Lyon and São Paulo: longstanding and future cooperation

Presidents of FAPESP and of the University of Lyon highlight during the opening of FAPESP Week France the importance of research collaboration between scientists from the French region and the State of São Paulo.

By Heitor Shimizu, in Lyon  |  Agência FAPESP – “The realization of FAPESP Week France at the University of Lyon represents the consecration of a longstanding collaboration with institutions from the State of São Paulo,” said Jacques Comby, president of the Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University at the opening of FAPESP Week France this Thursday (11/21) in Lyon.

“This is the first time that FAPESP Week is being held in France, which is a strong indication of the importance of the scientific collaboration between São Paulo and Lyon, since such event is bringing together renowned scientists from both regions in presentations of research results and in discussions that will enable future collaborations to be established as well as reinforcing existing ones,” said Comby, who is also vice-president of International Strategy at the University of Lyon.

“And that is not merely a coincidence, as the University of Lyon has longstanding cooperation with institutions in the State of São Paulo, which has increased significantly in the last decade, with collaborations in various areas, most notably Health and Human Sciences,” said Comby.

Speaking next at the opening of the event, Marco Antonio Zago, president of FAPESP, also highlighted the relationship between Lyon and São Paulo.

“The universities in the State of São Paulo have a longstanding tradition of collaborating with institutions in the Lyon region, whether through student and researcher exchanges or, for example, with the double diploma in Law, which has long been promoted by the administrative director of FAPESP, Fernando Menezes [double diploma program of the University of São Paulo Law School with the universities of the University of Lyon group].

Zago noted the importance of events such as FAPESP Week, which is part of FAPESP’s strategy for strengthening international research cooperation. “It represents an excellent opportunity for scientists with research funded by FAPESP to find collaborators or potential collaborators in Lyon and Paris, reinforcing the research partnership between the State of São Paulo and France, which takes various forms,” he said.

“FAPESP supports, for example, international collaboration in collaborative research projects that involve researchers or research centers in the State of São Paulo. FAPESP also supports researchers coming from other countries to take part in scientific life in the State of São Paulo. And it also encourages attracting young researchers who wish to pursue a career in institutions in São Paulo,” said Zago.

The president of FAPESP then spoke about the São Paulo science and technology system.

“The State of São Paulo has a strong and well-established science system. Although the state occupies only 3% of the area of Brazil, it produces half of the science in the country and researchers in São Paulo produce more scientific articles than any other country in Latin America. Besides the volume, the science produced in São Paulo stands out for the significant participation of companies and the private sector, both in terms of investment and number of researchers. Out of the around US$ 14 billion (PPP) invested in research and development in the State of São Paulo in 2018, 55% came from the private sector. Another important point regarding science in São Paulo is the stability, where the state constitution and laws protect science, technology, and higher education, by guaranteeing the funds for FAPESP and the state public universities,” said Zago.  

Lyon

Lyon is the third largest city in France, with 513,000 inhabitants and 2.2 million in its metropolitan area. Located in the central part of the east of the country, 470 kilometers from Paris, Lyon is a sister city of São Paulo and an important financial and industrial center (especially in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology). The city houses the headquarters of Interpol, Euronews, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In 2014, Lyon was ranked 19th in the world and second in France for innovation. 

The University of Lyon unites 12 member institutions and 25 associated ones, with around 140,000 students, of which 20,000 are from other countries. The University of Lyon covers three main universities, all of which are public: Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lumière Lyon 2, and Jean Moulin Lyon 3. The University of Lyon has 172 laboratories and 6,800 researchers, who mainly act in five areas: Health and Biological Sciences; Humanities; Chemistry; Engineering; and Digital Technology.

The University of Lyon has an integrated research and training platform that brings together 10 universities in five regions that are considered strategic: Canada, China, Europe, Japan, and Brazil.

The Brazilian partner university is the University of São Paulo. In September, a delegation led by the rector Vahan Agopyan was in Lyon to reinforce the ties established based on an agreement signed by the institutions in November of 2018. USP and the University of Lyon launched a call for proposals to support ambitious and innovative research projects. Six projects have already been chosen.

FAPESP Week France

France is one of the main international research partners in projects supported by FAPESP. The Foundation has cooperation agreements with 15 funding agencies, universities, research institutions, and French companies. More than 120 research projects have been approved through these agreements.

To celebrate the partnership and encourage new collaborations in a variety of areas of knowledge, FAPESP Week France is taking place from November 21st to 27th of 2019 in the cities of Lyon and Paris.

The symposium is being held until November 22nd at the University of Lyon, with the presentation of studies on the topics “Machine Learning and Data Science,” “Photonics,” “Atmosphere and Health,” “Particle Drift and Propulsion in Turbulent Flows,” “Philosophy,” “Urban Questions (Risks, Infrastructure, and Social Movements),” and “Insects, Control, Diseases, Environment, and Economic Impact.”

From November 25th to 27th, FAPESP Week France will be held at the University of Paris, with the topics “Amazon and Research on Climate,” “Psychology and Psychoanalysis,” “Earth Studies,” “Migration, Urban Mobility, and Urban Social Questions,” “Life Sciences,” and “Nanomaterials and Bionanomaterials.”

The presentations will be given by scientists from both French universities and from universities and research institutes in the State of São Paulo. In Lyon and Paris, roundtables will also be held to debate funding and international research collaboration strategies. 

FAPESP Week France is an open and free event. Inscriptions and more information about the event: www.fapesp.br/week2019/france.