São Paulo – Strengthening scientific and technological cooperation between Italy and Brazil, consolidating networks with universities and, above all, intensifying ties with Brazil's industrial and business community. These are the goals of a new agreement signed on August 31 in São Paulo during an institutional mission by a delegation from the Polytechnic University of Turin, with the support of the Italian Embassy and the Consulate General in São Paulo. The Memorandum of Understanding represents the first strategic step toward establishing the PoliTo Hub in Brazil, one of the first Italian hubs in the country with a focus on technology and scientific research. The project also includes the creation of a research center designed as a space for cooperation among universities, research institutions and innovation ecosystems in both countries. The agreement was signed by the Polytechnic University of Turin, the Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (IPT) and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), one of Brazil's leading public agencies for funding scientific research. The signing ceremony was attended by university rectors, presidents and representatives of the state's leading research centers, including IPT president Anderson Ribeiro Correia and FAPESP president Marco Antonio Zago. The new project will join the international network of hubs and campuses already established by the Polytechnic University of Turin in Baku, Azerbaijan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; and Tokyo, Japan, alongside long-standing cooperation initiatives in China and several other countries. “Today's signing represents an important step in the international strategy of the Polytechnic University of Turin and strengthens our commitment to Latin America, a region with which we intend to develop increasingly structured relations in education and research, but above all with the business community,” said Stefano Corgnati, rector of the Polytechnic University of Turin. “In this context, the state of São Paulo, given its key role as a cultural and economic hub of the country, is a crucial partner. The mission has a dual objective: to consolidate existing partnerships and, above all, strengthen dialogue with the productive sector. We want to make the Hub an innovative and open space where universities and companies can develop new projects, making our university's technical and scientific expertise available to turn research into tangible innovation for the region.” In addition to traditional educational activities, the Hub will promote applied research, technology transfer and international mobility. It will provide a permanent presence aimed at attracting talent and developing new Double Degree and Summer School programs, in close cooperation with universities, companies and institutions. “The signing of this agreement confirms and strengthens Turin's vocation as a university and innovation hub,” said Turin Mayor Stefano Lo Russo. “It is part of the broader effort by the City of Turin and the Polytechnic University to strengthen international networks as part of their internationalization strategy, with the aim of promoting not only cultural exchanges, but also economic and industrial cooperation, through joint development projects, academic education and research.” Italy's Ambassador to Brazil, Alessandro Cortese, welcomed the agreement. “The creation of a cutting-edge academic hub of the Polytechnic University of Turin in the São Paulo area is an important building block in the further development of academic and research relations between the two countries and, looking ahead, could also drive the growth of economic and trade ties,” Ambassador Cortese said. “Brazil is a rapidly growing country with a young population that offers major opportunities for Italy across many sectors,” he added, “also thanks to the historic presence in Brazil of more than 30 million people of Italian descent, which has always made relations between the two countries particularly special.” (9colonne)