Third global joint research center in the works, with expanded AI-driven basic science collaboration

The Institute for Basic Science opened its European office in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday (local time). IBS and the Max Planck Society agreed to strengthen cooperation, including expanding joint research centers and holding local workshops, on the occasion of the office opening. From left: Alexander Jost, MPG head of international cooperation policy; Hong Hun-pyo, science attaché at the South Korean Embassy in Germany; Karolin Weidmann, MPG international cooperation officer; IBS President Jang Seok-bok; Cha Mi-young, director of the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy; Bae Dong-woon, president of the Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in Germany; Shim Si-bo, head of IBS planning and cooperation; and Kang Dong-woo, director of the IBS European Office. [IBS]
The Institute for Basic Science opened its European office in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday (local time). IBS and the Max Planck Society agreed to strengthen cooperation, including expanding joint research centers and holding local workshops, on the occasion of the office opening. From left: Alexander Jost, MPG head of international cooperation policy; Hong Hun-pyo, science attaché at the South Korean Embassy in Germany; Karolin Weidmann, MPG international cooperation officer; IBS President Jang Seok-bok; Cha Mi-young, director of the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy; Bae Dong-woon, president of the Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in Germany; Shim Si-bo, head of IBS planning and cooperation; and Kang Dong-woo, director of the IBS European Office. [IBS]

The Institute for Basic Science will establish an additional global joint research center in partnership with Germany's Max Planck Society, one of the world's leading basic science research organizations. The two institutions plan to pursue AI-driven convergence research in basic science and jointly nurture early-career researchers.

IBS announced Wednesday that it held a directors' cooperation meeting at MPG headquarters in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday (local time), at which the two sides agreed to deepen their strategic partnership.

The meeting was attended by IBS President Jang Seok-bok and MPG President Patrick Cramer, along with MPG Vice President Christian Doehler, Joachim Spatz, director of the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, and Cha Mi-young, director of the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy.

IBS and MPG, the flagship basic science research institutions of South Korea and Germany respectively, have steadily expanded their relationship beyond joint research to broader institutional cooperation.

In July last year, they opened the Max Planck-Yonsei IBS Center, the second Max Planck International Center in Asia. More recently, a bilateral international joint research center for quantum matter — involving both Max Planck institutes and IBS research units — began operations.

At this week's meeting, the two institutions agreed to pursue a third joint research center. They also plan to broaden the scope of cooperation to include AI-based convergence research in basic science, joint development of early-career researchers, and the regularization of joint academic conferences.

IBS also established a local presence in Europe to expand joint research with European institutions and attract top research talent. The organization officially opened its European office in Munich on Tuesday. The city is home to MPG headquarters, more than 10 Max Planck institutes, and the Technical University of Munich.

"We confirmed the wide range of possibilities for strategic international cooperation with MPG," IBS President Jang said. "We will invigorate researcher exchanges through the European office and joint workshops, and expand the foundation for cooperation, including local joint research centers."

MPG President Cramer said the two institutions share important values, including research excellence and global solidarity. "I look forward to even more active cooperation with the opening of the IBS European Office," he said.


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