“Getting to know each other is the real secret”

AU Viborg hosted a trilateral meeting with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and the French research institute INRAE from 22–24 June 2026 bringing together researchers and institutional leaders in animal sciences. This is a long tradition of annual meetings between INRAE and WUR that has been extended to Aarhus University since last year when the triangle met in Tours, France. 

The annual meetings aim to strengthen collaboration and define shared research priorities by deepening existing partnerships and aligning efforts on key challenges facing livestock systems, including climate impact and animal health and welfare. 

A central objective is to position the three institutions more strongly within European research programs and increase their joint impact. Head of Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University, Charlotte Lauridsen highlighted the strategic value of the collaboration:

“Identifying where joint research would have the greatest impact was central to the meeting, as participants aligned on shared scientific questions and explored opportunities within European funding frameworks.”

Stronger collaboration and European influence

The collaboration builds on a long-standing partnership between Wageningen in Holland (WUR) and National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment in France (INRAE), with Aarhus University (Department of Animal and Veterinary sciences (ANIVET) and Centre of Quantitative Genetics and Genomics) in Denmark forming part of a strong European alliance.
Ernst van den Ende, Director of Animal Sciences at WUR, emphasized the importance of closer collaboration:

“If we make sure that we know each other much better and discuss European collaboration, then probably we will strengthen our position a lot, not only on a national level, but also on a European level.”

“Getting to know each other is the real secret. It makes it easier to make a phone call—and with that, we can be of influence as a triangle on the agenda setting in Europe,” he added. 

Claire Rogel-Gaillard, Deputy Scientific Director at INRAE, highlighted the role of networks and talent development:

“We want to focus on connecting people and promoting the importance of networking, including involving young scientists. 
It is a way to share ideas and renew the vision of collaboration at the EU level, so we can move towards concrete actions for the future of livestock systems.”

The program combined plenary sessions and thematic groups on topics such as sustainable feeding, data and modelling, infrastructure, welfare, genetics, and disease prevention. Participants also explored joint activities in education and training, including PhD exchanges and summer schools.

The meeting concluded with agreement on priority areas and next steps, including the development of two to three joint initiatives and continued follow-up to strengthen collaboration between AU, WUR and INRAE.
 

The three consortium leads:
Ernst van den Ende: General Director, Animal Sciences Group (Wageningen University & Research).
Claire Rogel-Gaillard: Deputy scientific director Agriculture at INRAE, Deputy Director for research for the graduate school Biosphera at Paris-Saclay University 
Charlotte Lauridsen: professor and head of the Department of Animal & Veterinary Sciences at Aarhus University. President, Animal Task Force and coordinator of PIG-PARADIGM. 
Coordinators of the event: Carina Castagna (Aarhus University) Lou Labaube (INRAE) Hans Spoolder (Wageningen).