Supporting scientific conferences.
For many years, the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation has been supporting scientific conferences worldwide with a focus on exchanging research concepts and unpublished findings, and promoting the dialogue among different generations of scientists.
Context and aims of the programme.
International conferences are essential for the exchange of new ideas and research findings. For junior scientists, they also provide excellent opportunities to get an overview of current issues, methods, and even controversial discussions in their respective fields of research. Further, they offer them a forum for presenting their own findings and for establishing contacts with leading researchers. The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation supports such exchange.
What will be supported?
The foundation in particular facilitates the participation of junior scientists (PhDs and postdoctoral fellows) in “traditional” scientific conferences concerning basic research in biology, chemistry, medicine, and pharmacy. It also awards grants to international conferences organised by and for junior scientists (i.e., post-graduate and post-doctoral researchers).
The foundation is also pleased to support scientific conferences that are held in cooperation with other renowned organisations, as well as conference series (EMBO, Gordon Research Conferences, Spetses Summer Schools, etc.).
In all cases, the foundation finances the participation (e.g., travel, accommodation, attendance fees) of a number of outstanding junior scientists. In addition, the costs for travel and accommodation of established scientists invited, for example, to give a keynote lecture may be covered. In the case of conferences organised by junior scientists, the foundation may also contribute to additional costs (rental of space, etc.).
Who is eligible to apply?
Scientists organising a conference may apply for a grant to cover the aforementioned costs. For conferences held in conjunction with an accompanying satellite seminar or workshop, only one application for funding may be submitted. The recipient of any such grant must either be an academic institution or a non-profit organisation.
Conference-organising agencies are not eligible to apply for funding.
When may applications be made?
Funding applications may be sent at any time via mail or email. Please send your application to:
Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation
Schusterstrasse 46-48
55116 Mainz
Germany
funding[at]bistiftung.de
What information must the applications contain?
To assess and decide upon your application, the following documents are required:
1. An official letter with a letterhead, signature, and the following information:
- The title of the conference, as well as a brief description of its content, concept, and scientific significance, as well as its format and location
- An estimate of the total number of participants, their expected composition regarding nationality and academic career stage (e.g. PhD students, post-doctoral students, principal investigators)
- A description of the format by which interaction between junior and established scientists is to be promoted
- A description of the process for selecting junior scientists (doctoral and post-doctoral researchers) for participation in the conference/meeting
- A description of the process for selecting junior scientists (doctoral and post-doctoral researchers), whose attendance/participation is to be supported by the foundation
- The funding sum being requested including an itemization of funding use (e.g. travel, accommodation, etc.)
2. The event’s preliminary programme
3. A list of speakers, including respective institutions, towns, and countries
What does the foundation not fund?
- Scientific conferences that are purely local in nature
- Retreats of PhD programmes or institutes
- Non-research events, e.g. medical training events
- Conferences whose focus is not on basic biological, chemical, medical, or pharmaceutical research
- Systematic botany, ecology, or zoology conferences
- Events with no relationship to Europe in terms of location, speakers, or participants
- Please note that the foundation does not fully fund events
How are successful applications selected?
Submitted applications are first examined as to whether they fall within funding parameters, meet formal requirements, and are complete. Based on the event’s scientific quality and on the concept presented, a funding decision is generally rendered within 8 weeks of submission.