On Monday 17 March 2014 the Jagiellonian University was visited by the delegation of the Max Planck Society in Germany (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften). The Society's Vice-President, Prof. Herbert Jäckle, along with Prof. Klaus Hahlbrock and Dr Sebastian Höpfner, took a tour around the Campus of the 600th Anniversary of the Jagiellonian University Revival and the Małopolskie Biotechonology Centre, where a Max Planck laboratory will be opened.

The MPS representatives met with Prof. dr hab. med. Wojciech Nowak, JU Rector, and Prof. dr hab. Stanisław Kistryn, JU Vice-Rector for Research and Structural Funds. During the meeting in Senate Room, they discussed the details of Polish-German cooperation. Dr Werner Köhler, Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany, also took part in the negotiations.

The JU Małopolskie Biotechnology Centre is a joint project of the Jagiellonian University and the University of Agriculture in Krakow, realised for 25 million euro. Thanks to the Innovative Economy Programme, it was possible to create an institution that aims to conduct scientific research at the highest possible level, generate innovations and patents as well as collaborating with companies specialising in the field of life sciences. Through cooperation with the best scientific institutions, the MBC will most certainly gain the status of an important research centre, both nationally and internationally.

The Max Planck Society is an independent German academic research facility funded by the state. It is one of the most prestigious research and development organisations in the world. To date, its scholars have received 16 Nobel Prizes. The Society coordinates the research of 80 institutes in Germany and other European countries.

Photographs by Anna Wojnar