Imperial's President has met with senior research leaders in Paris to discuss supporting global science and empowering the next generation of talent.
The event at CNRS – France's state research organisation – was organised to support its strategic international partnerships with world-class universities, including Imperial College London.
Known as International Research Centres (IRCs), these partnerships aim to strengthen global research cooperation and develop a pipeline of future scientific talent. This work supports international mobility and enables research teams from world-renowned institutions to develop ambitious collaborative projects.
"Through our strategic partnership with the CNRS, Imperial is supporting UK-French research projects and PhD programmes to lay the foundations for transformative advancements in science and technology." Professor Hugh Brady President of Imperial College London
Alongside Imperial, there are five other IRCs at the University of Chicago, the University of Tokyo, the University of Arizona, the University of Sao Paulo and the University of Sherbrooke.
Imperial's President, Professor Hugh Brady, spoke at two roundtables in Paris which explored the importance of investing in the careers of young scientists and how collaborative research can help to accelerate scientific progress.
Professor Hugh Brady said: "Through our strategic partnership with the CNRS, Imperial is supporting UK-French research projects and PhD programmes to lay the foundations for transformative advancements in science and technology.
"We know global issues such as climate change, food security and AMR require a truly international response to develop sustainable solutions that benefit all of society. That is why it is now more important than ever that we continue to work hand in hand with our European partners - collaborating with governments, industry, and research institutions - to maximise innovation, delivery, and impact."
Imperial's Science for Humanity strategy sets out how the university will work to attract, nurture and champion the best local, national and global talent, and help the university's staff and students create real-world impact.
The CNRS event provided an opportunity for leaders from top universities and research organisations to discuss how best to champion emerging talents, support cross-border partnerships, and create opportunities for transformative science and innovation.
Professor Sandrine Heutz, Imperial Director of the CNRS-Imperial IRC for Transformational Science and Technology, said: "The IRC is a brilliant vehicle to collaborate with our French colleagues at CNRS, and to cement our strong partnerships across the pillars of health, sustainability and connectivity.
"The network of IRCs provides even more opportunities to collaborate on a global scale, and to address challenges ranging from One Health to Quantum Technologies."
Dr Stephanie Wright, an expert in the health impacts of microplastic and nanoplastic exposure, from Imperial's School of Public Health, also spoke alongside Professor Brady at a roundtable on the 'One Health' approach – which aims to sustainably balancing the health of people, animals and ecosystems.
This roundtable considered how international networks can be used to tackle global scientific challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance and pandemic threats, which require interdisciplinary responses.
UK-France partnership
Imperial and CNRS have benefited in recent years from a growing partnership between the two institutions, following the launch of the International Research Centre for Transformational Science and Technology in 2022.
This partnership has evolved into a dynamic Franco-UK convergence science network, creating a wide range of new joint laboratories, doctoral training networks and research programmes.
Earlier this year, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, visited Imperial to celebrate the launch of a new joint engineering laboratory between Imperial and CNRS, the Ayrton-Bleriot Engineering Lab (ABEL).
The laboratory, which is hosted at Imperial, has been set up to harness AI and emerging technologies across all engineering disciplines and to develop transformative solutions for sustainability and resilience.
The facility will also improve mobility for researchers between France and London, with French scientists embedded at Imperial for up to five years and opportunities for Imperial scientists to spend time in French labs.
