European Networks

Research is increasingly taking place in interdisciplinary networks and national and international research alliances. The reason for this is the recognition that interdisciplinary approaches are often very constructive or even necessary for successful research into complex issues. The University of Basel promotes interdisciplinary exchange and collaborations with research groups in the border triangle as well as with universities and academic institutions in Europe and worldwide. It is well connected and part of high-caliber research networks.

EUCOR

EUCOR – The European Campus is a trinational association between five universities in the Upper Rhine region, in the heart of Europe. The following universities belong to the network: University of Basel Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Université de Haute-Alsace in Mulhouse, Université de Strasbourg and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The university network is on its way to becoming a European university. The basis for this are the common structures, a common governance and a common strategy in research and teaching.

In the areas of Quantum Sciences and Technology, Personalized Health/Precision Medicine, Sustainability and European Identities, scientists are networking, for example in joint workshops and through joint funding applications. The universities are deepening existing cooperation and entering into new collaborations.

Contact: Dr. Christine Meyer Richli

Neurex – European Network of Neuroscience

The European Network of Neuroscience is one of the most important European networks in the field of neuroscience, founded in 2001 and involving over 1000 researchers from the Universities of Basel, Strasbourg and Freiburg im Breisgau. Neurex coordinates the Interneuron project, which is funded by the EU Interreg V Upper Rhine program. Furthermore, it offers a Joint Master in Neuroscience, trainings in the framework of the graduate school EURIDOL and the PhD program European Study Programme in Neuroinformatics (EuroSPIN).

Contact: Prof. Dr. Josef Bischofberger, Prof. Dr. Christian Cajochen, Prof. Dr. Andreas Lüthi, Dr. Pascale Piguet

Upper Rhine Cluster for Sustainability

The Upper Rhine Cluster for Sustainability Research (URCforSR) involves the universities of «Eucor – The European Campus» in Basel, Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Mulhouse and Strasbourg, the University of Koblenz-Landau and other research institutes as associated partners. The research network cultivates cross-border and interdisciplinary research activities that benefit society through far-reaching knowledge transfer.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Paul Burger

FET Flagships

The European Commission's FET Flagships are intended to improve the coordination of research in the field of «Future and Emerging Technologies» (FET) and, in the long term, to strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy in information and communication technologies.

FET Flagship Quantum Technology

In October 2018, the flagship initiative for research into quantum physics and its applications started with the participation of scientists from the University of Basel. Three research groups from the Department of Physics are represented in the Quantum Flagship with the projects «Quantum Internet Alliance» (QIA), «Miniature Atomic vapor-Cell Quantum devices for SensIng and Metrology AppLications» (MACQSIMAL) and «Advancing Science and TEchnology thRough dIamond Quantum Sensing» (ASTERIQS). The research program aims to develop a radically new and powerful quantum technology by exploiting quantum effects and to transfer it as quickly as possible to application possibilities through cooperation between institutes and public research facilities with industry.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Philipp Treutlein

FET Flagship Graphene

The Graphene Flagship is dedicated to the novel nanomaterial graphene, which is considered the material of the future. The Nanoelectronics Group at the Department of Physics at the University of Basel has been experimenting with nanodevices for some time in order to harness their quantum mechanical properties for data processing and data communication. Therefore, in 2013, the University of Basel was selected to participate in the flagship project «Graphene». Funded with up to 100 million euros per year from 2013-2023, it focuses on harnessing new materials made of two-dimensional carbon structures for information and communication technology.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Christian Schönenberger, PD Dr. Thilo Glatzel

FET Flagship Human Brain Project

The flagship Human Brain Project (HBP) is building a research infrastructure to advance neuroscience, medicine and informatics. At the core of the HBP are the platforms of Neuroinformatics, Brain Simulation, High Performance Analysis, Medical Informatics, Neuromorphic Computing and Neurorobotics. In addition to targeted research, theoretical studies will be conducted and the ethical and societal implications of this research will be explored. HBP was funded with approximately 1 billion from 2013-2023 and is one of the largest projects ever funded by the EU, with 121 European partner institutions from 20 countries.