Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University and Italy’s University of Salento leaders are celebrating new collaborations aimed at utilizing smart technologies to advance sustainable agriculture.

MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw and University of Salento Rector Fabio Pollice signed a memorandum of understanding this week in Italy promoting opportunities for educational and research exchanges between the two universities.

“I am excited about the wide range of possibilities for our universities to collaborate on some of the most pressing issues facing our world today,” Shaw said. “Advanced technologies and sustainable agriculture methods are critical to feeding our growing global population. This mutually beneficial partnership can expand the horizons of students and researchers at both universities as we consider the global contexts of the challenges we face.”

During the visit to Salento, Shaw and MSU Senior Advisor for European and Data Science Development Domenico “Mimmo” Parisi met with University of Salento leadership and researchers, as well as Italian agriculture and environment officials. MSU is exploring a wide range of collaborations with the University of Salento, including landscape restoration, data science, digital agriculture, faculty and student exchanges, and dual degree programs.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.