From Price staff reports
The USC Price School of Public Policy signed a memorandum of understanding with the State of São Paulo, Brazil, to promote joint research and educational opportunities between the two institutions.
USC President C.L. Max Nikias and Price Dean Jack H. Knott, along with the vice governor of São Paulo and a member of the governor’s cabinet, the secretary for metropolitan development, signed the MOU on Feb. 26, as part of a USC delegation visit to Brazil to open the USC São Paulo Office — the university’s eighth international office and the first in South America.
Brazil, which is home to more than 500 Trojan alumni, is the sixth largest economy globally, and will host the World Cup and Summer Olympics in the coming years. In addition, São Paulo is one of the largest metropolitan areas worldwide.
“This agreement marks an exciting institutional partnership for our school, and adds to an already impressive list of the Price School’s formal international partnerships that span four continents,” Knott said. “With the announcement of this MOU, the Price School is able to extend the reach of its global impact and further its mission of improving the quality of life for people and their communities everywhere.”
The MOU is an outgrowth of the Price School’s existing relationships with the State of São Paulo and the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of São Paulo (USP).
Among recent collaborations: USC Price faculty Eric Heikkila, Richard Green, Richard Little, Leonard Mitchell and Deepak Bahl, as well as Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments, participated in a two-day workshop on metropolitan development in São Paulo in August 2012, with seed funding from the São Paulo Research Foundation.
Under the newly signed agreement, USC Price, the State of São Paulo, and USP will seek to explore educational and research exchanges in such areas as community and economic development, urban governance, environmentally sustainable development, transportation, and real estate and housing. Activities for faculty and student engagement include joint research projects, educational programs, workshops, and technical visits.
This coming fall, the Price School will expand its collaborative efforts with the State of São Paulo and USP, as Professor Richard Green will lead students on the Price International Lab to São Paulo.