Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), the University of Arizona (UA), and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) have formed a trilateral agreement to cooperate on research, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The agreement, which includes knowledge sharing and collaboration between BGU’s Advanced Technologies Park (ATP) in Beersheva, UA Tech Parks Arizona in Tucson and UNAM’s high-tech initiatives, was signed this month during a visit to BGU by delegations from the two universities.

It is designed to encourage innovation in five main areas: developing joint projects, cooperation between the three technology transfer companies of the universities, joint development of applied research, ties to industry, and developing ties between the universities’ high-tech parks and initiatives.

“This trilateral agreement leverages regional assets and international outposts providing a complementary package of resources to innovators worldwide,” said Bruce Wright, Associate Vice President, Tech Parks Arizona.

“This developing cooperation between the hi-tech parks and the hi-tech initiatives is innovative and unique worldwide,” said BGU’s Vice President and Director-General David Bareket, who will lead the collaborations between the high-tech parks and the high-tech initiatives

“The fact that we have had the opportunity to sign this agreement will allow us to complement and strengthen capabilities among the three universities,” said the Vice-president of Innovation and Technology Transfer at UNAM, Juan Manuel Romero.

“This means, that we will be able to carry out joint research, business development with an international perspective and exchange of best practices. Undoubtedly, our communities will be greatly benefited by this initiative”.

UNAM, which is based in Mexico City, was founded 107 years ago, and boasts three Nobel Laureates and a student body of 250,000., while BGU is at the heart of Beersheva’s transformation into Israel’s cyber capital. A third of Israel’s engineers graduate from BGU.