The University of California, Davis, has signed a new working agreement to increase intellectual, academic, scientific, business and cultural relations with the Comunidad de Madrid, the government of the Madrid region. The comunidad’s efforts will be led by Madrid Network, an association of leading Spanish companies.

The agreement was signed Tuesday, May 28, by UC Davis Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter and Ignacio González, president of the regional government of Madrid.

“Today, UC Davis and the Comunidad de Madrid enter into an important agreement to further the development of a ‘showcase’ in Madrid of UC Davis scientific research, new and emerging technologies, technology transfer opportunities and graduate education,” Hexter said at a signing ceremony in Madrid.

The agreement is part of a UC Davis effort to extend and deepen the university’s links to the global community, Hexter said.

“Our primary goal in this new agreement — and, indeed, in all that we do to fulfill our university’s mission of excellence in teaching, research and public service — is to improve the quality of human life and the environment throughout the world,” he said.

Madrid Network includes a select group of companies seeking to expand their businesses into new markets and forge partnerships with the scientific and business communities in other countries.

The Madrid region has nearly 25 percent of Spain’s leading technology companies and 24.5 percent of its investigative researchers.

Harold Levine, dean of the UC Davis School of Education, will lead the collaboration for UC Davis.

Levine said that the agreement will begin with planning for up to three annual, one- to two-day “showcase” workshops in Madrid. The showcase events will feature UC Davis faculty and graduate student research, and include speakers both from UC Davis and Madrid Network’s member companies. Later collaborations may include exchanges of scientists and other personnel, as well as student internships.