Warwick in high-profile New York collaboration

Warwick is the only European university to be part of a new collaboration in New York.

A new “Centre for Urban Science and Progress” (CUSP), which is led by New York University, will be a partnership of top institutions from around the globe, including the Indian Institute of Technology, the University of Toronto and the University of Warwick, as well as industry partners such as electronics giants IBM and Siemens.

With 70 percent of the world’s population living in cities, CUSP hopes to tackle the challenges of urban-living, including how to deliver services effectively, efficiently, and sustainably while keeping citizens safe, healthy and prosperous.

“[This] makes us even more of a globally connected University involved in research that meets needs across the world,” said Peter Dunn, Warwick’s Head of Communications. “This will feed directly into teaching…and there will also be postgraduate programmes at CUSP.”

The campus will take five years to build in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City.

However, Dunn said the benefits will be immediately felt: “We are already moving to appoint four new academic posts to support this and the city will also open up its infrastructure as Living Labs.”

“Living Laboratories” will provide CUSP with privileged access to actual physical city infrastructure to apply research-led solutions in real-world settings.

Warwick was approached by the city of New York due to the University’s reputation in this field, according to Dunn.

Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor Nigel Thrift said, “Warwick is a globally connected University and we are delighted to have the opportunity to work in and with New York, one of the world’s most exciting and vibrant cities.

“Warwick already has significant experience in applying those research themes to needs of cities and it is generating significant interest in that work from a range of policy makers and city leaders.”

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg described the venture as “the next milestone in the City’s groundbreaking Applied Sciences NYC initiative.

“Brooklyn will be one of the most dynamic environments for entrepreneurs anywhere in the country.”