CNRS Launches Alumni Network for International Collaboration
The CNRS, France's leading research organisation, has launched an alumni network to connect former staff and foster international collaboration. The 'CNRS alumni' network, initiated by the CNRS Chairman and CEO, aims to maintain lasting links with the organisation and its former members.
The network, launched in early 2025, has already amassed nearly 800 members from diverse sectors, including the public and private sectors, elected officials, and former CNRS staff. Guillaume Stahl, the network's general delegate, sees it as a way to keep the sense of belonging alive and provide real and tangible services to alumni.
The network's initial goal is to reconnect alumni, share experiences, and promote diverse careers. It plans to bolster connections with diplomatic networks, 'France Alumni', and postdoctoral researcher associations, offering specific international formats. The international dimension is a core factor, with eleven CNRS offices outside France serving as hubs for alumni communities.
To strengthen its activities, the network aims to expand collaborations, increase participation in international research consortia, and foster sector-crossing experience through mobility and partnerships with academia and industry. It is involved in projects like the MSCA doctoral network ALMOA, starting in 2026, which emphasizes international mobility and cooperation.
The network's first 'Fête des Alumni' event, held on September 26, 2025, brought together nearly 60 people and laid the foundations for new initiatives. A strategic committee has been set up to advise on major policy directions and ensure alignment with alumni needs and organisational priorities.
The 'CNRS alumni' network, with its nearly 800 members, is expanding both internationally and locally. It aims to reconnect alumni, share experiences, and promote diverse careers. With a strategic committee in place and plans to strengthen activities, the network is poised to create lasting links and foster international collaboration among its members.
