Friday, as part of the project BRIDGE (Bridging Research and Industry for Developing Growth and Entrepreneurship), the Haitian Association for the Development of Information Technology and Communication (AHTIC) in partnership with the State University of Haiti (UEH) and the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH), organized an international Conference around the theme "Linking the university and research institutions to industry : mechanisms and best practices" Also attended the conference of representatives of the business community and those of several other local universities.

Launched in March 2010, the BRIDGE project, funded to the tune of one million Euros by the European Union (ACP Science & Technology Program), aims to strengthen cooperation between university research and the industry in Haiti and Dominican Republic.

After this conference a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the UEH, the AHTIC and the ADIH for the establishment of a permanent coordination office between Universities and Industries. Reynold Guerrier, President of the AHTIC explained "[...] In developed countries it was found, that the best way to fund university research, it is to develop solutions for businesses [...] But it is a great weakness at the level of Least Developed Countries (LDCs)and that is why, two years ago, the BRIDGE project was launched [...] to create the motivation at the enterprise level and also allow the university to sit at the same table [...]

With the signing of this Memorandum of Agreement, the three entities will commit to establish a liaison office, for that every time Haitian businesses will have a problem, instead to look to outside solutions, they go first look locally, if they can not find solutions [...] at the university level."

Raymond Noël, Member of the Rectorate of the UEH deplored "Haiti is today highly dependent on foreign expertise [...] No public body deals with matters of science, technology and innovation," regretting that this support is entrusted to the Ministry of Education, which has neither the resources nor the necessary structures to fulfill this function effectively.

Professor Noël, stressed "on the necessityto establish a formal framework of cooperation between University and Industry in order to achieve a win-win solution," stressing that higher education institutions would gain additional resources of private sector in return, businesses would be winners in terms of Research and Development.

HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre