Ericsson and Concordia University Expand Partnership in 10-Year Landmark Agreement

Ericsson and Concordia announced the expansion of their existing partnership, entering into a 10-year agreement focused on advancing research and education in Information and Communications Technology. This new and innovative agreement builds on a longstanding research engagement since 2011, that has resulted in numerous technological initiatives, breakthroughs, and programs in network technology.

Jeanette Irekvist, President, Ericsson Canada, says: “Expanding our partnership with Concordia will drive innovation in Canada’s ICT space and grow opportunities for both professionals and learners in the field. Our longstanding relationship has resulted in numerous successes, provided Ericsson with incredible talent, and has paved the way for an incredible foundation of innovation in the latest technologies.”

Through this enhanced partnership, Ericsson and Concordia will develop cutting-edge education programs and research initiatives at Concordia’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science. Students will gain direct access to Ericsson’s expertise and world-class facilities, while both organizations collaborate to drive innovation across key ICT areas, such as AI, cybersecurity, cloud and edge computing.

Graham Carr, Concordia’s President, and Vice-Chancellor, says: “This enhanced collaboration with Ericsson will not only enrich Concordia’s technological programming but also provide our students and faculty with unparalleled opportunities to work on cutting-edge projects. This expanded partnership will be instrumental in furthering our ability to offer future-forward, industry-leading education. We are excited to see what Concordia and Ericsson will achieve together next.”

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, says: "Our government welcomes this partnership to support research and education in Information and Communications Technology. The expertise from both academia and private sector plays an important role in ensuring Canadians will benefit from strong, secure, and reliable wireless networks and services in the future. It will further solidify Canada as a global leader in these technologies and support our students to become forward-thinking leaders in Canada.” 

The agreement also marks Ericsson’s first “Tier 1” university partnership in Canada – the highest level of collaboration between Ericsson and an academic institution. As one of only seven Tier 1 partners globally, Concordia joins a select group of institutions with which Ericsson has established long-term, strategic collaborations. These partnerships bring added value to both the universities and Ericsson, enhancing the academic institutions' research and development capabilities while contributing to Ericsson’s competitiveness through impactful thought leadership and innovation.

Magnus Frodigh, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Research, says: “Ericsson has a long history of successful collaboration with Concordia University and today’s announcement formalizes our relationship even further. Concordia is a leader in applied academic research to respond to industry challenges that lead to significant scientific breakthroughs that aim to solve societal problems. We are truly motivated to strengthen our collaboration with leading researchers at Concordia University, specifically in the areas of security, AI, and cloud and edge computing for mobile networks, to generate state-of-the-art results that will help build out future mobile networks.

Concordia University has been a partner of Ericsson since 2011, achieving significant results to date. Together, they have published more than 60 scientific research articles and demonstrated almost 40 proof-of-concept projects, among other milestones. These accomplishments highlight the depth and productivity of their joint efforts, which include key initiatives such as: 

Ericsson Canada has played a vital role in the country’s innovation ecosystem for over 70 years, supporting communications service providers through every generation of mobile communication. Ericsson Canada is also a partner in the national ecosystem network aimed at fostering 5G adoption and collaboration in Canada. With R&D centres and offices in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto, Ericsson Canada is among the leading R&D spenders in the country – averaging $345 million per year. The company’s commitment to global innovation in network sustainability is driven by its investments in R&D here in Canada and through partnerships with Environment and Climate Change Canada and leading academic institutions, focusing on how AI and other technology can help achieve climate action goals.

Source: Ericsson and Concordia media announcement