Several Memorandums of Understanding were signed Thursday that will propel New Jersey’s path toward economic progress through partnerships, opportunities and perspectives to the state, and specifically facilitate international collaborations.
Gov. Phil Murphy, alongside Choose New Jersey CEO and President Wesley Mathews, celebrated the agreements between New Jersey academic and real estate entities with top Irish tech universities and a prominent startup accelerator.
New Jersey City University was the only four-year New Jersey higher educational institution that was part of these historical discussions and partnerships, as leaders from NJCU’s School of Business and Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility joined the delegation on a trip that will continue to expand NJCU’s international footprint.
The first MOU was signed between NJCU and Atlantic Technological University. Among other items, the agreement calls for connecting companies participating in the ATU incubator programs and companies aligned with NJCU’s School of Business and the Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility with the ecosystem in New Jersey and the west and northwest of Ireland, respectively.
“A consistent effort of my administration has been helping New Jersey institutions in identifying and partnering with entities that can help grow New Jersey’s economy and create good-paying jobs,” Murphy said. “The partnerships solidified today are an example of the fruits of those efforts.”
“New Jersey is a global technology hub,” Mathews added. “The MOUs signed today demonstrate that international institutions recognize what we already know — that the state’s unique combination of top-tier universities, talent, infrastructure and ideal location make us extremely appealing to global institutions. Choose New Jersey is proud to facilitate these partnerships and assist more Irish companies as they consider growth opportunities in New Jersey.”
The second MOU signed is between NJCU and Guinness Enterprise Centre, with each signee agreeing to connect companies associated with each to the other’s ecosystem for the purpose of business development and knowledge-sharing.
“NJCU is committed to increasing the economic mobility of our students by championing initiatives that foster innovative career opportunities with international entities,” Adrian Franco, executive director of the Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility, said. “We look forward to connecting our students and faculty with the GEC and facilitating interactions between this world-renowned incubator and the business ecosystem in New Jersey.”
Eamonn Sayers, centre manager of GEC, added: “This partnership will be a huge asset to our member companies and the wider Irish startup ecosystem, who now have access to the major tech hub on the East Coast of the United States. The relationship with NJCU will mean access to workspace as well as key introductions to capital firms and business development opportunities.”
The Ireland and New Jersey MOUs agreements mark the second historic trip that NJCU’s School of Business and Guarini Institute have embarked on this academic year. In November 2021, NJCU was part of a Choose New Jersey delegation to Israel, which resulted in a MOU between NJCU and the Port of Ashdod that will advance innovation, economic development and international education, and draw upon NJCU’s expertise in supply chain, logistics and maritime port management.
