The Localisation Research Centre (LRC), represented by its Director Reinhard Schäler, and the Centro de Geração de Novos Empreendimentos em Software e Serviços (GeNESS) , represented by its General Coodinator José Eduardo de Lucca, today signed a memorandum of understanding at Latin America’s primary internationalisation and localisation event, LISE 2005, declaring their intention to establish at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) an office of the LRC, LRC - Brasil.

The agreement covers, among other points, the establishment of a mirror site of the LRC’s Localisation Technology Laboratory and Showcase (LOTS), the holding of major LRC – Brasil events and training courses, and the initiation of joint research projects in the area of internationalisation and localisation.

“This memorandum of understanding lays the foundation for the cooperation between Europe’s and Latin America’s leading research centres. Combining GeNESS’s expertise in Latin America’s emerging export markets with the LRC’s long-standing internationalisation and localisation research agenda will generate terrific opportunities for both organisations”, said Reinhard Schäler, Director of the LRC at the University of Limerick.

José Eduardo de Lucca, Coordinator General of GeNESS, said “The Brazilian software industry has enormous potential for growth if it learns how to internationalise and localise their products and services efficiently. Academic research, guided by industrial needs, has to develop methodologies and technologies which go beyond the mainstream localisation efforts we have become so familiar with. We are confident that GeNESS and the LRC will play a central role in coming up with innovative and inspiring solutions.”

About the Localisation Research Centre (LRC)

The LRC at UL is the focal point and the research and educational centre for the localisation community. The LRC has become the focus point – at national and international level – for both those involved in the localisation industry and those requiring information about it. Indigenous and overseas companies, government departments and agencies, researchers and students, the media and international consultancy firms, and the European Commission regularly contact the centre when they require reliable and independent industry information. The LRC was established in 1995 with the support of Irish government agencies and has a 20 person strong Industrial Advisory Board.

About the Centro de Excelência em Globalização, Internacionalização e Localização de Software (CEGIL-GeNESS)

GeNESS, The Centre for Excellence in Software Globalisation, Internationalisation and Localization, is Brazil’s leading internationalisation and localisation research centre, supported by the Brazilian government and based at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis. GeNESS are the organisers of Latin America’s primary internationalisation and localisation event, the annual LISE conference on Software Localisation and Internationalisation for Export, and offer a dedicated teaching and training programme on digital media internationalisation and localisation. GeNESS aims to stimulate the export of software and services, promote the concepts of Software Internationalisation (I18N) and Localization (L10N), define strategies for professional education and training in L10N and I18N, and stimulate interaction between players in the sector to share interests and needs. For more information visit http://www.geness.ufsc.br