Focus on Europe

Focus on Europe

A long-standing Max Planck Society focal point

Nowhere does the Max Planck Society maintain such strong networks as in Europe: over a third of the more than 9000 international guest and early career researchers are from EU countries. In addition to long-term bilateral exchange relationships, the Max Planck Society takes part in collaborative EU projects and is committed to a dynamic, balanced development of the European Research Area oriented towards excellence.

Bilateral collaborations and networks

The International Relations Unit in the Administrative Headquarters is responsible for bilateral collaboration with EU partners. These networks are of outstanding importance in terms of global competition: the Max Planck Society and its partners not only contribute towards the scientific performance of the continent; their own development also benefits from the EU’s infrastructure and networking opportunities. Close scientific relationships, some of which have been built up over several decades, have been established with excellent research facilities, especially in the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland. [More]

Scientific excellence in Central and Eastern Europe

The Max Planck Society developed the Dioscuri Programme to address the performance gap between Western and Eastern Europe. This is a competitive funding programme, financed by the German Federal Government and the governments of the partner countries, whose purpose is to provide support to enable outstanding researchers to establish internationally competitive research groups. The initial focus is on Polish universities and scientific institutes. [More]

Staff Unit – Brussels Office

The task of the Brussels Office is to observe, analyse and evaluate EU research policy developments and to help shape them in the interests of the Max Planck Society and its Institutes. In doing so, this staff unit helps to ensure that EU research programmes reflect the interests of the various Max Planck Institutes. To be able to lobby in the interest of the Max Planck Society, the Brussels Office also maintains strategic relations with the relevant EU institutions, especially with the EU Parliament and the EU Commission, but also with the EU Council (BMBF), research funding associations (Science Europe), and other stakeholders. [More]

News

Max Planck Humboldt Programme in Africa

Support for research locations in African countries more

Post from Kangiqsujuaq, Canada

Elspeth Ready from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig regularly travels to the Canadian Arctic for research. She tells of magnificent expanses, special culinary delights, and an icy dog sled ride. more

Post from Big Bear Lake, USA

Hans-Peter Doerr from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research spent three weeks working at the Big Bear Solar Observatory in California. He explains why the solar telescope stands on the water and tells us about anglers, gun enthusiasts, and alternative ways of transporting data. more

Composite image of the Max Planck researchers who were awarded an ERC Advanced Grant 2023. From left to right: Brenda A. Schulman, MPI of Biochemistry, Sven Sturm, MPI of Nuclear Physics, Alexander Meissner, MPI of Molecular Genetics and Sami K. Solanki, MPI of Solar System Research.

Four scientists can look forward to additional funding in this year's ERC Advanced Grants more

At the right, you can a hand holding a round glass flask. The flask contains a yellowish liquid and a brownish coarse-grained powder that has settled at the bottom.

The Max Planck-Cardiff Centre Funcat lays the foundations for the systematic development of chemical reaction accelerators more

The image shows a tile with pictures of 10 Max Planck researchers who were successful in the 2022 ERC Consolidator Grant award process. They are Annalisa Pillepich, MPI for Astronomy, Philip J.W. Moll, MPI for Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Simone Kuehn, MPI for Education Research, Joshua Wilde, MPI for Demographic Research Meritxell Huch, MPI for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dora Tang, MPI for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Aljaz Godec, MPI for Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences, Stéphane Hacquard, MPI for Plant Breeding Research, Hiroshi Ito, MPI for Brain Research, and Daniel Schramek, MPI for Molecular Genetics.

This result puts Max Planck in second place in a Europe-wide comparison more

Max Planck researcher Stefan Wolff and German President Steinmeier stand on the railing of Atto's first platform. They are wearing climbing helmets and harnesses. In the background, the rainforest stretches to the horizon.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier traveled with German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke to ATTO in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest more

“We have to do a better job of utilizing our own ideas”

Max Planck President Martin Stratmann calls for better conditions for start-ups in Germany  more

Das Bild zeigt das Logo des ERC. Rechts daneben sieht man den Schriftzug: "Starting Grants".

European-wide, Max Planck ranks first in success rates for ERC Starting Grants 2022, together with the CNRS
  more

Double success with ERC synergy grants

On October 25, 2022 the winners of the Synergy Grants of the European Research Council (ERC) 2022 were announced more

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