CONNECTS-UK Brings Together EU Researchers in Cambridge to Strengthen UK-EU Scientific Collaboration

Cambridge, 31 March 2025

Summary:

• The EU-funded project CONNECTS-UK has once again united European researchers in the UK, this time at the University of Cambridge, for the second edition of the EU Researchers in the UK event to provide researchers across all disciplines in the UK with the opportunity to present their on-going research.
• 74 abstracts were received with topics spanning from opera to AI and green energy, among others.

• CONNECTS-UK is the new pan-European project in the UK aimed at fostering scientific collaborations between the EU and the UK, led by the community of European researchers working in the UK.
• CONNECTS-UK focuses on growing the network of EU researchers in the UK, undertaking research, providing science policy advice, and communicating science to younger audiences.

Cambridge, 31 March  2025

Today, CONNECTS-UK hosted the ‘EU Researchers in the UK’ event, bringing together over researchers to showcase their work and strengthen connections among diaspora researchers in the UK. The event served to give visibility, among specialists and a broad audience, to the research carried out by European researchers in the UK and to enhance the relationships between EU diasporas in the UK.

Ala Santos, member of the Action Coordination Board of CONNECTS-UK representing Polonium Foundation, emphasized interest in the event “We received an incredible 74 presentation proposals from researchers of 27 different nationalities, spanning a variety of academic backgrounds—from undergraduate students to senior lecturers. The ten selected talks addressed some of today’s most critical issues, including neurodegenerative diseases, climate change, food safety,  and artificial intelligence”.

 The list of selected talks and speakers can be checked here. 

Attendees voted for the best presentation of the event, awarding the honor to Oktay Cetinkaya  (Lecturer in Sensor Systems at Newcastle University) for their talk ‘”Waste-Not!”: Networked Sensor Innovation Driving Sustainable Food Practices, Community Sharing, and Waste Prevention’.

Cyril Robin-Champigneul, Head of the Economic and Trade Affairs Section,  Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom, stated “Congratulations to the eight inspiring projects selected for today’s event. The wide range of topics covered and nationalities involved truly reflect the European Union’s motto: United in Diversity – as well as the great wealth of knowledge and skills that the 40,000 EU scientists working in the UK contribute to their host country. I wish all the researchers present today every success in their projects and in fostering strong collaboration between our countries, including, I hope, through participation in Horizon Europe.”

In the opening session Professor Chris Howe, Corpus Christi President and Deputy Master, said “Corpus Christi College has a long tradition of welcoming scholars from throughout the world, so it is a real pleasure to welcome such a wide range of European researchers to this event”.

Anna Fumarola, Project Manager of CONNECTS-UK, outlined the initiative’s objectives and ongoing activities: “I encourage researchers to leverage our support in establishing new societies for European researchers in the UK. Now is the ideal moment, as we celebrate the UK’s one-year association with Horizon Europe, to showcase the collective strength of our research community”.

The next event of CONNECTS-UK  will take place on April 10 in the University of Bristol and will focus on “Emerging Challenges and Solutions in Healthcare” with renowned speakers from the United Kingdom and other European countries. For more details and to stay updated on future events, visit CONNECTS-UK website or follow us on Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram.  

For media inquiries, please contact:

Anna Fumarola

Project Manager CONNECTS-UK

project.manager@connects-uk.org

About CONNECTS-UK:

CONNECTS-UK stands for ‘Connecting European Communities Through Science in the UK’ and is a pioneering pan-EU project co-funded by the European Union that aims to advance scientific collaborations between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) in the post-Brexit context. The initiative brings together scientific diasporas from Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain, and the non-profit organisation Native Scientists to foster cross-border research, promote knowledge exchange, and drive innovation. CONNECTS-UK serves as a catalyst for groundbreaking scientific collaborations and partnerships in diverse fields of study. The EU funding of around half a million euros not only reflects its commitment to advancing scientific progress but also underscores the importance of maintaining robust research ties between the EU and the UK despite the challenges posed by Brexit.

By creating a robust framework for cross-border collaboration, CONNECTS-UK will enable scientists, researchers, and innovators to overcome the barriers created by Brexit and tap into the vast wealth of expertise and resources available in both the EU and the UK to jointly tackle pressing global challenges. 

CONNECTS-UK is a partnership, open to new collaborators, between

• Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK)
• Dutch Academic Network in the UK (DANinUK)
• Finnish Science Society in the UK
• French Education and Research Network UK (FERN-UK)
• Native Scientists
• Polonium Foundation
• Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK (PARSUK)
• Association of Slovens Educated Abroad (VTIS)  
• Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU)