Purdue launches partnership with Greek universities and business chamber, deepens collaboration with European semiconductor hub in Belgium

On May 30 and 31 in Athens, Greece, Purdue President Mung Chiang was joined by his counterparts at National Technical University of Athens, National and Kapodistrian University, Democritus University of Thrace, and the University of Patras to finalize the agreements that will create vital academic, research and innovation collaboration among the partners and study abroad opportunities for Purdue students.

Chiang and Purdue colleagues also met with Purdue alumni and friends and with the U.S. ambassador to Greece, continuing to strengthen relationships between the U.S. and Greece.

“We enthusiastically look forward to fruitful partnership with four leading research universities in Greece, where there is a strong heritage of classical education,” Chiang said. “These vibrant relations are about seizing opportunities for research collaboration, opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in both countries, and opportunities for broadening Purdue’s PhD student pipelines.”

The partners are in discussions about joint academic and research programs related to physics, computer science, electrical engineering and biological sciences. These programs also train students in key areas to contribute to workforce development.

“We can cast a broad net, so to speak, to ensure we can leverage as many partnerships as possible across the country that would be a good fit with Purdue departments, Purdue initiatives and, of course, faculty and students,” said Peristera Paschou, professor of biological sciences and associate dean for graduate education and strategic initiatives in Purdue’s College of Science. “We are discussing research collaborations, and we also are discussing the potential design of dual academic offerings, programs that will create a bridge that connects universities in Greece to our programs here at Purdue.”

Paschou, who earned her PhD from National University of Athens in 2002, has been a faculty member in Purdue’s Department of Biological Sciences since 2016. Other members of the Purdue delegation included Petros Drineas, associate head of the Department of Computer Science; Dimitrios Peroulis, electrical and computer engineering professor; Lefteri Tsoukalas, nuclear engineering professor; Pavlos Vlachos, healthcare engineering professor; and Alyssa Wilcox, senior vice president for partnerships.

In addition to the academic partnerships, Chiang also signed an MOU with the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, which has a membership of 750 companies throughout Greece. “The intent is for Purdue to offer training for workforce development in Greece and also draw expertise from Greek companies and industry to partner with our faculty here at Purdue and pursue research and innovation,” Paschou said.

Following the visit to Greece, Chiang and Purdue colleagues visited Brussels and Leuven in Belgium, meeting with imec CEO Luc Van den hove and the leadership team at imec headquarters to discuss the cornerstone partnership for semiconductor research and development collaboration announced in May in Washington, D.C.

Chiang along with David Roberts, CEO of Applied Research Institute for the state of Indiana, then met with the Minister-President of the Flemish government, Jan Jambon; former Belgian Ambassador to EU and the U.S., Dirk Wouters; and chair of the Committee on Budgets of the European Parliament, Johan Van Overtveldt, in Brussels.

“We are excited to accelerate and expand the partnership with imec, which has the most successful model of semiconductor university-industry collaboration,” Chiang said. “We also enjoyed a wide range of door-opening discussion of energy, transportation and pharmaceutical innovation collaboration with leaders of Belgium and EU. Purdue University is the new bridge between Europe and America’s Silicon Heartland.”

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