Swansea University signs Strategic Agreement with French Research Institute

Swansea University signs Strategic Agreement with French Research Institute in ‘Tech for Good’ pledge

The Partnership between CHERISH Digital Economy Research Centre, Swansea University and Inria, France is a significant European alliance promoting science and innovation excellence in Artificial Intelligence and human-centric technologies.

The pivotal cross-Channel Partnership will provide research exchange opportunities, sharing of skills and knowledge, and access to research facilities to accelerate development of digital technology research committed to social and economic transformation.

Supported by the UK Science and Innovation Network and Department for International Trade, the Partnership works to rapidly transfer technological innovations to industry across a range of sectors, including agriculture – a key national research priority both sides of the Channel.

Isabelle Hurley, Head of Department for International Trade at the British Embassy in Lyon said: “To celebrate our mutual alliance, a joint “Tech for Good” event will take place at the British Embassy in Paris. "How harnessing technology for good" will be the main theme to celebrate R&D optimisation and business partnerships based on mutual prosperity, featuring keynote speakers who are at the forefront of a better world, and celebrating how technology is used to drive social change.”

A collaboration stemming from the Partnership has already demonstrated its powerful potential by producing an exciting prototype for smallholder farmers: an Agriculture Cobot tool for field-task organisation and control. The novel system uses sound as a means of communication to enhance human trust in farm machine systems, and to enrich human interaction with machines in shared farm work processes.

Jay Doyle, Research and Business Engagement Officer at CHERISH Digital Economy Research Centre said: “At our Research Centre we recognise our unwritten contract with society to foster digital technologies that advance the wellbeing and safety of humanity. Our Partnership with Inria is built upon our shared values and commitment to these principles, and we are very excited to be working with our French counterparts towards our common purpose of Tech for Good.”

Jay Alan in Lyon

Swansea University signs Strategic Agreement with French Research Institute in ‘Tech for Good’ pledge