as well as celebrating the best of our respective cultures.