Wake Forest University and the University of Strasbourg sign a letter of intent in the first stage of an international collaboration agreement
Newswise – WINSTON-SALEM, NC – March 15, 2022 – The start of a “first of its kind” agreement between the University of Strasbourg in France and the University of Wake Forest took place recently in Wake Downtown in the district of innovation.
The leaders of Wake Forest University and the University of Strasbourg, two academic institutions that share the same approach to teaching, Pro Humanity, “For Humanity” signed a Letter of Intent on Friday, March 11 that allows universities to explore opportunities to engage in education and research collaborations, with Wake Forest School of Medicine and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
This is the first time that the University of Strasbourg has participated in this type of academic collaboration, with a university in the United States, since its creation more than 400 years ago, in 1621.
During the tour of the innovation district, the President of the University of Strasbourg, Michel Deneken, received an overview of the iQ, visited the Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education at Wake Forest School of Medicine and seen the latest in simulated surgical training, medical robotics, and regenerative medicine research. He said he was impressed by what he saw.
“It’s my first trip to the United States and what I’ve seen here is a contrast to my country. It means very ambitious programs and big, huge buildings. It’s very amazing,” Deneken said. see that we can have very committed actions because here I have found excellence in robotics and simulators, which are very important in my university. I am happy that this great university here is now an excellent partner.
During a meeting, which included Susan Wente, Ph.D., President of Wake Forest University, Rogan Kersh, Ph.D., Provost of Wake Forest University, Julie Freischlag, MD, Dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, CEO of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Academic Director of Atrium Health, and Mary Hall, MD, Senior Vice President and Senior Associate Dean of Education and Faculty Affairs at Atrium Health, the leaders shared information and asked questions about their respective institutions, their governance, their students and the potential of this company.
“It’s a great opportunity for what I would call radical collaboration,” Wente said. “Between our two universities and our multiple institutions, we can focus together on the future, on the future of education, research, healthcare and how to provide the best for all of our societies, not only in Winston-Salem and Charlotte, but, through the collaboration, around the world.
Freischlag was intrigued by the possibilities available to us.
“It was really exciting to have our visitors here from the University of Strasbourg in France,” said Freischlag. “It’s great to see the partnership we could do not just in undergraduate education, but in science discovery, working with the medical school and the innovation district. I can see that’s really going to help us accelerate this research corridor from Winston-Salem to Charlotte.
The catalyst for the visit and meeting was the new relationship between Atrium Santé and IRCAD who is based in France. IRCAD is a minimally invasive surgery training center which trains more than 7,200 surgeons from all over the world every year, in all specialties. The president of IRCAD also maintains relations with the University of Strasbourg and the rapprochement with Wake Forest University has been made.
The next step is for the two universities and the School of Medicine to begin discussions about what an agreement would include. This will be decided over the next few months and will result in the signing of an International Collaboration Agreement, or ICA.