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Innovation

November 10, 2008 | Year 3 | Number 30

 

A way of life

By Jaime Parada

Jaime Parada

Brazil is much more than soccer and samba; it is the sixth economy in the world and one of the most important in Latin America.  The State of São Paulo stands out within the Brazilian scenario and, just like Nuevo Leon in Mexico, it has become a real “locomotive” for the economic and social development of Brazil.

The magnitude of its economy, its highly qualified workforce, its strategic location, and its access to international markets offer an atmosphere that favors the establishment of businesses that produce a wide range of high-quality industrial products.  In this context, São Paulo represents the most interesting place for collaboration with Nuevo Leon, within the framework of international cooperation programs.

The Monterrey, International City of Knowledge program, with its international and global focus, is working on the creation of strategic synergies and alliances with entities and economies similar to ours, in the areas of economy, science, and culture.

During a tour of the State of São Paulo, the Governor Jose Natividad Gonzalez-Paras signed a Collaboration Agreement with his Brazilian counterpart, Jose Serra, which includes technical and market elements that facilitate the decision making process for businesses that want to participate with the Brazilian State within this collaborative framework.

In the context of this scenario, other agreements of various types were also signed, and state initiatives were mapped in the fields of innovation, social sciences, and economy that will enable us to plan joint projects together with institutions from both states.

Other meetings were held to define the coordination and consolidation mechanisms for a work agenda to be executed with institutions like the Armando Alvarez Penteado Foundation, the Foundation for the Support of Scientific Research and Development of the State of São Paulo, the Innovation Agency of the public university, the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo, and the Center for Incubation of Technological Businesses.

Important synergies were also initiated with academic institutions and business organisms as we moved forward towards our cooperation goal.  Science, technology, humanities, and commercial relations are now the center of the strategic axis to improve the efficiency of the States of Nuevo Leon and São Paulo.

 

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NUEVO LEON AND SÃO PAULO
GREATER AGREEMENTS

Economy, Science, and Culture are the strategic axis created by authorities from Nuevo Leon and São Paulo for the purpose of carrying out joint projects

Confirming it through a memorandum of understanding, the states of Nuevo Leon and São Paulo will carry out common interest projects, favoring investments, scientific and technological research, innovation, and humanistic activities for the purpose of improving competitiveness.

The agreements between these states will facilitate commercial collaboration of small and medium-sized businesses, with the participation of other states, organizations, and associations within a scheme of international cooperation.

The State Governor, Jose Natividad Gonzalez-Paras, led the delegation integrated by businessmen and businesswomen and academicians who visited the State of São Paulo in October 27-29.

The Governor of the State of São Paulo, Jose Serra, received Gonzalez-Paras and together signed the Collaboration Agreement between the two states.

The fruits of this trip include facilitating the exchange of information and publications regarding commercial relations in strict compliance with applicable laws in this field.

Worth mentioning are the proposals for investments in local, economic, political, and social development projects, as well as in advanced formation of innovation and bioenergy, within a triple helix scheme.

In São Paulo, the delegation from Nuevo Leon visited the Armando Alvarez Penteado Foundation (FAAP), which offers technical formation and graduate programs.  While there, Governor Gonzalez Paras presented the lecture titled “Nuevo Leon in the Field of Globalization and the New International Relations.”
A meeting took place in San Jose Dos Campos with executives from Aeronautica Embraer, where the possibility of establishing a network of suppliers in the State came up.

Guests from Nuevo Leon visited the Cervantes Institute of São Paulo, where reissuing the “Monterrey, Correo Literario” [Monterrey, Literary Mail] magazine was proposed.  This magazine was originally published 80 years ago by Alfonso Reyes.  They also met with members of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo, of the Foundation for the Support of Scientific Research and Development, universities and of other institutions engaged in innovation.

The State Governor, Jose Natividad Gonzalez-Paras, and Jose Serra, Governor of the State of São Paulo, sign the collaboration agreement.The State Governor, Jose Natividad Gonzalez-Paras, and Jose Serra, Governor of the State of São Paulo, sign the collaboration agreement.

 

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ESTABLISHING INNOVATION LINKS WITH SÃO PAULO

The Scientific and Technological Cooperation Agreement was signed for the purpose of creating alliances and exchange good practices between the Innovation and Technology Transfer Institute and the Foundation for the Support of Scientific Research and Development of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP).  This Agreement will help to increase the implementation of high-level, joint projects that are linked to the Monterrey, International City of Knowledge project.

In the presence of the State Governor, Jose Natividad Gonzalez-Paras, who acted as honor witness, Dr. Jaime Parada-Avila and Dr. Carlos Alberto Vogot signed the Collaboration Agreement.  The director of the organism, Dr. Carlos Laufer, was also present.

Parada-Avila pointed out that the objective of the agreement is to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge between the states of São Paulo and Nuevo Leon, and is subject to the scientific policy adopted by both countries.  This agreement promotes research between scientists and engineers from both states and includes visits, scientific workshops and seminars directed by research groups in both countries.

The agreement emphasizes the exchange of best practices for the administration of scientific and technological parks, as well as the documentation for the registration and licensing of patents in academic institutions and their transfer to the market.

Other actions in the agreement support collaborative research and, for that purpose, the I2T2 and the FAPESP will receive proposals that will be analyzed based on their own validation criteria and standards.

Signing of the Scientific and Technological Collaboration Agreement.Signing of the Scientific and Technological Collaboration Agreement.

 

THE BRAZILIAN LOCOMOTIVE

  • The State of São Paulo is the largest industrial, commercial, and financial center in Latin America.  Its capital is a multicultural and plurilingual mega city.  Its inhabitants, known as Paulists, have a reputation of being hard working and energetic people; there are almost 20 million people living in the capital city.

  • Its GNP of 383 billion dollars represents 33% of Brazil’s GNP.  The income per capita is more than twice the national average; equivalent to the combined value of Chile and Argentina.

  • If it were separated from Brazil, the State of São Paulo would be the third most important economy in Latin America.

  • São Paulo has more than one third of Brazil’s buying power.

  • The urbanization level of the State is 93%.

  • São Paulo concentrates 37% of Brazil’s commercial trade with the world and 52% of its mail.

  • It is the largest consumer market in the country.

  • São Paulo contributes with more than 50% of Brazil’s internal revenue.

  • 12 of the 30 most important corporations of Brazil have their headquarters in São Paulo.

  • 40% of the country’s industrial production takes places in the following São Paulo cities: Campinas, São Jose de Campos, São Carlos, and Ribeirão Preto.

  • Embraer, the aeronautics corporation with 23,000 employees worldwide and US$4.517 billion in sales, has its headquarters here.

  • It has 520 technical and higher education institutions and scientific and technological research centers; 36 universities (2 federal, 3 state, 1 municipal, and 30 private), with more than 300,000 students.

 

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CREATING A CULTURAL AND ACADEMIC BRIDGE

The love Alfonso Reyes had for his native city, as expressed in “Monterrey, Correo Literario” [Monterrey, Literary Mail] and published during his diplomatic mission to Brazil between 1930-37, was published again in a facsimile edition as the result of the collaborative effort of the Government of Nuevo Leon, Nuevo Leon State University, and universities from Brazil and São Paulo.  In addition to this, an economy research group will be established by Nuevo Leon State University and the University of São Paulo, for the purpose of creating useful information for the governments and businesses of both countries, explained Dr. Carlos Medina de la Garza, Director of International Relations at Nuevo Leon State University.

The objective is to go into greater depths in the exchange of pertinent scientific information, as well as in social sciences and humanities in order to strengthen the existing academic and research links between universities of Nuevo Leon and universities of São Paulo.

There is a project centered around the universal figure of this Regiomontano (a man from Monterrey), which is the creation of the Monterrey Tech Alfonso Reyes Chair in the University of São Paulo, according to an announcement made by Suley Vilela, the University’s President, during a meeting with the Mexican delegation.
Medina de la Garza praised the excellence of the public universities in São Paulo, and mentioned other outstanding research projects related to bioenergy, aeronautics, and the Observatory of the Institute for Advanced Studies, with the participation of Dr. Cesar Ades, Dr. Glauco Garbix, and Dr. Mario Salerno from São Paulo, and Dr. Daniel Flores and Dr. Erick Rangel from the UANL.
He mentioned that the exchange of experiences and transfer of knowledge took place through Dr. Oswaldo Massambani, Director of the Innovation Agency of the University of São Paulo and Vice President of the Center for Incubation of Technological Businesses of Brazil.
Medina de la Garza pointed out that, in addition to the signed agreement, a student mobility program will be launched in the near future.  “In general,” he said, “we are working on useful projects that will meet the needs of communities in both countries.

Carlos Medina de la Garza and Suley Vilela, President of USP. Carlos Medina de la Garza and Suley Vilela, President of USP.

 

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Monterrey, International City of Knowledge: an alliance of the government, universities,

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