Max Planck Society deepens scientific cooperation with Latin America
During a delegation trip by Max-Planck President Patrick Cramer in October 2025, two agreements were signed with leading research and research funding institutions in Argentina and Brazil: a Cooperation Agreement with the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian National Research Council CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico). "Latin America offers extraordinary diversity and outstanding research institutions. With these agreements, we are deepening our long-standing relationships with two key scientific locations in the region," said Cramer.
The Max Planck Society has signed new cooperation agreements with the University of Buenos Aires and the Brazilian research council CNPq.
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Cooperation with the University of Buenos Aires
On October 8, 2025, Patrick Cramer and Secretary General Simone Schwanitz, together with Rector Ricardo Gelpi, signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Buenos Aires. Both partners will provide €40,000 annually over five years for joint research projects. The aim is to establish new research groups at the UBA in close cooperation with Max Planck Institutes from all three sections. The UBA is one of the most renowned universities in Latin America and has been one of the Max Planck Society's most important partners in the region for many years.
Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian Research Council CNPq
On October 14, 2025, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) in Brasília. The CNPq, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Science, promotes research projects and scholarships nationwide. The agreement is intended to support the establishment of joint research groups and mobility programs, thereby providing new impetus for scientific exchange between Brazil and Germany.
Background
Latin America has had close ties with the Max Planck Society for many years: at the end of 2024, 248 doctoral students, 188 postdocs, and 287 visiting researchers from Latin America were working at Max Planck Institutes. With 18 partner and tandem groups, Argentina has had the highest number of Max Planck groups in Latin America since the programs began - a testament to many years of trusting cooperation. The University of Buenos Aires is one of the MPG's three most important cooperation partners in Argentina; in the past five years alone, 1,268 joint publications with Argentine researchers have been produced.
