Université Paris-Saclay strengthens its partnerships with the UK and lays the groundwork for new collaborations

This visit took place against a favourable backdrop for the development of Franco-British cooperation. The UK has been associated with Horizon Europe since 2024 and will rejoin the Erasmus+ programme in 2027. The visit also reflects the shared priorities set out at the Franco-British Joint Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COMIXTE), which met in Paris on 28 May 2026.

Meetings with leading UK universities

• At Imperial College London, discussions focused on mobility opportunities under the Erasmus+ programme, doctoral collaboration, and strengthening and structuring research cooperation. They built in particular on existing joint CNRS–Imperial structures, which offer opportunities for collaboration in strategic fields such as engineering and artificial intelligence, medicine and mathematics.
• At University College London (UCL), discussions focused on developing Erasmus+ mobility and doctoral cooperation, particularly through a framework agreement for co-supervision. Research discussions highlighted shared areas of expertise in health and artificial intelligence, in line with the Franco-British roadmap. As an associated partner in the EUGLOH 2Plus project, UCL also expressed its intention to strengthen its involvement in the EUGLOH European alliance. Developing Erasmus+ agreements and identifying European calls for proposals were among the avenues explored for deepening this cooperation.
• At University of Birmingham, the meeting provided an opportunity to review existing research collaborations, particularly in physics, astronomy and medicine, and explore new opportunities in science, engineering and pharmacy. The delegation also worked towards finalising a student exchange agreement to promote mobility between the two institutions. It also met with the Universitas 21 (U21) secretariat, based in Birmingham. Discussions explored the opportunities offered by this international network of research-intensive universities, of which Université Paris-Saclay has been a member since 2 February 2026.
• The delegation then met representatives of the University of Manchester to explore new opportunities for cooperation in education, research and doctoral training, particularly in science, engineering, biology, health, and the humanities and social sciences. Discussions also covered ways to draw on European programmes to develop joint projects and strengthen links between the academic and research communities at both institutions.
• Finally, at the University of Edinburgh, the meeting covered the development of Erasmus+ mobility and opportunities for research cooperation in the humanities and social sciences, science, engineering and medicine. Discussions also highlighted the role of international networks, particularly the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and Universitas 21 (U21), in connecting research teams and identifying opportunities for joint projects, including under Horizon Europe.

Turning discussions into concrete projects

The visit helped strengthen several existing partnerships in both education and research, while opening up new opportunities for cooperation with leading UK institutions.

The next step is to turn these institutional discussions into tangible collaborations by facilitating connections between academic staff and researchers, developing student and doctoral mobility through Erasmus+, and fostering joint projects, particularly under Horizon Europe.

Closer ties between the UK and the European Union open up new opportunities for Université Paris-Saclay and its British partners. The UK’s participation in Horizon Europe and its return to Erasmus+ in 2027 provide further opportunities to develop these collaborations. International networks and European alliances, including EUGLOH, can also help build on this momentum for the benefit of academic and research communities.

The delegation

Led by Delphine PLACIDI-FROT, Vice-President for International and European Relations at Université Paris-Saclay, the delegation comprised:

• Guillaume GARRETA – Director of International and European Relations (Université Paris-Saclay)
• Thibault HOYER – Deputy Director of International and European Relations (Université Paris-Saclay)
• Ninon BRIFFAUT – International Projects and Partnerships Officer (UK) (Université Paris-Saclay)
• Prof. Éric MOREL – Deputy Director for International Relations, GS HeaDS
• Jane BREGIER-JOHN – Head of the International and European Relations Unit, Faculty of Medicine (Université Paris-Saclay)
• Raphaël LABRUERE – Associate Professor of Bio-organic Chemistry, International Mobility Coordinator for Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences (Université Paris-Saclay)
• Andrew CRAWFORD – Mobility Grants Officer, International Relations Unit (CentraleSupélec)
• Karine PHILIPPOT MANCEAU – Erasmus Coordinator and Erasmus Agreements Manager, International Relations Office (École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay)