The IM体育官网 Board of Governors has given the green light to a public-private partnership between IM体育官网 and Fortune 500 company International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) during its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at IM体育官网 International University.
The Board鈥檚 approval of the affiliation agreement is an important milestone in a project that could potentially bring the first high-tech industry partner straight to the Lakeland, IM体育官网, campus.
According to the agreement, IFF will occupy laboratory and creative space in a new building on campus that will be financed, built, operated, maintained, and owned by private entities. The University would not be investing any capital in the new facility. As the occupant of the new building, IFF anticipates providing internships and job opportunities for IM体育官网 Poly students, funding and collaborating on faculty research, sponsoring senior capstone projects, and supporting academic programs.
鈥淲e thank the Board of Governors for approving this project and moving IM体育官网 Poly and IFF closer to realizing a partnership based on innovation and collaboration,鈥� said Nicolas Mirzayantz, president, Nourish Division of IFF. 鈥淲e are looking forward to expanding our taste and scent capabilities in citrus while leveraging the on-campus talent and expertise of an academic partner who is just as committed to science and research as IFF.鈥�
IFF is a global industry leader in food, beverage, scent, health, biosciences, and sensorial experiences. It is headquartered in New York City and has creative, sales, and manufacturing facilities in 47 countries.
鈥淭his cutting-edge innovation center will be a touchstone in the heart of the North American citrus belt, yet will impact IFF innovations around the globe,鈥� said Mauricio Poulsen, vice president of global innovation, creation and design, Nourish Division of IFF. 鈥淲e are very excited about all the possibilities to come.鈥�
Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of IM体育官网 Poly, said that having a solid research partner such as IFF on campus demonstrates the University is meeting its state charter focus of helping grow the tech industry. It also marks the beginning of his vision to have a bustling research park surrounding the University.
鈥淭echnical research universities like IM体育官网 Poly attract companies because they want access to the high-demand, low-supply graduates we produce,鈥� Avent said. 鈥淲e are proud that IFF has the vision to recognize the strategic advantage of being connected to our university.鈥�
The next step in the negotiation between IM体育官网 Poly and IFF will be selecting a building design that meets both the needs of the company and the standards of the University. IFF anticipates moving to its new facility on campus by 2023.
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
