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Advanced
Study Institutes
Notes
for applicants
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Purpose
and Form
An Advanced Study
Institute (ASI) is a high-level teaching activity where a carefully
defined subject, systematically presented, is treated in depth by lecturers
of international standing, and new advances in a subject, not taught
elsewhere, are reported in tutorial form. ASIs, as short courses, contribute
to the dissemination of knowledge and the formation of international
scientific contacts. The teaching in ASIs is aimed
at established scientists with substantial scientific background
in the topic being proposed. This type of event is NOT primarily targeted at
postgraduate students and should not be used for that purpose.
ASIs must be a
standalone event with a
duration of 5 to 8 working days to give adequate time for the development
of a topic and allow for sufficient interaction between the scientists.
The time should be mainly devoted to lectures or teaching activities,
and not to the rigid format of presentation of papers. Poster sessions should generally take place
in the evening.
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Fields
of Science
ASIs in any scientific
discipline and/or technology can be supported. ASIs should deal with
subjects in which new advances are reported in
tutorial form. An interdisciplinary ASI may be organised where specialists
in one field teach scientists highly qualified in another, with roles
being interchanged as the theme of common interest is developed from
the viewpoints of the different sciences. Interdisciplinary meetings
require particular care in preparation.
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ASI
Director and Organizing Committee
The Applicant
should assume the role of the Director of the ASI concerned, and
must specifically provide under Section 10 of the application form
details about his/her own scientific background in connection with the
topic proposed for the ASI. The ASI Director is responsible for the preparation of the scientific programme,
the selection of participants, and the administration of the meeting.
He/she should, inter alia, ensure the evolution of the lecture programme
as a teaching exercise, encourage the formation of smaller tutorial
groups, support the participants' expression of their own work, normally
through poster sessions, indicate relevant reference material, and ensure
the delivery of final texts for publication. The ASI Director should
publicise the ASI to attract target participants. He/she may be assisted
by a small Organising Committee preferably composed of three to four
scientists from more than one institution and, if appropriate, from
different research sectors.
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Participation
The choice of lecturers
and ASI participants is the responsibility of the ASI Director assisted
by the Organizing Committee. ASI participants should be chosen
for their appropriate qualifications following their responses to both
open announcements in universities and relevant professional
communities inside Hong Kong and by invitation. An ASI is primarily aimed at
established "senior" scientists. Exceptionally, only a very
small number of dcotoral or postdoctoral students may be invited, but
they count as observers and should not take precedence over senior
scientists. Lecturers and ASI
participants are expected to stay for the entire duration of the ASI to
ensure full interaction.
ASI participants must
be of sufficient calibre to contribute at a high level. Prospective
lecturers may be approached before preparation of the application;
an indication of their degree of commitment to participate will help the application since this has a bearing on the assessment of the
application. Applications with a low degree of lecturer commitment
stand a reduced chance of being awarded. If a grant is
approved, the Applicant must confirm to the Foundation that the lecturers proposed will
attend the ASI. There should
be no more than 6 lecturers for each ASI to make the size manageable.
The majority of
ASI course participants should be from Hong Kong and preferably from more than
one university. Some from outside Hong Kong, particularly from Asian
countries/territories, may be allowed, if they have promising potential
in scientific interaction and collaboration with Hong Kong, but this
should not exceed 25% of the total number of ASI participants.
Those applications
that have an applied aspect, and especially where relevance to industry
is declared, would be strengthened by inclusion of a noted industrial
scientist or engineer, both on the Organising Committee and among the
lecturers.
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Funding
The Croucher award
is intended to cover direct organisational expenses, the travel and
living expenses of lecturers, and to contribute to some ASI
participants'
travel and living expenses. Only ASI participants from outside
Hong Kong can be subsidised from the Croucher grant for travel and
accommodation expenses. The level of funding
awarded to organise an ASI is determined by the Croucher Foundation Limited ("the Foundation") on a case by case basis, taking into account the number of lecturers,
and the size, duration and location of the meeting.
The ASI Director
should minimise costs through efficient organisation and choice of location.
To make optimal use of funds, the ASI Director should decide on the
most appropriate allocation of funds to the various lines of the budget
and the level of support to individual participants.
Entertainment expenses should be minimized.
As a condition of
the grant, the meeting must be designated a "Croucher
Advanced Study Institute". The Organising Committee must
not charge any participant fee.
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Location
ASIs are to be held
in Hong Kong preferably on the premises of a university, or establishments
which are willing to reduce rental and related costs to a minimum. It
is not a programme to be held at expensive conference venues.
The characteristics
of locations suitable for hosting ASIs are herewith for reference: appropriate
lecture facilities including appropriate lecture rooms, audiovisual
aids, photocopiers, computers etc.; secluded and quiet location; facilities
for informal meetings to allow free exchange of views among participants;
possibility of having at least one daily meal together; conference rooms,
accommodation, restaurant, etc. located near each other; accommodation
in one building for all participants (if this is not possible, the various
accommodations should be nearby and of a similar standard); easy accessibility;
easy access to local assistance for travel arrangements, banking, etc.;
availability of half or full board; availability of special group rates
(which can be advantageous in view of the long duration of the meetings);
reliable booking guaranteed by the local management.
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Applications
All applicants
must be acutely aware that their applications are reviewed by leading
international experts in the relevant fields. Selection of applications
by the Foundation is based on the recommendations of the
opinions of these independent reviewers. Elements involved in evaluating an
application include its scientific content, the importance and the topicality
of the meeting, the research and teaching design of the programme to
achieve its educational objective, the scientific background of the
proposed lecturers, the qualifications of the proposed
participants and their commitment, the stated objective and the appropriateness
of the format and level of commitment. An applicant who is not
in a position to provide highly specific scientific topic in the lecture
programmes should not make an application. In approving a grant,
the Foundation may suggest modifications in form, content, personnel and estimated
costs. An ASI is essentially a teaching and not a public relations activity.
Applicants must try to exclude ceremonial, banquets or items of a public
relations nature from their budget proposals.
Applications for
Croucher Foundation sponsorship and funding of an ASI should be submitted
on standardized format presented by the Foundation, and must be submitted through the relevant
administrative office in one of universities in Hong Kong. The
Foundation considers requests for ASI support once a year.
The ASI is not a
conference and therefore not offered as an alternative to the
international conference or symposium sponsorship which is supported by
the Foundation under a separate funding programme. The ASI must be a standalone event
and not as an offshoot back-to-back event of any other event, or used as a means of enhanced funding for another event.
Annual Closing
Date: 7th December (or the following working day if 7th December is over
a weekend). As the Foundation only accepts applications
through relevant designated University offices and there are
institutional quotas for entries, each University may at its discretion
pronounce an internal deadline for screening applications.
Prospective applicants are advised to check with their own university
administrative offices in preparing their proposals
Applicants are informed
in writing of the Foundation's' decision around mid-April of the year. The
Foundation does not provide critiques for unsuccessful applications.
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Press
here to download the application form
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Last Modified:
30/01/2007
Copyright
(C) 2010 Croucher Foundation. All rights reserved.
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