This project establishes a new virtual institute, Wireless Innovation between Finland and US (WIFIUS), for promoting and sustaining mutually-beneficial research and education collaborations between US and Finland in the area of wireless networks. The institute provides an environment for creative international collaboration that leverages the synergies and resources for research and education in the two countries in order to accelerate the rate of development of research innovations and the development of talent and work-force capable of excelling in the a new highly interconnected world. The objectives of the institute are to: (1) facilitate and support existing and new international research and education activities in the broad area of wireless networks, (2) enable sharing of knowledge and cross-fertilization among the participants of various relevant international projects, (3) enable sharing of expertise with emerging experimental platforms, standards and wireless technology policies in the two countries, and (4) facilitate and support interaction between academia, industry and government agencies of the two countries. The proposal also describes the activities and mechanisms that will be adopted in order to achieve these objectives. The technical focus of the institute is on wireless spectrum efficiency technologies, which intellectually aligns along the interests of researchers in the two countries, as well as the countries' national priorities. The institute employs a number of activities including: (a) a web portal that provides services and content to participants, (b) physical and virtual PI meetings, (c) physical and virtual student investigator meetings, (d) yearly summer schools and (e) graduate student exchange.
