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Advancing cancer research and doctoral training through stronger European partnerships

11 February 2026

UCL strengthened partnerships across mainland Europe last week as Professor Geraint Rees, UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement), traveled to Paris, Brussels, and Leuven for senior academic meetings, followed by a visit to Zurich for alumni engagement.

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In Paris, the delegation met key partners to advance practical routes for collaboration across research, education and innovation. Discussions with Sciences Po considered the future of long-standing student partnership activity, while meetings with Université PSL, Inria and Inserm explored opportunities spanning digital health, AI-enabled research and mechanisms that help collaborations start quickly and scale. 

A key milestone of the visit was at Université Paris-Saclay, where UCL and Paris-Saclay strengthened plans to deepen collaboration on doctoral training and research, with an initial focus on oncology. Professor Rees and Professor Delphine Placidi-Frot, Vice-President for International and European Affairs at Université Paris-Saclay, signed a Letter of Intent on behalf of Professor Camille Galap, President of Université Paris-Saclay. Discussions centred on developing a structured doctoral co-supervision pathway, building on progress already underway between the UCL Cancer Institute and Institut Gustave Roussy, and on wider momentum in UK–France health collaboration. 

Connecting with policymakers 

In Brussels, the delegation met the UK Mission to the EU and held discussions with Maria Cristina Russo, Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, focusing on the practical next steps for EU–UK cooperation in research and innovation. Conversations covered collaboration through Horizon Europe, the role of AI in science, pathways from research to innovation, and creating conditions that attract and support global talent. The delegation also met Christian Ehler MEP to discuss the evolving European research and innovation landscape. 

Building partnerships and alumni networks 

The delegation met with KU Leuven colleagues to explore shared priorities and the practical work that underpins long-term collaboration. Alongside the formal programme, UCL also connected with alumni in Brussels and Zurich. The Brussels reception brought together graduates working across international institutions, policy and public service, and marked early steps towards re-establishing a more formal UCL alumni group in the city. The evening also featured a pop-up of the UCL European Institute Lost and Found European Literary Map of London exhibition, highlighting the role of culture and curiosity in sustaining alumni networks. 

In Zurich, the UCL alumni team hosted a reception at Baur au Lac with nearly 75 attendees, drawing alumni from across Switzerland, including Geneva, Basel and Berne. With more than 1,600 UCL alumni based in Switzerland, the event highlighted the strength of the local community and the value of creating regular opportunities for alumni to connect with each other and with UCL. 

Reflecting on the visit, Professor Geraint Rees said: “Across Paris, Brussels and Leuven, we saw strong appetite for collaboration that is ambitious and usable. By building clearer pathways for doctoral training, research partnerships and alumni connections, we are strengthening the relationships that help ideas, people and opportunities move across borders, and support shared progress in research and innovation.” 

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