New Center

GMRC AND INRIA TO EXPAND SINO-FRANCE COLLABORATION ON ADVANCED SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES

INRIA and GMRC, two research centers, to foster collaborations in advanced software technologies between China and France; open-source as a major process for Sino-European collaboration

GUANGZHOU, CHINA – May 15, 2005 – In the framework of the visit of French Minister Delegate for Industry Patrick Devedjian in China, INRIA, the French national institute for research in computer science and control, and GMRC (Guangzhou Middleware Research Center),a leading Chinese research institute on middleware, today signed a memorandum of understanding to greatly extend the existing collaboration between GMRC and INRIA in middleware technologies and open source middleware.

China and Franceannounced their decision to deepen industrial and scientific cooperation in the fields of information technology.More specifically, the category of software known as “middleware” was identified as a key enabling technology for development of the information society through services such as e-commerce, e-government and e-learning. Middleware also appears to be a central part of software infrastructures in a number of multi segment industries (e.g. telecommunications) and vertical industries (e.g. finance, transport, automotive, energy).

Further, GMRC and INRIA envisage to create, on the premises of GMRC, a Sino-French R&D Centre in the areas of middleware and distributed systems. The missions of the Centre may principally include:

The Chinese government has strategically invested in core information technologies like middleware, which is a central element in e-business, e-government or e-learning. “Telecommunication and Information Technology are strategically important for Guang Dong’s economy.Guangzhou gives great attention to foster innovations in the core technologies”, said Mr. Cai Gang Qiang, General Manager of Guangzhou Science & Technology Bureau. “GMRC is our strategic investments in advanced software technologies research and development. We hope the cooperation between GMRC and INRIA will play a key role in promoting middleware research & cooperation between China and France.

"This collaboration implements the INRIA'strategy to develop partnerships with research centers in China. INRIA is already involved in two research joint ventures, such the Liama (Beijing) and the Hong Kong center for financial engineering. The objectives are to develop and conduct research projects of mutual interest in the domain of middleware and distributed systems, with GMRC" said Gerard Giraudon, Director of development and industrial relations of INRIA.

“South China University Of Technology (SCUT) has defined international co-operation as one of the three key strategies for increasing the core competencies of SCUT. We believe that the agreement between GMRC and INRIA will be instrumental in developing deepen relationships between China and European in Scientific and Industry cooperation, especially in areas of advanced software technologies and open source middleware ,” said Li Ling, Vice President for Science & Technology, SCUT.

Guangzhou Middleware Research Center (GMRC) is the leading middleware research institute in China. Hosted by South University of Technology, GMRC is a key research platform in Southern China for advanced infrastructure software research and development. GMRC focuses on enterprise application infrastructure, pervasive middleware, RFID middleware, etc. The mission of GMRC is to provide the core technologies required by the Chinese society, and bridging the gap between China and the world in advanced software technologies.

South China University of Technology (SCUT) is one of China's key universities operating under the direct leadership of the State Ministry of Education. The campus, which has a total area of over 200 hectares, is situated in Guangzhou, a southern metropolitan in China.

Presently, SCUT has over 44,500 students, including 10,300 master's degrees candidates and doctoral candidates, .SCUT has a faculty of over 4,000, with 2,324 teaching and researching staff, 2 fellows of China Academy of Science, 2 fellows of China Academy of Engineering, 17 double appointed fellows (honoured by two universities), 1 foreign fellow of Russian Academy of Science, 340 professors, 657 associate professors and 973 supervisors for postgraduates (including 200 supervisors for doctoral students). SCUT is presently made up of 28 colleges. Subjects currently offered in SCUT cover 6 national key disciplines, 9 significant investments in the 21st century, 67 bachelor's programs, 10 master's programs and doctoral programs in primary disciplines, 58 doctoral programs, 107 master's programs, master's programs of engineering (in 19 fields), master's programs of architecture, master's programs of business administration (MBA, EMBA), master's programs of public administration (MPA), and 11 stations for post-doctoral research.

INRIA, the national institute for research in computer science and control, is dedicated to research in information and communication science and technology (ICST). Throughout its six research units located in nine major regions, the Institute has a workforce of 3,200, 2,400 of whom are scientists from INRIA and its partner organizations. INRIA's international collaborations result in the welcoming and recruitment of foreign students and extensive research scientist exchanges. The priority is given to geographical areas with a strong economic potential—the European research area, Asia and North America—while maintaining continuous relations with South America, Africa and the Middle East.