Institut universitaire PSL | USP
The Institut Universitaire PSL | USP addresses health, environmental, and strategic autonomy challenges between France and Brazil. This center for research, education, and innovation is the result of a strategic partnership between two world-class universities and is located on the campus of the University of São Paulo.
Christian Lerminiaux, co-director (Université PSL)
Fernando Menezes de Almeida, co-director (USP)
Anne Varenne, scientific co-director (Université PSL)
Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Jr, scientific co-director (USP)
Université PSL and the University of São Paulo (USP) jointly manage this research, innovation, and training center located in São Paulo. Working closely with the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), the leading public research funding agency in the State of São Paulo, and backed by a €5 million seed fund provided by USP, this pioneering center marks a new milestone in the cooperation between our two universities.
We are developing interdisciplinary projects in the fields of circular economy, health, and engineering, led by faculty members from both institutions. Some projects also benefit from the PSL Global Seed Fund, a seed funding program for international research collaborations.
A catalyst for cooperation between research and industry
Thanks to the complementary expertise of Université PSL and USP, and with support from FAPESP, the center provides an ideal setting for connecting researchers, doctoral students, and engineers across the public and private sectors through partnership models tailored to each company’s specific ambitions and challenges. The Institute collaborates with companies to develop applied research projects with high industrial potential and jointly defines medium- and long-term innovation strategies.
An open platform for Europe and Latin America
Beyond its scientific and partnership-based mission, the Institute also serves as a strategic catalyst for fostering cooperation between Europe and Latin America. In particular, it hosts an office of the European university EELISA, of which Université PSL is a member and which USP joined in 2025 as an associate member. This presence promotes the mobility of European and Brazilian students, researchers, and staff while strengthening academic, scientific, and technological cooperation between the two continents.