The creation of the USP-China Center was approved by the University Council on May 21st.

Published: 21/05/2024 Updated: 23/05/2024 at 11:29 Text by: Adriana Cruz

The University Council approved, during a meeting held on May 21st, the establishment of the USP-China Center, which will be directly linked to the Rectorate and will centralize collaboration efforts between the University and various Chinese institutions.

“This new center is part of USP’s in-house internationalization efforts, with the creation of several international centers in different campuses of the University, including the Pasteur Institute, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), and the International Center for Planetary Health with the Max Planck Institute. With the creation of the USP-China Center and other international research centers, USP consolidates itself as the reference axis in scientific research and innovation in Latin America,” emphasized Rector Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior.

The establishment of the USP-China Center is the result of the first visit of a USP rector to China, which took place in November 2023 and represented a significant milestone in the academic relations between the two countries, celebrating 50 years of diplomatic collaboration in 2024.

“Until now, with a few exceptions, USP’s collaborations with China have occurred through specific cooperation agreements, coordinated from specific units, and did not constitute a strategic action by the University. The new Center aims to centralize these actions, encouraging USP’s collaboration with universities and research centers in China,” explained Carlotti.

Based on previous collaboration experiences and discussions with Chinese partners during the USP delegation’s visit to Beijing and Shanghai, four thematic axes were defined for the center’s activities: Agricultural Sciences; Geosciences and Environment; Health Sciences; and Languages, Film, Design, and Architecture.

The themes of sustainability, big data, and artificial intelligence will be cross-cutting across all axes, guiding joint activities for coordinated actions involving transdisciplinary teams from different USP units and Chinese institutions.