Supporting international science with €100M contribution

AXA further strengthens its support to international science through an additional contribution of €100 million to the AXA Research Fund

AXA pursues its commitment towards independent academic research by adding €100 million to the AXA Research Fund budget for the period 2013 to 2018. This amount tops the initial €100 million granted to the AXA Research Fund at its inception in 2007, which have since then benefited 367 projects led by researchers from 49 nationalities working in more than 150 universities in 27 countries throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas.

21 June 2013

Posted in Financial results

This will allow the AXA Research Fund to continue its mission which is to support top-tier researchers in areas associated with environmental, socioeconomic and life risks, and to promote the dissemination of their discoveries in the public debate.

The AXA Research Fund will in particular increase its efforts to help scientists go one step further in sharing their knowledge with a broader audience in order to actively nurture public debate on risks threatening our societies. In this perspective, the AXA Research Fund has started new funding initiatives dedicated to innovative researchers with high potential to enter public debate, enhance risk awareness and develop participative scientific methods to better understand global challenges. It will also continue to regularly organize popularization workshops and academic events, as well as publish its Books of Knowledge, which provide a readily accessible and concrete introduction to the work of the supported researchers.

This scientific philanthropy initiative is a major component of AXA's corporate responsibility strategy, which aims to better protect people against risks.

We firmly believe that improving knowledge and understanding of the risk landscape is key to the development of societies. This genuine conviction is the starting point of our strong commitment to providing academic researchers with the means and the freedom they need. I am convinced that scientists are today's explorers. Supporting them is not only our core responsibility but also a great honor as well as a unique chance to enrich common knowledge and contribute to better protecting people by helping them face the consequences of climate disasters, increase in life expectancy, sociopolitical events and many more…

Henri de Castries, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at AXA UK

The AXA Research Fund has managed to build a very distinctive reputation for the supported works, through a process based on the highest quality peer reviews contributing to the selection of outstanding institutions and top-tier researchers. As new Scientific Board President, I am fully committed to maintaining and developing the reputation for excellence that the AXA Research Fund has established. I am particularly happy about the new commitment to reinforcing support to the dissemination of scientific discoveries, as I am convinced of the tremendous benefits that will come with a stronger engagement of the researchers into the public debate.

Professor Thomas Kirkwood, President at The AXA Research Fund Scientific Board

The AXA Research Fund grants are all awarded following a robust selection process based on academic standards and overseen by a Scientific Board composed of renowned senior academics and several AXA Group representatives. This Scientific Board is supported by an operational team managed by Godefroy Beauvallet, Head of the AXA Research Fund.

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About AXA UK

AXA Insurance UK plc registered in England and Wales under registered number 078950 and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority under Financial Conduct Authority registration number 202312. Registered office is 20 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0BG.

AXA UK is part of the AXA Group, a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, with 147,000 employees serving 94 million clients in 50 countries. In 2023, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 102.7 billion and underlying earnings to Euro 7.6 billion. AXA had Euro 844 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2023.

In the UK & Ireland, AXA operates through a number of business units including: AXA Insurance, AXA Health and AXA Ireland. AXA UK & Ireland employs around 10,000 staff.

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