Intramural collaboration program 2024
In order to foster intramural collaboration, IBEC is launching a call for thematic networks. The goal is to identify key areas in which there is potential for collaboration within IBEC groups, and to build a forum for discussing ideas and collaborative projects.
Each network will include funding to organize:
- Up to 5 half-day workshops held at IBEC. Each workshop should include talks/contributions from IBEC group members, plus an invited talk by an international researcher.
- A final day-long retreat held in the vicinity of Barcelona.
- Costs for inviting the international researchers, up to 4 from Europe and one intercontinental.
- Funding for a small collaborative project, emerging from the participating groups.
Network rules
- Each network should be composed of at least 5 IBEC groups.
- Each network will have an executive board, composed of one representative from each group. One of the representatives will act as network coordinator.
- Network representatives can be either PIs, senior researchers, or post-docs, senior researchers and post-docs will need the approval of their PI to participate in the call.
- Each PI, senior researcher, or post-doc can apply to be representative to only one thematic network. However, there is no limit to the number of applications that each IBEC research group can participate in.
- The exact number and format of workshops, and of the final retreat, can be decided by the network representatives. It must fall within the maximum budget.
- Talks by invited speakers must be open to everyone (not just network members) and announced in the IBEC website as an IBEC seminar. Ideally, visits of international researchers should also include visits to the network labs, and as much interaction as possible.
- Network meetings in general should also be open to anyone interested within IBEC, not only the groups involved in the original application.
- In their final retreat, the network will have a budget to fund a small collaborative project, among all the ideas that may have appeared during the network. This should be a specific project to fund a specific concrete “proof-of-principle” idea, involving 2-3 people from the network. The budget for this project will be part of the overall budget of the network.
Funds
- The maximum funding for each network will be of 25000 euros.
- The decision on how to allocate the funding is up to the network members. However, a preliminary estimate indicates that a reasonable distribution would be of ~15000 euros for the network itself, and ~10000 euros for the small collaborative project.
- In this first call, IBEC will fund up to 3 networks.
Application procedure
Each network will submit a short application for funding, detailing:
- Specific name and topic of the network. Networks should focus on a specific topic of interest to several IBEC groups.
- Reason for choosing the topic, and how this topic is represented among the different IBEC groups participating.
- Proposed list of invited speakers, and how their visits will be organized.
- Proposed calendar and format of workshops, and of the final retreat.
- Proposed procedure to allocate the funding for the collaborative project. This should properly take into account potential conflicts of interest.
- Budget.
Evaluation procedure
All applications will be evaluated by IBEC’s International Scientific Committee (ISC), according to the following criteria:
- Potential of topic to science in general and to IBEC (33%).
- Potential to lead to interesting collaborations (33%). This includes collaborations within IBEC and with potential invited groups.
- Adequacy of network organization and proposed plan (33%). This includes adequately considering gender balance, and also the consideration of basic and applied/clinical aspects when selecting invited speakers.
Additional Considerations
- Participants must designate a program manager responsible for managing venue reservations, speaker travel arrangements, and any other logistical tasks related to the initiative. The communications department may provide support to this individual upon request.
- Recommended budget allocations are as follows:
- 7.000€ for seminar organization (covering speaker travel and accommodation, catering, and meeting rooms).
- 8.000€ for retreat organization (covering venue rental and meals).
- 10.000€ for small collaborative projects.
Deadlines
| Deadline for proposals | 07/05/2024 |
| Evaluation of proposals by IBEC’s International Scientific Committee (ISC). | May 2024 |
| Announcement of selected networks | May 2024 |
| Beginning of networks | Sept 2024 |
| Retreats closing the networks. | May-June 2025 |
| Presentation of network results in IBEC symposium. | Oct 2025 |
Application Form
The applications must be submitted using this template through this form before May 7th, 2024.
We have generated a shared spreadsheet where anyone can add ideas for networks, and where anyone can also sign up to show interest: Spreadsheet
Contact
For any questions regarding the thematic networks call please contact: proca@ibecbarcelona.eu