The University of Luxembourg has launched an Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) with the aim of strengthening its interdisciplinary research.
The IAS is expected to further reinforce the University of Luxembourg’s international profile as an excellent research university and will act as a promoter to overcome boundaries between different scientific disciplines and sectors.
Building on its strong disciplinary roots, the university uses interdisciplinary research as a catalyst to generate new understanding and innovations to improve the quality of life and society of tomorrow.
The IAS of the University of Luxembourg has four missions:
- to leverage bold interdisciplinary research at the very forefront of science;
- to project the university’s values of excellence, interdisciplinarity and internationality;
- to build bridges within the university community, with external visitors and society;
- to attract and retain international talent in Luxembourg.
“The major challenges we face today, whether they are economical, industrial, societal, health-related or environmental, are so complex and over-arching that interdisciplinary efforts are required to assess, understand and solve them”, explained Prof Jens Kreisel, vice-rector for research at the University of Luxembourg, who will lead the IAS during the first year as its founding director. “The IAS will act as a magnet for the international research community and open additional channels of exchange with civil society”.
The institute is inspired by existing international Institutes for Advanced Studies, which are recognised for combining scientific excellence, interdisciplinarity and internationality, as well as for sharing knowledge and experience with society. As the only IAS in a perimetre of 1000km, the IAS is expected to act as a beacon for research in Luxembourg and the Greater Region.
Four funding instruments cover diverse research activities. Funding can be obtained by submission of project proposals, by passing a transparent selection procedure and through selection by the IAS’ Scientific Council, which is composed of an interdisciplinary panel of university and external experts.
Claude Meisch, Luxembourg's Minister for Higher Education and Research, added: “The University of Luxembourg IAS is a perfect building block for the national research and innovation strategy launched by the government at the beginning of this year, as it will raise the interdisciplinary approach of innovative research, which the national strategy will need in the various priority areas, to the next level".
