Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are a challenge for societies worldwide. The prevalence of this type of disease is growing with increasing life expectancy. To date, only limited progress has been made in preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. It is also crucial to alleviate the burden on society and especially on families and care providers. To tackle the societal challenge of neurodegenerative diseases more efficiently and speed up discovery of new treatments, cooperation across borders and multidisciplinary approaches are urgently needed. This symposium will present new ways of addressing research on neurodegenerative diseases, in North America, Europe, and beyond. In the United States, research on Alzheimer's disease is coordinated by the National Institute on Aging. In addition to the strong research landscape within the United States, international activities in research on Alzheimer's disease are becoming more important. One new approach being taken in Europe is the Joint Programming Initiative on Neurodegenerative Diseases, in particular, Alzheimer's disease. For this initiative, 24 European countries have come together to coordinate research efforts. They are developing a strategic research agenda (SRA) coordinating basic, clinical, and health-care research with the help of an expert scientific advisory board. Once developed, the SRA will be jointly implemented on a voluntary basis by the participating countries.