ICTP ASSOCIATESHIP SCHEME

The ICTP Associateship Scheme was created at the very inception of the Centre. It represents one of the means through which the vocation of the ICTP for the promotion and the development of scientific knowledge in Third World Countries has concretely been applied to reality. In particular the Associateship Scheme enables individual scientists to maintain long term formal contacts with the stimulating and active scientific environment of the Centre. Thanks to the Associateship Scheme, scientists of a good research level, living and working in developing countries, remain regularly in contact with the most modern aspects of their scientific fields. This, to a large extent, helps to eliminate the "brain-drain" in the Third World. As Associate Members are active scientists in their countries, they are expected to play a major role in the process of building their scientific communities, enhancing physics and mathematics education at all levels, and planning research problems related to the specific needs in their region.

It has to be stressed that all evaluation Committees concerning ICTP activities, both those of its mother Institutions like IAEA and UNESCO, as well as those of external bodies, like SIDA, have expressed their high appreciation for the excellence and efficiency of this programme and for the results that have been achieved through it.

The Standard Scheme:  The Associateship Scheme currently includes Junior, Regular, Senior, Group Associates and Partner Institutes.

JUNIOR ASSOCIATES

Junior Associateships are intended for promising young scientists up to the age of 35. The award lasts for six-years and entitles them to spend from six weeks to ninety days at the Centre, three times during the validity of the award, with fare and living allowance covered by the Associateship. After the three visits are completed, should the Associate Member still have a certain number of days remaining from his 270 day allocation, then he/she is entitled to visit the ICTP with living expenses covered.

REGULAR ASSOCIATES

Regular Associates between the age of 36-45 are entitled to visit for six weeks to ninety days, three times in a period of six years. For three visits the Centre provides their fare and a living allowance. After the three visits are completed, should the Associate Member still have a certain number of days remaining from his 270 day allocation, then he/she is entitled to visit the ICTP with living expenses covered.

SENIOR ASSOCIATES

All candidates over the age of 45 will automatically be considered for a Senior Associateship award. However, a Senior Associateship may be granted to candidates below the age of 45 who opt to apply only in this category by stating this very clearly on their application form. The upper age limit for Senior Associates is 62 at the time of the award. The Centre places at their disposal a lump sum to be spent on Associateship visits during the six-year period of their appointment.

PARTNER INSTITUTES

Official agreements with other world-wide scientific Institutes were established, thus allowing the Centre to make Associates' visits more flexible; Regular and Senior Associates may therefore opt to spend their Associateship visit externally, at Institutes which have an established Partnership Agreement with the ICTP. These visits must receive the concurrence of both the Associate Scheme Office and the Partner Institute before the official invitation letter can be issued to the Associate Member. A detailed report of the work achieved at the Partner Institute should be sent to the Associate Scheme Office at the end of the visit

Identification and Selection of Candidates. Prospective candidates should complete the appropriate application form and send it, together with a list of their publications, to the Associateship Office of the Centre. At least two letters of recommendation are required. All applications which are usually (but not exclusively) submitted by scientists who had some interaction with ICTP (typically participants in Courses and Workshops) are divided according to the fields of interest and age of the applicants and sent to the appropriate ICTP scientific committees which normally meet once a year and on such occasion prepare a priority list of candidates. Awards are granted respecting the geographical distribution of the nominees as well as the number of Associate awards expiring per research field. Selected Associates receive a letter of award, signed by the ICTP Director and their details are published on the Office's web site. Unsuccessful candidates are considered for two years from the date of their last updating.

SCIENTIFIC AREAS

MEMBER STATES REPRESENTED

Approximately 100

MAJOR EXTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTOR

Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries (SIDA)

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