H.E. Gilles Pécout, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Republic of Austria, and H.E. Stefano Beltrame, Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Republic of Austria, recently paid a joint visit to IIASA to meet with the institute’s leadership and discuss possible research collaboration between their countries and IIASA.
IIASA Director General Albert van Jaarsveld welcomed ambassadors Pécout and Beltrame and gave an overview of the institute’s main research activities and history. He informed ambassadors about past and ongoing scientific cooperation between IIASA and its multiple partners in France and Italy, which were both among the institute’s founders.
Both ambassadors expressed high appreciation for the work done by IIASA to address shared global challenges through the advancement of systems analysis, the application of its research methods to identify policy solutions to reduce human footprints, enhance resilience of natural and socioeconomic systems, and through various capacity building activities worldwide. Ways of strengthening further research cooperation between IIASA and French and Italian institutions were discussed, including important opportunities and advantages that all parties could benefit from should the countries decide to rejoin IIASA.
Ambassador Pécout was accompanied by Cultural and Scientific Counselor Philippe Sutter and Attaché for scientific and university cooperation Johannes Caliskan. Ambassador Beltrame was joined by Scientific Counselor Amedeo Staiano. In addition to Albert van Jaarsveld, IIASA was represented by Interim Deputy Director General for Science, Wolfgang Lutz, Interim Head of Communications and External Relations, Ansa Heyl, and Science Diplomacy Officer, Sergey Sizov.
© IIASA
L-R: IIASA Interim Deputy Director General for Science Wolfgang Lutz, French Ambassador Gilles Pécout, IIASA Director General Albert van Jaarsveld, Italian Ambassador Stefano Beltrame.
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