University of Limerick (UL) and Intel Ireland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership that will formalise the long-standing relationship between the two organisations and create a defined programme of activity for working together into the future.
The new partnership agreement builds on existing connections between Intel and UL and will specifically explore opportunities aimed at developing and encouraging future talent, building creative collaborations in the area of Research, Development and Innovation and working together on shaping relevant policy frameworks.
The new partnership will incorporate a focus on key areas of exploration in the research space to include artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. The agreement will also seek to identify ways in which the two organisations can work together on topics such as increasing the representation of women in STEM related education programmes and careers and supporting equal opportunity to education across demographic profiles.
As part of the new agreement Intel will invest in technology equipment to enable research into next generation networks.
Intel has previously signed strategic partnership agreements with universities based in the Dublin area and this latest agreement represents the first such MoU that Intel has undertaken outside of Dublin.
The MoU, which was signed today by UL President, Dr Desmond Fitzgerald, and Vice President and General Manager of Intel Ireland, Eamonn Sinnott, will establish Strategic Working Groups that will enable UL and Intel staff to work together on the defined areas for collaboration.
Remarking on the potential of this new partnership, Eamonn Sinnott, General Manager of Intel Ireland and Vice President of Intel’s Technology Manufacturing Group said, “Signing this agreement today marks the beginning of a new chapter for our two organisations and I’m excited to see the results that it may bring. Intel first decided to locate in Ireland in 1989 and in the years that have followed we have developed world-class capabilities across a diversity of activities including advanced manufacturing, design and research. Central to these developments have been the strong relationships that have been built with academic partners across the country. Embarking on this strategic agreement with UL gives us the chance to build on an already close partnership, a partnership that is further strengthened by having a team of people working in such close proximity to the University at Intel in Shannon”.
Speaking at the signing of the MoU which took place at the UL campus, Dr Desmond Fitzgerald said, “This Memorandum of Understanding recognises UL’s wide-ranging relationship with Intel and sets out how we propose to work together on potential future projects and activities. It is hugely important to UL as it builds on and formalises our long-standing education and research collaborations with Intel and highlights the strategic importance of this relationship".
"Among UL’s key strategic aims are to respond to industry’s research and development needs, to develop a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, and to strengthen international research collaborations. This Memorandum of Understanding with Intel will allow us to further these goals," Dr Fitzgerald concluded.
The Intel and UL partnership will be led on Intel’s behalf by the team based in Shannon and the event today was also attended by Intel Shannon General Manager Brian Aherne who added, “Intel Shannon has a long history of hiring University of Limerick graduates and we welcome the opportunity to strengthen the relationship with the university and further our shared research goals”.
