European Science Foundation broadens opportunities for collaboration
The European Science Foundation (ESF) is broadening the scope of its activities to assist international research collaboration, following recent discussions with the Council of Scientists of INTAS and the US National Science Foundation (NSF). INTAS (the International Association for the Promotion of Cooperation with Scientists from the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union) and the ESF have agreed to work together to encourage NIS scientists to participate in the ESF's scientific activities. These include research conferences, exploratory workshops and scientific meetings associated with the ESF's networks and programmes. The INTAS-ESF cooperation scheme is scheduled to begin operating in early 2000. INTAS will be responsible for selecting the participants and the 'event', however funding will be limited. Meanwhile, although the ESF's principal aim is to foster scientific collaboration in Europe, it sees the involvement of scientists from across the world as beneficial for all parties. Transatlantic collaborations occur in a more formal setting between the ESF and the US National Science Foundation through special joint workshops, but there are also less formal collaborations, with US scientists frequently joining in ESF activities such as its networks and à la carte programmes. However, ESF funding is rarely expected to extend to the American partners in these activities. Now the ESF and NSF have agreed that US scientists will be involved in one of two ways: Either where proposals are in the planning stage, when the American partner would either have to submit a parallel proposal to the NSF or already have funding secured; Or, an American researcher could join in after approval of a proposal by the ESF. In this case it might be too late for them to submit a parallel proposal to the NSF so that only investigators with research funding are likely be involved. There is however some scope for NSF-funded researchers to re-programme their awards and they may also apply to their Programme Director for supplementary funding for such international collaboration. The ESF is therefore now reiterating the importance for proposers wishing to involve American partners to discuss their plans with the appropriate ESF officer, and for their partner to get in touch with their own NSF contact person. Looking forward, the ESF reports there may also be cases where it is desirable for European and American 'networks' to link together. However, this variation on the above system will probably need more detailed discussion between the two organisations, says the ESF.
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United States