Bridging Borders and Building Futures
With BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is well-known for its commitment to social mobility and education. How does supporting the Pasteur Foundation UK Young Researcher Mobility Fund align with your mission to empower the next generation of leaders and ensure that talent, rather than geography, determines success?

BNP Paribas: Our commitment to both social mobility and education in the UK is very important to us, and we see this funding as a natural extension of that work.  BNP Paribas has been a proud supporter of Teach First for several years, sharing in the belief that no child's future should be limited by their socio-economic background.

Our “Leaders for a Changing World” (LFACW) programme focuses on strengthening schools in disadvantaged communities and producing resources for teachers that increase student knowledge about sustainability topics, all aligned to the GCSE curriculum. Since our LFACW partnership began in 2022,  Teach First have been able to recruit an additional 110 teachers who have been placed in schools in England serving the most disadvantaged communities. Our four sustainability focused lessons have been downloaded over 7,200 times by teachers all over the country, and BNP Paribas staff have delivered lessons in-person in Teach First schools in London, Solihull, Basingstoke and Bristol, reaching over 1,150 students directly.

By financing mobility with the Institut Pasteur, we apply this same philosophy to the scientific community: helping high‑potential scientists overcome geographic barriers and embrace the richness of cross-border experience.

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This fund specifically enables scientists to move between the UK and the Institut Pasteur in France at a pivotal moment in their careers. As a global bank with deep roots in both countries, why do you believe international exchange is so critical for driving scientific innovation today?

BNP Paribas: We believe that science thrives on the cross‑pollination of ideas. Moving between geographies gives researchers access to complementary expertise, cutting‑edge facilities, and diverse networks that they might not encounter otherwise.

For BNP Paribas, a bank operating in both markets, supporting Pasteur Foundation UK exemplifies the global connectivity we champion. We understand that the best solutions often come from bringing different perspectives together, and this fund provides the bridge necessary for that collaboration to happen.

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Your corporate strategy often focuses on building a 'sustainable and inclusive society.' In your view, how does investing in early-career medical researchers contribute to the long-term health and stability of the communities BNP Paribas serves?

BNP Paribas: Early‑career medical researchers are the future innovators who will develop therapies, improve public‑health systems, and create jobs. Their breakthroughs translate into healthier, more resilient communities, communities that we are part of and help to serve. By investing in these researchers today, we are effectively investing in the long-term infrastructure of the global health advancements of tomorrow.
 

Having seen the impact of global connectivity in the financial world, what is the one thing you hope these young researchers gain from their time abroad that they couldn't get by staying in one lab?

BNP Paribas: Ultimately, we hope they gain a broadened perspective. Exposure to a different research culture, regulatory environment, and population equips them with a global mindset that simply cannot be replicated within a single lab. This international experience is what drives more innovative, adaptable solutions to tomorrow’s most pressing health challenges.

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