High level visit and inauguration of swissnex Brazil

Designated by the Swiss Federal Council as one of the countries with a large potential for scientific and technological development, Brazil is included by the State Secretariat for Education, Research & Innovation (SERI) in the list of priority countries since 2008. The Brazilian Swiss Joint Research Programme (BSJRP) is coordinated by EPFL, the Swiss Leading House for Brazil since 2012.
Hosted by the Cooperation & Development Center CODEV, the BSJRP is a bilateral research cooperation programme designed to provide the best possible scientific quality and promote long-term partnerships between the two countries.

A business and science delegation of 46 members was invited for an official visit between April 4 - 6, in which the EPFL Vice President of Academic Affairs M. Ph. Gillet and the Lead Programme Manager of the BSJRP Ms A. Kern accompanied the Federal Council Mr Johann Schneider-Ammann.

On this occasion, the 2nd Joint Committee on Science, Technology, Research and Innovation between Brazil and Switzerland was held and EPFL launched some collaboration avenues with one of the most renowned Brazilian institution in Health, Social Development and Technologies, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ).

Two major outputs regarding the bilateral programs in Science and Technology between the two countries were the inauguration in Rio de Janeiro of the 1st swissnex in Latin America, the Swiss network for science, education, innovation and art, allowing the Swiss and Brazilian scientists and researchers to establish new partnerships; and the signature of a letter of intent between the Swiss National Science Foundation SNF and their counterpart from the State of Rio for co-funding of future Joint Research Projects.