The University of Surrey in New Deal With Universidade de Sao Paulo in Brazil

GUILDFORD, England - The University of Surrey has signed an important new partnership
arrangement with the Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil, which is the
latest step in a bold internationalisation strategy to build a Global
Partnership Network (GPN) between universities across the world. The GPN will
be characterised by in-depth, research-led collaboration and offer through
its connections, heightened flexibility and responsiveness to opportunity.

USP is the third institution to join the partnership following North
Carolina State University. The latest agreement centres around five research
clusters: tourism, bioscience, chemistry, mathematics and energy. With Banco
de Santander/Abbey funding, the University of Surrey will also actively
support student and faculty travel to USP, four USP postgraduate taught
students on study programmes at their Guildford campus and offer Portuguese
language tuition for students and faculty to prepare them for short
programmes.

The Universidade de Sao Paulo is Brazil’s pre-eminent university and with
86,000 students and 15,000 staff it dwarfs most British universities. It has
enormous reach and influence in Latin America and the partnership opens up
opportunities for a new world of meaningful connections between students,
academic staff and the many companies associated with each area. “We are
delighted that of all the universities in the UK, USP has chosen to partner
with us because of our record in delivering research that makes a social and
economic impact”, says Professor Colin Grant, Dean of International Relations
at the University of Surrey.

USP recognises the complementary nature of the strengths between the
institutions in the network and is confident that partnership will serve to
enrich the capabilities of each partner. Professor Oswaldo Massambani of USP
says, “We’re interested in collaborative development and the transfer of
courses between the partners, but a big attraction is the potential for joint
research programmes and associated entrepreneurial activities, including the
promotion of international technology transfer.”

The aim of the GPN is to add a small number of partners of world renown
in research and education. Surrey has recently signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with Seoul National University and is in advanced negotiations
with a university in China. “There are signs”, says Professor Nigel Seaton,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey, “that we are entering an
age of the ‘new multilateralism’. The GPN is very much a part of that and
Surrey’s commitment to ‘deep internationalisation’ means achieving effective
global reach across the continents. It’s a commitment we are utterly
determined to deliver on.”

Notes to Editors

The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional,
scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile
and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking
research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life
- helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements
in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment,
communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and
technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing
programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and
law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford,
Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park, which
provides facilities for 140 companies employing 2,700 staff.

The Sunday Times names Surrey as ‘The University for Jobs’ which
underlines the university’s growing reputation for providing high quality,
relevant degrees.

Media enquiries: Madeleine McGowan, Press Office at the University of
Surrey, Tel: +44-(0)1483-689314 or E-mail: m.mcgowan@surrey.ac.uk

Source: The University of Surrey

Media enquiries: Madeleine McGowan, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44-(0)1483-689314 or E-mail: m.mcgowan at surrey.ac.uk