MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil deepens technology cooperation with Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dilma Rousseff and MIT president Susan Hockfield

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff on Tuesday launched an initiative to deepen ties with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After meeting Monday at the White House with President Barack Obama, Rousseff continued her short visit to the United States with meetings in the Boston area where MIT is based.

“For Brazil it's very important what we are doing here,” she said in an appearance with MIT president Susan Hockfield to announce an education initiative she said will be sure to grow further.

“I want to express our enormous enthusiasm for the doors we are opening today for a new era,” added Hockfield before the signing of two agreements, first to increase the number of Brazilian exchange students, and a move to expand technology cooperation.

As part of the link, MIT's School of Engineering and the Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica (ITA) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, have agreed to explore a potential future collaboration.

The two institutions will examine a collaboration that may include exchange of students, professors and researchers, joint research and development of new educational programs.

“A strategic partnership would help ITA through a period of anticipated growth, including the conception, design and creation of a planned Innovation Centre,” according to the agreement signed Tuesday.

Rousseff's campaign in the United States is part of her government's “Science without Borders” program, aimed at advancing Brazilian technology and innovation by promoting an exchange of students, researchers and teachers between Brazilian and foreign institutions.

The Brazilian leader also had a meeting scheduled at nearby Harvard University and a session with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.