The growing number of cancer survivors worldwide has led to of the emergence of diverse survivorship movements in the United States and Europe. Understanding the evolution of cancer survivorship within the context of different political and healthcare systems is important for identifying the future steps that need to be taken and collaborations needed to promote research among and enhance the care of those living after cancer. We first review the history of survivorship internationally and important related events in both the US and Europe. We then discuss lessons learned from survivorship research broadly, followed by examination of the infrastructure needed to sustain and advance this work, including: platforms for research, assessment tools, and vehicles for the dissemination of findings. We end with future perspectives, identifying the collaborative opportunities for investigators in Europe and the United States to accelerate the pace of survivorship science going forward.