Marie Curie Actions: Inspiring Researchers - Imdea

esearchResearch withoutbordersbordersIf anyone doubted the need for European scientifi ccooperation, they need look no further than CERN –the world’s largest particle physics laboratory – forconfi rmation of its value and power. Over more thanhalf a century, the European Organization for NuclearResearch has redefi ned our understanding of nuclearphysics, generating fi ve Nobel Prize winners along theway, and creating the World Wide Web in its spare time!CERN epitomises what makes cross-border scientifi ccollaboration so potent and effective. On the practicalplane, transnational cooperation enables countries topool their expertise, share often costly resources andfacilities, tap into rare techniques and exploit niche skills.Then, there is the more intangible human dimension.Bringing together scientists and researchers fromdifferent backgrounds and cultures helps bolster theircreativity, promotes lateral thinking and often results innew perspectives and insights. In addition, by drawingin top brains, international cooperation acts as a kind ofguarantee of scientifi c excellence, while the involvementof numerous countries ensures that goals are realisticand achievable.As the complexity and competitiveness of science andtechnology continue to increase exponentially, along withtheir demand on resources, collaboration has becomenot just a virtue but a must. In addition, collaborationbetween different countries creates powerful synergiesamong various scientifi c approaches and viewpoints.Harnessing people powerEffective collaboration is all about pooling scientifi cresources – and the resource that holds all the otherstogether is the human one. Marie Curie Actions investin the people who power scientifi c cooperation byenabling researchers to get mobile and connect withFellows in other countries.13