Support l'X MATH+ Berlin and l’X: A Strengthened Franco-German Scientific Collaboration
On March 24, École Polytechnique welcomed a delegation from the Berlin Mathematics Research Center MATH+, led by Sebastian Pokutta, the Executive Chair of this cluster of excellence. The meeting aimed to lay the groundwork for an expanded partnership, notably through the signing of a framework agreement. Academic and scientific collaborations with German technical universities constitute a key pillar of École Polytechnique’s international strategy, and the new agreement underscores the institution’s commitment to a sovereign Europe.
The scientific discussions brought together prominent members of École Polytechnique’s Center for Applied Mathematics (CMAP), and the Laurent Schwartz Mathematics Center (CMLS), among them Josselin Garnier, Stéphane Gaubert, Vincent Bansaye, and Stéphane Bijakowski, the mathematician from TU Berlin, Michael Joswig, and Sebastian Pokutta, Vice President of the Zuse Institute Berlin and Chair of MATH+, alongside École Polytechnique’s Provost, Dominique Rossin, its Vice Provost of Research, Kees Van der Beek, and its Director of International Affairs, Gaëlle Le Goff.
This constellation of institutional leaders and scientific experts provided an ideal setting to explore new avenues for collaboration.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will facilitate international exchanges and research stays between the two partner institutions. In particular, it will enable École Polytechnique students and doctoral candidates to apply more easily for internships or research stays within the laboratories of the member universities of the interdisciplinary and inter-institutional MATH+ cluster of excellence.
École Polytechnique already collaborates closely with several of these universities, including the Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin), with which l’X has been offering a dual degree in physics since 2013.
The Berlin Mathematics Research Center MATH+ :
Driven by the ambition to develop new approaches in applied mathematics, the MATH+ research center brings together researchers from three major Berlin universities — the Humboldt University, the Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin), and the Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin) — and two leading institutes: the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), specializing in applied mathematics and high-performance computing, and the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS).
MATH+ focuses on the mathematical principles that make it possible to harness ever-increasing volumes of data in life and material sciences, in energy and network research, and in the humanities and social sciences.
Strengthening ties between Berlin and Paris-Saclay
Reflecting the shared determination to strengthen Europe’s position in research and the development of future technologies, the new partnership will actively contribute to bringing the ecosystems of the metropolitan areas Paris-Saclay and Berlin closer together, as announced in February at the ‘Choose Science’ summit.
Bringing together world-class academic excellence, strong research capabilities, and a dynamic innovation ecosystem, this closer cooperation strengthens the Franco-German innovation axis and will help accelerate the development of breakthrough technologies essential to Europe’s strategic sovereignty.