Today, the University of Ottawa announced a new research partnership with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg. This joint research program aims to increase research excellence in information and communication technology and to facilitate technology transfer through the exchange of people and expertise between both institutions.
“The goal is to create fruitful synergies between the two institutions, starting with two initial research groups, thus enabling more ambitious objectives,” explained Professor Lionel Briand, Canada Research Chair in Intelligent Software Dependability and Compliance. Professor Briand works at uOttawa’s Faculty of Engineering and heads the Software Verification and Validation (SVV) research group at SnT.
“We are delighted to be teaming up with scientists from the University of Ottawa to tackle these important research challenges. The program establishes a close collaboration between the two institutions by focusing on joint projects, which we hope to expand upon in the future,” said SnT Director Björn Ottersten.
Both institutions share common priorities in terms of research focus and collaborative research with industry and government. This research partnership will focus on:
- The security, safety, and reliability of systems enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), including autonomous and cyber-physical systems.
- Using AI to help automate the verification and testing of such systems.
Research will be led by the SVV research group at SnT and its counterpart at uOttawa, the Nanda Laboratory at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
System dependability, including cybersecurity, is critical to industry and remains a prevalent topic in society. In this field of study, finding the right experts can be challenging and is usually the primary research bottleneck. “Joining forces with peers across the globe, within the framework of a trusted partnership, can alleviate this challenge and help combine different areas of expertise to solve problems,” added Professor Briand.
The long-term aim of the SnT-uOttawa joint research program is to extend cooperation and include other research groups. The agreement fosters increased research exchanges between Luxembourg and Canada, especially in the field of cybersecurity, as well as in the fields of autonomous and cyber-physical systems. Increasingly, these two areas of research play a key role in society and many industries, including in the automotive, aerospace, and financial sectors. Cybersecurity research leads to the development of new technologies to protect data from theft and damage, while autonomous systems can assist in developing safer vehicles, manufacturing plants, and aircraft.
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For additional information:
Media contact for uOttawa
Justine Boutet
Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
Cell: 613-762-2908
Media contact for University of Luxembourg
Kerryn Ramm
Communication Officer
Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT)
(+352) 46 66 44 9397
About SnT
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg conducts internationally competitive research in information and communication technology. In addition to long-term, high-risk research, SnT engages in demand-driven collaborative projects with industry and the public sector through its Partnership Programme. The resulting concepts present a genuine, long-lasting competitive advantage for companies in Luxembourg and beyond. www.snt.uni.lu
About the University of Luxembourg
The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character. The University was founded in 2003 and counts more than 6,700 students and more than 2,000 employees from around the world. The University’s faculties and interdisciplinary centres focus on research in the areas of Computer Science and ICT Security, Materials Science, European and International Law, Finance and Financial Innovation, Education, Contemporary and Digital History. In addition, the University focuses on cross-disciplinary research in the areas of Data Modelling and Simulation as well as Health and System Biomedicine. Times Higher Education ranks the University of Luxembourg #3 worldwide for its “international outlook,” #20 in the Young University Ranking 2019 and among the top 300 universities worldwide.
About the University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa—A crossroads of cultures and ideas
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty, and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges and our campus is a crossroads of cultures and concepts, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. As one of Canada’s top 10 research universities, and one of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe.
About Lionel Briand
Lionel Briand a University of Ottawa professor who holds the Canada Research Chair in Intelligent Software Dependability and Compliance. He is also Chief Scientist I in software engineering at SnT. His main areas of expertise focus on the testing and verification of software systems, including AI-enabled systems and cybersecurity issues.