Prof. Anja Geitmann, Vice-President, Global Engagement, recently visited Germany to strengthen ties with leading research institutions and explore new opportunities for collaboration. The visit reflected McGill University’s commitment to engage with European countries, and highlighted Germany’s role as a strategic hub for partnerships in Europe, particularly considering Canada’s new association to Pillar II of Horizon Europe, the world's largest research and innovation funding program.
In Berlin, Prof. Geitmann met with the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific research organization, to learn about its network of international research schools and explore areas where McGill and Helmholtz share common priorities. Discussions also touched on research security and integrity — essential for safeguarding scientific collaboration in today’s interconnected world. The visit opened promising avenues for future collaboration.
Prof. Geitmann also visited the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) in Bonn, gaining a deeper understanding of its internationalization strategy and its wide range of funding instruments designed to support global scientific exchange. The Foundation’s efforts to advance international collaboration align closely with McGill’s mission to foster research partnerships that address pressing global challenges.
Beyond these meetings, the visit extended to Cologne, Hamburg, and the Embassy of Canada in Berlin, broadening the dialogue across key institutions.
At the University of Cologne, exchanges centered on the university’s international offices abroad and their role in positioning the institution globally. In Hamburg, conversations with the University of Hamburg shed light on innovative trilateral partnership models and research clusters such as the Excellence Cluster on Climate, Climatic Change, and Society (CLICCS), offering exciting intersections with the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative (MSSI).
The Embassy of Canada in Berlin provided an important platform to explore synergies in areas ranging from climate innovation and artificial intelligence to health research, as well as to discuss talent mobility, research security, and opportunities within Horizon Europe.
Together, these engagements reflect McGill’s vision of building durable and mutually beneficial partnerships with European institutions. The visit was a strong reminder that collaboration across borders is key to advance cutting-edge research but also to reinforce the values of openness, trust, and shared purpose that underpin international cooperation in higher education.
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📸 Photo above, from left to right:
Teresa Weikert, Partnerships Manager, Helmholtz Information & Data Science Academy, Alexandra Rosenbach, Acting Head of Communication and External Affairs, Anja Geitmann, VP (Global Engagement) and Nicolas Cluzel, International Affairs Manager
