UBC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Basque Institute of Competitiveness – Orkestra. Pictured are Roger Sugden, Dean, Faculty of Management; Deborah Buszard, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UBC’s Okanagan campus; Mari Jose Aranguren, General Director, Orkestra and Ibon Gil de San Vicente, Deputy General Director, Orkestra.
UBC has signed the first of several memoranda of understanding with key European institutions for increased collaboration in research, visits by faculty and students and the sharing of information and scientific materials. The first agreement with the Basque Institute of Competitiveness – Orkestra was signed by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Deborah Buszard and Dean of the Faculty of Management Roger Sugden on behalf of UBC, and Director-General Mari Jose Aranguren and Deputy Director-General Ibon Gil de San Vicente on behalf of Orkestra.
Buszard was delighted with Monday’s visit to San Sebastián and the possibilities that a close collaboration with Orkestra will bring.
“When we look at regional economic development, I cannot think of a better partner than Orkestra,” said Buszard. “For the past nine years Orkestra has helped the Basque regional government, municipalities and industry make fact-based decisions and have developed great models for analyzing and gathering critical data. We are very pleased to have Orkestra as a partner.”
Mari José Aranguren, Orkestra’s Director-General, said the institution looks forward to deepening its emergent relationship with UBC in a number of areas, working together to play key roles in the economic development of both regions.
“As a research institute committed to conducting leading research that is relevant for the competitiveness of the Basque region, we have identified enormous scope for mutual learning with UBC, related in particular to the commitment of UBC to socioeconomic development in the Okanagan region,” said Aranguren.
“This agreement creates a framework to work closely together in reflecting on the role and impacts of academic research in our respective regions, to develop specific research projects related to innovation, entrepreneurship and territorial development, and to collaborate on teaching activities in these areas."
This week UBC is also signing a series of agreements with Imperial College London; the University of Barcelona; and Kedge Business School in Bordeaux.
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