ICTS organizes programs as part of its mandate to facilitate interactive activities of researchers with a strong educational component. It should be emphasized that ICTS is not a conference center or a funding agency for conferences and workshops. The organizers must keep in mind while submitting proposals for programs, which need to incorporate some basic features outlined below. All proposals will be scrutinized by a Program Committee of the ICTS, which could make suggestions for revision to make them consistent with the ICTS requirements and the highest academic standards. Successful programs will receive appropriate financial and administrative support from ICTS.
Who can submit a proposal?
Anyone holding a faculty position at any research and educational institution can submit a proposal for organizing a program at the ICTS. A typical proposal for organizing a program is expected to have two or more organizers. All successful program proposals should be organized in the ICTS campus in Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, India.
What are the possible research areas of a program?
Program proposals can be submitted in any of the traditional areas of the physical and mathematical sciences, physical biology, computational science, complex systems like climate, fluids etc. and theoretical computer science.
The Centre will also support activities that contribute to raising the level of scientific knowledge among Indian university students and faculty. Some of the high level activities could be preceded by pre-schools or instructional workshops, to enable young participants to make the best use of the programs. The aim of these types of activities is to contribute to human resource development in the basic sciences.
Where does one submit a proposal?
Proposals for organizing programs can be submitted on the ICTS website by following the link “ORGANIZE A PROGRAM”.
How are successful program proposals selected?
All program proposals are scrutinized by a Program Committee of the ICTS. It consists of acknowledged leaders in different areas of science. Successful program proposals must have a positive recommendation from this Committee.
What does the Program Committee look for in a proposal?
To receive a positive recommendation from the Program Committee, a program proposal must include the following information:
- A description of the theme and objectives- explaining the scientific case and its timeliness and a list of specific topics to be covered in the program.
- Duration of the program and its justification, in terms of expected research benefits and human resource development. Proposals with significant pedagogic and human resource development component are encouraged.
- A list of possible speakers and targeted participants (preferably after consultations with them). ICTS program committee looks for quality participants, both national and international in this list. It also tends to encourage strong participation by students and postdocs. Organisers are urged to ensure adequate gender, regional and institutional balance while selecting speakers and participants. Do let us know of any special efforts or initiatives taken in this direction. You may also include this in your summary report at the end of the program. Note that ICTS has child day-care facilities and all participants can use it.
- The organizers should mention recent or upcoming programs at ICTS or elsewhere that the proposed program has overlap with. They should also mention if the proposed program is part of a regular series.
Support and other information
The Centre will allocate budgetary support as per its norms and the needs of the proposed program. To do this, we need to know the expected number of participants from outside Bangalore (and a rough estimate from within Bangalore), expected number of single and sharing rooms required and approximate travel assistance expected. Please note that there are only limited funds available for travel assistance, especially for foreign travel. ICTS encourages organisers to bring in additional support, especially for international travel of foreign speakers and participants, for a more optimal utilisation of ICTS resources. Organizers should give details of any such additional sources of financial support for the program that they expect to bring in. Mention the budget headings for which these funds can be used (e.g travel, local expenses, etc.)
The organizers are also required to submit a summary report within a month after the program ends.
For all programs supported and organized by ICTS, the audiovisual material collected during the course of the program will be uploaded on the ICTS YouTube channel and the ICTS website.
What should be the duration of a program?
Programs covering important developments in an area that requires a focused response run for 2-3 weeks. A scientific case for the appropriateness of the duration needs to be made in the proposal.
What is not covered by the ICTS mandate?
ICTS is not a conference funding agency. Proposals for organizing conferences and workshops, as well as requests for partial funding of these, are outside the mandate of ICTS. All programs supported by ICTS must be organized as ICTS programs on ICTS campus, including preparation of a webpage for the program on the ICTS website, uploading instructional material generated by the program on the webpage, etc.
For more information please contact: program [at] icts . res . in