The XXI Century has already witnessed impressive advances in the brain sciences made possible by new research initiatives based on national partnerships and international collaborations. McGill, Oxford and the University of Zurich/ETH are universities of high international standing, and as such, their faculties can make important contributions to joint projects with other elite universities.
On June 25, 2013, Brain @McGill, the Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ) and Oxford University formally launched a tripartite partnership in the neurosciences that culminates a series of successful joint projects carried out since 2009 between laboratories in all 3 venues.
Under the agreement, researchers are expected to leverage the seed funding obtained from the partnership to apply for external research grants. This outcome remains the key objective of this collaborative program and is evaluated as such at the reporting stage.
Student mobility and training are also an integral part of this joint program. By providing a framework to promote and sustain ambitious research projects in emerging fields of neuroscience, the agreement facilitates exciting new international synergies and exchanges, exposing researchers to different scientific cultures. Such partnerships also help to move research forward at a faster pace and maximize research opportunities and support.