Concordia becomes Ericsson’s first Tier 1 university partner in North America

Ericsson has designated Concordia as its first Tier 1 university partner in North America, marking a new phase in an ongoing collaboration. It's the highest level an academic institution can achieve with Ericsson. The partnership will focus on advancing research, innovation and training in various fields such as cybersecurity, applied artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, 5G and beyond.

Based within Concordia's Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, the collaboration involves establishing joint projects focused on research and innovation, patent development and the creation of customized training programs.

"Concordia's collaboration with Ericsson highlights our commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships that drive both educational and technological progress," says Graham Carr, university president and vice-chancellor.

"As Ericsson's first Tier 1 university partner in North America, we are excited and eager to continue working together to push the boundaries of what is possible in this era of cloud computing."

Paving the way for innovation

Ericsson, a global leader in communications technology and services, operates in 180 countries and supports more than two billion subscribers worldwide. The company is at the forefront of 2G to 6G mobile technologies, with an extensive portfolio that includes mobile and fixed network infrastructure, software, broadband and multimedia solutions.

"Expanding our partnership with Concordia will drive innovation in Canada's information and communication technology space and grow opportunities for both professionals and learners in the field," says Jeanette Irekvist, president of Ericsson Canada. "Our longstanding relationship has resulted in numerous successes, providing Ericsson with incredible talent and paving the way for an incredible foundation of innovation in the latest technologies."

Magnus Frodigh is the vice president and head of Ericsson Research. "Ericsson has a long history of successful collaboration with Concordia and today's announcement formalizes our relationship even further," Frodigh adds.

"Concordia is a leader in applied academic research, responding to industry challenges and leading significant scientific breakthroughs that address societal problems. We are truly motivated to strengthen our collaboration with leading researchers at Concordia - specifically, those who study security, AI, and cloud and edge computing for mobile networks - to generate state-of-the-art results that will help build future mobile networks."

Highlights from a 20-year collaboration

Concordia and Ericsson have long collaborated on research and development initiatives aimed at tackling some of the most pressing challenges in communications and technology, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and applied AI. Several recent joint projects highlight this successful partnership:

• Last year, Concordia partnered with Ericsson on a project focused on building a cyber-resilient 5G network using AI and machine learning. This research, funded by the National Cybersecurity Consortium, aims to develop technologies that can prevent, detect and mitigate cyberthreats to 5G networks.
• Concordia Continuing Education collaborated with Ericsson to develop a specialized AI training course for the company's engineers. This program, which has been rolled out globally, reflects the university's role as a leader in customized, experiential learning that meets the evolving needs of the global workforce.
• Concordia and Ericsson teamed up to enhance applied AI research and development. This collaboration provided Ericsson employees with project-based training in AI and machine learning, helping them to integrate these technologies into their daily work.
• Concordia partnered with Ericsson, ENCQOR 5G and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to establish the Industrial Research Chair in Cloud and Edge Computing for 5G and Beyond. Valued at $2.67 million, this initiative, led by professor Roch Glitho, professor at the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, supports research on cloud and edge computing. The objective is to enable next-generation applications, such as remote robotic surgery and smart IoT devices, while also preparing for the future of 6G networks.
• Concordia, Ericsson, and NSERC established the Industrial Research Chair in Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Security. Led by professor Lingyu Wang, this $1.8 million collaboration focuses on enhancing cybersecurity for 5G networks and the Internet of Things (IoT) by developing cutting-edge technologies for network protection and threat detection.

"Our long-standing collaboration with Ericsson is a testament to the strength of a relationship built on mutual trust and a shared vision," says Mourad Debbabi, dean of the Gina Cody School. "Together, we have demonstrated success through joint publications, patents, and the training of highly qualified personnel. Over more than 20 years, this enduring partnership has thrived thanks to our aligned strategy and long-term commitment."

Find out more about Concordia's Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science.