University of Notre Dame visits Durham University and renews collaborative agreement
Prof. Michael Pippenger and Prof. Claire O’Malley renew the MoU
The University of Notre Dame has renewed a long-standing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Durham University, U.K. to further the collaboration between the two universities.
Michael Pippenger, vice president and associate provost for internationalization at Notre Dame International, and Durham’s pro-vice-chancellor global, Claire O’Malley, took part in a signing ceremony at Durham University on November 8, 2019. The ceremony was attended by Notre Dame London Global Gateway’s academic director JoAnn DellaNeva, and Durham’s director of library and collections Elizabeth Waller.
Deepening a strong partnership
Pippenger explained that the MoU, which has been in place since 2014, has formed a strong partnership that includes shared faculty, student visits to the Durham campus to present research, and co-organized conferences.
The extension of the MoU, he said, would further strengthen the relationship, and provide additional opportunities for collaboration in areas such as faculty exchange, and collaborative research initiatives.
Pippenger expressed an appreciation towards the University of Durham for the continuing relationship,
“Notre Dame has long had a great partnership with Durham University,” says Pippenger. “We are excited to enhance this relationship by taking advantage of the collective strengths of both institutions.”
Aligning visions
The two universities are peer-institutions, consistently ranking in the World Top 100. The character of both Durham and Notre Dame is strongly connected to their heritage, advancing the suitability of the partnership.
Delegates from Notre Dame and Durham gather for the signing ceremony
Notre Dame is one of the preeminent research institutions in the world, conducting groundbreaking research in all disciplines, in the field, on the bench, or at the policy table. Research at Durham is also world-changing, and the university employs world-leading experts to collaborate on issues of national and international importance. Pippenger believes that the renewal of the MoU creates opportunities for faculty from both institutions to work together, strengthening their research outcomes.
“Similarly to Notre Dame, Durham University’s research continues to have wide-reaching impacts across the globe,” says Pippenger. “Both institutions are committed to advancing research in order to be a powerful force for good in the world and we are looking forward to what we can achieve together.”
Global Outlook
Notre Dame works tirelessly to expand its international presence, with five Global Gateways – in Beijing, Dublin, Jerusalem, London and Rome – and six Global Centers – in Santiago, São Paulo, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Mumbai, and at Kylemore Abbey in western Ireland. The University is also equally aware of the importance of bringing the world to its home campus, through international students and faculty, and also by providing students with a global education. Durham is similarly internationally minded, with students from 130 countries and a vast amount of international partnerships. Working together, Durham and Notre Dame’s global ambitions can be further realized, with potential to develop combined programs and faculty and student exchange schemes.
Originally published by at london.nd.edu on November 18, 2019.