ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEAIRE

Their core work

CERN operates the world's largest particle physics laboratory, home to the Large Hadron Collider and a suite of accelerator facilities in Geneva, Switzerland. Beyond fundamental physics research, CERN develops advanced detector technologies, radiation imaging systems, and data infrastructure that serve fields from medicine to cloud computing. The organization is a major driver of open science infrastructure in Europe, building shared platforms for research data management, authentication, and scientific computing. It also transfers accelerator and detector expertise into medical applications (radioisotope production, ultrafast imaging sensors) and trains the next generation of researchers through large fellowship and mobility programmes.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2018), CERN focused heavily on fundamental particle physics theory, accelerator design studies, and building baseline research infrastructure — with keywords like popular science, cloud services, roadmaps, and open access infrastructure. From 2019 onward, a clear pivot emerged toward open science ecosystems (EOSC, open innovation, co-innovation), applied machine learning for detection and imaging, and stronger industry engagement through design thinking and technology transfer. The shift signals a deliberate move from pure physics research toward making CERN's tools and data accessible to broader scientific and industrial communities.

CERN is increasingly positioning itself as Europe's open science and data infrastructure hub, with growing emphasis on machine learning applications and industry co-innovation beyond particle physics.

How they like to work

CERN operates as both a consortium leader (42% coordinator rate across 110 projects) and a sought-after partner, comfortable in either role. With 747 unique consortium partners across 62 countries, it functions as a massive collaboration hub — one of the most connected organizations in H2020. Its consortia span from small focused research teams (MSCA fellowships) to large-scale infrastructure projects with dozens of partners, making it adaptable to different collaboration formats.

CERN has collaborated with 747 distinct organizations across 62 countries, making it one of the most networked institutions in H2020. Its reach extends well beyond Europe to include partners in Japan (E-JADE), Russia (CREMLIN), and other non-EU countries, reflecting its role as a global scientific hub.

What sets them apart

CERN is unmatched in its combination of fundamental physics infrastructure, technology transfer capability, and open science leadership — no other organization in Europe sits at this intersection. For potential partners, CERN offers access to world-class detector, accelerator, and computing expertise that has proven applications in medicine, cloud computing, and data science. Its massive network (747 partners, 62 countries) and strong coordinator track record mean that partnering with CERN provides both technical depth and consortium-building credibility.

Highlights from their portfolio

• COFUND-FP-CERN-2014
  Largest single grant at EUR 6.4M, funding CERN's fellowship programme — demonstrates the scale of its researcher training operation.
• HNSciCloud
  EUR 4.4M coordinated project pioneering pre-commercial procurement for hybrid cloud services in science — CERN leading Europe's science-cloud transition.
• MEDICIS-PROMED
  Showcases CERN's technology transfer into medicine, using its accelerator expertise to produce radioisotope beams for medical diagnostics and therapy.