Sweden’s largest research program, Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP), and the world’s largest academic research center for deep learning, Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila), have entered an academic partnership. The aim is to foster academic collaboration between Sweden and Canada within AI research, building on the strengths and complementary capabilities of both institutions.
In November 2024, the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim to expand and deepen collaboration. This agreement includes a range of joint initiatives in AI, such as a prestigious postdoctoral program for WASP PhD students, academic exchanges, and innovative activities that will allow for knowledge-sharing and skill-building across continents.
“This partnership will enable interaction and exchanges in many ways. Mila provides top-level researchers and world-class facilities in Montreal, while WASP offers a thriving and rapidly growing ecosystem with excellent academics and strategic industrial partners in Sweden. Together, we will create opportunities where students, postdocs, and faculty can engage in collaborative projects, share insights, and drive advancements in AI,” says Anders Ynnerman, Program Director of WASP.
The partnership will enable collaborations in fundamental AI research, machine learning applications, and autonomous systems and will foster exchanges on a breadth of topics. It leverages WASP’s unique intersection of academic and industry expertise alongside Mila’s globally renowned AI research environment.
“Mila is pleased to collaborate with WASP and create possibilities for new projects, collaborations and exchanges for students and faculty. Montreal is a global hub for AI expertise and innovation, and this agreement with WASP is an opportunity for Mila’s world-class researchers to share their knowledge and skills across research areas as well as across continents,” said Stéphane Létourneau, Executive Vice-President of Mila.
“Partnering with Mila is a unique opportunity to accelerate our impact in the global AI landscape. This is more than just an exchange; it is a comprehensive agreement that will lead to close and continuous interaction between the two initiatives,” says Amy Loutfi co-director of WASP, who has served as a driving force in establishing this agreement.
WASP’s commitment to excellence and international collaboration, positions it as a leader in the Swedish AI community which is further strengthened by this strategic alliance with Mila. Similarly, Mila continues to expand its global partnerships, ensuring its researchers have access to diverse perspectives and cutting-edge environments in AI.
About WASP and Mila
Sweden’s largest individual research program
WASP is by far the largest individual research program in Sweden. The program is financed by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the goal is to advance Sweden into an internationally recognized and leading position in the areas of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software. Collaborations with selected internationally leading universities is important in achieving this goal. Read more about WASP
Mila – a world leader in AI research
Founded by Professor Yoshua Bengio of the University of Montreal, Mila is the world’s largest academic research center for deep learning, bringing together over 1,200 specialized researchers in machine learning. Based in Montreal and funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, Mila’s mission is to be a global center for scientific advancements that inspire innovation and the growth of AI for the benefit of all. Mila is a globally recognized non-profit organization for its significant contributions to deep learning, especially in the fields of language modeling, automatic translation, object recognition, and generative models. For more information, visit mila.quebec.
Published: December 16th, 2024