Polish consortium joins ICT collaboration

Two major Polish institutions, the universities of Warsaw and Wroclaw have joined forces in the research collaboration PLERCIM, and the new body has become a member of ERCIM, the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics. Poland is the 18th country to join ERCIM.

ERCIM aims to foster collaboration within the European research community in information and communication technologies (ICT) and applied mathematics, and to increase co-operation with European industry.

The universities of Warsaw and Wroclaw plan to open PLERCIM up to other Polish universities and act as a node for Polish industry. Jerzy Tiuryn, President of PLERCIM, said joining ERCIM will give Polish mathematicians and informaticians a stimulus to foster engagement and international cooperation with leading research institutions of Europe.

“This engagement is anticipated on several levels: access to high-quality post docs; involvement in the existing research working groups of ERCIM; a possibility of creating international working groups within ERCIM in the scientific areas of mathematics and informatics which are strategic for the Polish research institutions; and easier involvement in international research teams in connection with the European Union’s 7th Research Framework Programme.”

Keith Jeffery, President of ERCIM said, “Our linking of European resources creates a force of more than 12,000 researchers who can work together in different areas of research. As the front door to European informatics research, ERCIM is making a big difference for Europe maintaining its lead in advanced ICT, in particular through our management of projects funded by the European Commission and our advice to both the European Union and national governments on ICT strategy. We are very happy to see Poland and its renowned scientific community joining ERCIM.”