Highlighting the importance of Georgia Tech’s and Georgia Tech-Lorraine’s strong ties to the University of Lorraine, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera signed the agreement during a visit to Metz, France. University of Lorraine President, Hélène Boulanger, signed on behalf of UL, and Abdallah Ougazzaden, President of Georgia Tech-Lorraine, signed for the Lorraine campus. Bernard Kippelen, Georgia Tech’s Vice Provost for International Initiatives, and Raheem Beyah, Dean of Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering, were also present. 

Academics and Student Life

The agreement is wide-ranging – on the academic programs side, the University of Lorraine joins as a partner with Georgia Tech-Lorraine’s prestigious dual-degree master’s program. Students will now be able to graduate with a dual master’s degree from the University of Lorraine and Georgia Tech. The agreement outlines an exchange of faculty and researchers from both institutions, and Georgia Tech-Lorraine doctoral students will now be able to enroll in PhD programs at the University of Lorraine, expanding their access to additional areas of specialization and laboratories. 

The agreement will also have a positive impact on student life for Georgia Tech-Lorraine students who will soon have access to the University of Lorraine’s sports infrastructure and programming. This will be a great opportunity to integrate Georgia Tech-Lorraine students into student life in Metz.

Research and Innovation

The University of Lorraine has partnered with Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958 (the CNRS’ only joint international research laboratory located in France) since its inception in 2006, and the new agreement will help to further define collaborations between the two schools. Georgia Tech-Lorraine is a key partner in the University of Lorraine’s “Lorraine University of Excellence” (LUE) program, established in 2014. The initiative focuses on solving key issues within six major social and economic challenges. Confirmed in 2021 as France’s first national I-SITE (Initiatives – Science–Innovation–Territories–Economy) and funded by France’s “Programme d'Investissement d'Avenir”(PIA, or Investments for the Future), an initiative to provide funding to advance higher education, research, and innovation, Georgia Tech-Lorraine participates as a founding partner in LUE with the University of Lorraine and a consortium made up of the CNRS, INRAE, Inria, INSERM, the CHRU, and AgroParis Tech. 

With this same consortium the two universities will continue working towards common goals with the SIRIUS and ORION programs. SIRIUS aims to develop global innovation strategies between the consortium partners with a goal of improving social and economic impact at a local and global level. ORION is focused on training students in research by giving them access to a diversified environment as they develop into future global leaders.

An Ideal Partnership

In speaking with a news source for the University of Lorraine, Abdallah Ougazzaden summed up his thoughts on the new agreement – “Georgia Tech-Lorraine recently implemented a new strategic plan. One of the objectives of this plan is to strengthen our links with our key partners, and the University of Lorraine is one of them. We have all the ingredients to succeed together -- we have been collaborating for several years, we are in the same Region, the University of Lorraine is ranked in the top 10 of the best universities in France and Georgia Tech is among the top 10 of the best American universities in the field of engineering. We are delighted with this agreement, even more so by signing it in the presence of the President of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Ángel Cabrera, during his recent visit to Metz, in a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere (American style!)."

Along with the University of Lorraine, Georgia Tech-Lorraine looks forward to expanding access to education, research, and innovation in the Region and beyond.