North America

North America

Shining examples of international collaboration

Whilst the research relationships between the Max Planck Society and partner institutions in the USA have a longer history and remain closer than anywhere else in the world, Canadian universities and research institutions are catching up: mutual interest is steadily increasing.

USA: the most important research partner country

As the global leader in innovation and research, the USA continues to be the Max Planck Society’s closest and most important research partner country. With no other country are there so many collaborations and joint publications. 30 percent of all Max Planck Society publications alone are written in collaboration with partners in the USA. There are over 900 collaborations currently ongoing. The close exchange of information between the Max Planck Society and US-based partner institutions, which these figures demonstrate, has continued unbroken for decades, which is also evident when one considers the Institutes, the majority of whose foreign Directors are from the USA. In addition, some ten percent of all early career researchers and guest scientists who spend time conducting research at one of the Institutes each year are from the USA, and this tendency is increasing.

The first Max Planck Society Institute outside of Germany

The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience in Jupiter, Florida is tangible evidence of the extremely close German-American research collaboration. Founded in 2007 as the first Max Planck Society Institute outside of Germany, it is located on the Florida Atlantic University campus. The scientists based there conduct research into neuronal networks and develop imaging processes and technologies with which they can watch living cells in action, which they are hoping will enable them to gain clearer insights into neuronal diseases.

Increasing collaboration with Canada

For over ten years, scientific exchanges with Canada have been increasing in a number of extremely successful ways.  Personnel exchanges and visits between Canadian universities and research facilities and the Max Planck Institutes are increasing. For example, over 160 guest scientists from Canada were working at Max Planck Institutes in 2019 and several of the Institute Directors also hail from there. More than 120 collaborative research projects to date bear witness to the dynamics of the exchange relationships.

The Max Planck Center as a driver of scientific exchange

It therefore comes as no surprise that there are currently more "MPG lighthouses of international collaboration” Max Planck Centers in Canada and the USA than anywhere else in the world. The Max Planck Society has had such centres at Canadian universities since 2012, which has resulted in a significant increase in student and junior scientist exchanges, which has made a considerable contribution towards better understanding between institutions.

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