McGill University and the University of Liège Join Forces to Train the Next Generation of Bioengineers

McGill University and the University of Liège (Belgium) are announcing the signing of a collaboration agreement between the Faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (ULiège) and McGill University’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on the Macdonald Campus.

This agreement marks a significant step in strengthening academic relations between Belgium and Canada and is part of a shared vision of sustainable international cooperation. It aims to develop structuring synergies in the field of bioengineering, at the intersection of agricultural, environmental and societal issues.

“Strong partnerships with Europe, and Belgium in particular, are essential to McGill’s international mission. This collaboration with the University of Liège illustrates our commitment to building deep and lasting academic networks capable of training talent ready to take on complex global challenges. This program fully embodies our vision of cooperation grounded in excellence, reciprocity and long-term impact,” said Professor Anja Geitmann, Vice-Principal, Global Engagement, at McGill University.

“This partnership with McGill University illustrates the University of Liège’s determination to strengthen international collaborations of excellence around major societal challenges. By joining forces, we are creating unprecedented opportunities for our academic communities and helping to educate engaged citizens who can act in a rapidly changing world,” added Professor Anne-Sophie Nyssen, Rector of ULiège.

At the heart of this agreement, the two institutions are committed to promoting student mobility through study periods and internships, while also establishing a co-degree program. This program will offer students integrated international pathways, combining complementary expertise and immersion in two leading academic environments.

From a scientific standpoint, the collaboration will foster the development of joint research projects. Research teams from both universities will work together on key themes related to bioengineering, sustainable agriculture and environmental protection in response to today’s major challenges.

“This partnership opens concrete and exciting prospects for our students and researchers. By combining our respective expertise, we are creating a unique framework for innovation, research-based training and the development of sustainable solutions in bioengineering,” said Professor Salwa Karboune, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Associate Vice-Principal of McGill University’s Macdonald Campus. Through this cooperation, the University of Liège and McGill University aim to strengthen knowledge sharing, stimulate innovation and train a new generation of bioengineers equipped to respond to global challenges in a resolutely international context.

“McGill’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is truly a sister faculty to Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, with which we share many research themes. Already connected through occasional scientific collaborations, our two institutions are now taking a new step by structuring and strengthening these synergies, while also offering our students the opportunity to pursue a dual degree within a world-renowned English-language faculty,” said Professor Marie-Laure Fauconnier, Dean of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (ULiège).

The two universities welcome this promising collaboration and the academic, scientific and societal benefits it will generate.