Lerner College, University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne sign agreement

3:23 p.m., May 29, 2012--The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics and the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne (the Sorbonne) have signed a general mutual cooperation agreement to establish a foundation for subsequent exchanges and joint degrees.

A formal signing with UD President Patrick Harker and representatives from the Sorbonne occurred on Tuesday, May 29, on UD’s Newark campus.

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The agreement is expected to lead to further developments so that students from the Sorbonne can enroll in UD courses as part of degree programs that will be jointly offered and administered by the two universities. 

The idea for the program developed from shared research interests between William Latham, associate professor of economics in UD’s Department of Economics, and Syoum Négassi, professor of economics in the Management Science Department at the Sorbonne, on the economics of innovation.

Latham, who also holds a joint appointment in the School of Public Policy Administration and is director of UD’s Center for Applied Business and Economic Research (CABER), has served on several dissertation committees for Négassi’s doctoral students at the Sorbonne.

Latham has also visited and lectured in short courses for Négassi at the Sorbonne and in Guadeloupe, while Négassi, who is also scientific advisor for the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Defense, has visited and taught in UD’s Department of Economics several times.

Helen Bowers, associate professor of finance and incoming chair of UD’s Department of Finance, has also visited Paris to lecture in short courses for Négassi.

The three professors believe this initiative, while beginning with the departments of Economics and Finance at UD, will open doors for future collaboration between other Lerner College departments and UD programs and the Sorbonne.

“This agreement creates wonderful opportunities for the students at both universities,” said Bowers. “Already, the Sorbonne program has received inquiries from prospective students regarding the possibility of studying at UD. My teaching experiences at the Sorbonne have all been extraordinary.   Now, I can look forward to teaching in Paris and having students from UD in my class.”

Latham, Négassi and Bowers predict such future programs will be similar to the University’s existing joint doctoral program with the University of Lyon 2.

Earlier in May, Négassi sent 11 of his students to UD’s Newark campus where they observed classes in business administration, economics, finance, energy and environmental policy, and food and resource economics.

During the trip, the students were also introduced to the English Language Institute and the Exelon Trading Center, and visited businesses and agencies in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Article by Kathryn Meier