AU researchers impress French research giant

The Centre national de la recherche scientifique – the French national research institute – with its 33,000 employees, EUR 3.3 billion annual budget and its more than 1,000 research units across the globe, is one of the world's most coveted academic collaboration partners. The research mastadon has now set its sights on Aarhus University, and a delegation of 15 people from the CNRS made a research-strategic visit to AU in the week before the autumn holiday.

"The French visit is a huge acknowledgment of AU and may lead to joint research projects,” assesses Hans Erik Bøtker, the acting dean at Health, who hosted the French guests on behalf of the senior management team.

"The CNRS and AU share a common position in that we conduct basic research in service of society. Additionally, the CNRS has a uniquely large international network and partnerships that are relevant and important for AU to participate in. And in return, we can offer excellent research," says Hans Erik Bøtker. 

Mutual academic curiosity

The CNRS delegation arrived at Aarhus University on 12 October and after a joint welcome in Frandsensalen, CNRS representatives split into groups to attend meetings with the academic environments at the Artictic Research Centre, the Department of Computer Science, Arts and Health.

Anne Marie Kragh Pahuus, vice-dean for research at Arts, welcomed four of the French guests to the Faculty of Arts. The meeting was based on cross-disciplinary initiatives such as the use of history and collective remembrance, Environmental Humanities, Digital Humanities and several other focus areas of information studies, such as urban digital innovation.

It was an opportunity to introduce humanities and social science researchers from the CNRS to some of the interdisciplinary initiatives and environments that Arts excels at. Several of these even resonated with the CNRS’ own research areas said Anne Marie Kragh Pahuus.

“For example, we identified obvious collaboration opportunities between their research into societal resilience and our research within cultural heritage studies involving the public, IT-design, and the cultural and social prerequisites for the green transition,” says Anne Marie Kragh Pahuus.

She is aware of several researchers from Arts who are already in contact with researchers at the CNRS, and she experienced genuine professional mutual curiosity. The Danish version of the annual international 'la Nuits des Idées' is held in Aarhus, thus already cementing a connection to French research and research dissemination.

“I was particularly excited to see that the French representatives were clearly focused on research, and its quality and dissemination during the meeting. They were interested in identifying the research strengths of both institutions, and how they could enrich each other via increased collaboration. This would open the door to many opportunities, and a precise and subject-specific approach will ensure the best possible outcome of such meetings. It’s therefore also important that AU strengthen and cultivate international alliances," says Anne Marie Pahuus.

Hard not to be in awe

Hans Erik Bøtker accompanied a small group to the Skou building, where they were introduced to NeuroCampus Aarhus, which carries out basic research in neuroscience combined with clinical research, and to iPsych, which carries out research into psychiatry and genetics.

Hans Erik Bøtker doesn’t hesitate to call the visit a ‘very good experience’. 

"It's easy to get excited about meeting people in person and presenting our beautiful campus. But I also strongly feel that we hit the bullseye with regard to what the CNRS is looking for in a research partner. For example, we are well-organised, we are well-equipped  technology-wise and our level of ambition corresponds to their expectations," says Hans Erik Bøtker.

He doesn’t feel as if AU is a little league institution trying to ingratiate itself with the big leagues.

“Not at all. We have drawn attention to the qualities that the CNRS would find appealing. Even though I can be awed by such a prestigious visit, they didn’t come for our sake, but because they can see the potential. As do we, so the feeling is mutual,” says Hans Erik Bøtker.

The CNRS could be a boost

The CNRS objective of solving the world’s climate, health and societal challenges will be achieved via collaborations with research institutions across the globe. The French centre's strategy is to identify partners that they believe meet the requirements of excellent research, and then they facilitate collaborations across disciplines, research institutions and nations.

"With the CNRS behind us, new opportunities may present themselves for AU. Both with regard to scaling future projects up to an international level, and to receiving a share of the large EU grants that the CNRS are good at securing,” says Hans Erik Bøtker. He stresses that there are no agreements in place yet.

"The CNRS has to go home and think about what they've seen and heard. We made a good impression, that was very clear when the head of the delegation and CNRS research director,  Professor Alain Schuhl, thanked us for the day. He was impressed by what he had seen at Aarhus University, and I hope that it will benefit us,” says Hans Erik Bøtker. 

The visit to Aarhus was part of the CNRS’ tour of the Nordic region, which also included a visit to the University of Copenhagen.