view . summer 2011
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“Our engineering graduates have invaluable skills to
share and we are honoured to have them invited to
contribute to the future success of Chrysler and Fiat. This
partnership builds on the University of Windsor’s long
history of innovation for Canada’s manufacturing sector,”
said Dr. Wildeman.
Rector Profumo said his institution is particularly proud
of the result because the agreements involve four partners
that share the same vision with respect to the educational
profiles of a new generation of automotive engineers.
“Both our students and the Canadian students will get a
special plus in their education that is not only in the scientific
and technological context of the courses, but also in the
experience of a year in another country, that will give them
personal knowledge of a different culture, way of life and
social organization,” he said.
“The initiative we are celebrating today,” commented Fiat
and Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne, “was conceived through
a singular and rather fortunate crossing of paths: the
relationships developed over the years between Fiat and
Politecnico di Torino and between Chrysler and the University
of Windsor. Until now, each one of our organizations has
followed a separate path, but those paths had the same
starting point, which was the understanding that – in a world
of rapid and continual change – we have an obligation to
give our young people both the technical and cultural tools
necessary for their education.
“The University of Windsor and Politecnico di Torino
have much in common. Not only are they among the most
prestigious technical and scientific academic institutions in
their respective countries, they are, even more importantly,
organizations that have demonstrated an open mentality
and created a vital and creative environment for education
and learning.”
n
v
FACT: THE UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR
WAS THE FIRST IN CANADA TO
LAUNCH A PROGRAM IN
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING.
Photo: March 20 DN
From left: Francesco Profumo, rector of Politecnico di Torino (Italy), Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler Group LLC, and Dr. Alan Wildeman,
UWindsor president, at the March 28 signing of the new joint agreement in automotive engineering.
