Centre International de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées

How to prepare, run and evaluate a research school ?

This document gives a broad outline on the procedures used by CIMPA. Each CIMPA research school has its specificities. The Director, his Regional Scientific Officers (RSR) and the administrative office of CIMPA contribute to the preparation and the success of each project.

Note that in case the main guidelines of the road map are not met, CIMPA may consider to suspend or report the research school.

This document covers the following points :

• Preparation of the project
• Before the research school
• During the research school
• After the research school

PREPARATION OF THE PROJECT

Acceptance or rejection of a school project is decided by the Steering Council based on recommendations of the Scientific Committee.

Objectives

1. A CIMPA research school is intended first and foremost for young mathematicians of the country in which it is held, and for those of countries nearby. The level is pre-Doc. or post-Doc. Women are especially encouraged to take part at all levels.
2. It is held preferably in a place where mathematics are in the process of development, in order to support the structuring of mathematics in this place and to be of interest to young people there or in the vicinity.
3. The subject of the research school must correspond to preliminary local work. It must have a foreseeable development in the region.
4. 4. A CIMPA research school is a training by and for research. A connection with teaching or research activities in the region where the school is held is desirable.
5. Any mathematician of any country can ask to take part.
6. After each research school, provision should be made for a scientific production in the form of notes of courses deposited on the Internet in a perennial way (for example on arXiv). A hard-copy edition by an editor is possible.
7. A Web site of the research school is essential, to be maintained by the organizers. It should specify the language used for each course.

Procedure

1. A project must be planned approximately two years in advance. It is possible to submit a pre-project between March and 1st of June of a year X. A final project needs to be submitted before 1st of October of year X, then it is considered by the scientific committee (CS) and the Steering Council (StC). The results is known at the beginning of the year X+1, the research school is held during the year X+2.
2. Each research school has two main scientific people in charge, one local and the other from a participant State to CIMPA (France, Spain, Norway or Switzerland). They can gather a team around them, which can include for instance initiators of the project from other States. The two main people in charge participate to the research school from the beginning to its end. They are the interlocutors of CIMPA. Beginning in 2015 these two main people in charge should not be members of the Management Team, the Bureau or the Scientific Council. Taking into account gender balance among the organizers is encouraged.
3. A research school lasts two weeks or 10 days, and comprises between 50h and 60h of talks. Usually there are no talks on the Wednesday afternoon. There are at most 6 hours of activities each day. The number of courses are between four and six. The lectures are of one hour at most.
4. Approximately 2/3 of the time (and at least half of it) is intended for courses for young mathematicians.
5. Talks of a higher level can take place, which the young mathematicians should be able to follow.
6. Scientific and pedagogical considerations should come first when selecting the course lecturers, who should be experienced mathematicians. Whenever possible, CIMPA encourages selecting some lecturers from the region where the school will take place. Taking into account gender balance is also strongly encouraged. The EMS/EWM Scientific Committee may be consulted if this is a challenge : http://www.euro-math-soc.eu/comm-wo...
7. The lecturers prepare a summary of the course and suggest references and provide notes of their course after the research school, under their responsibility.
8. The Scientific Committee considers all the scientific aspects involved in the project and is responsible for insuring gender balance. It must be proactive and must approve the project before sending it to CIMPA.

Budget

1. A research school is intended to promote the development of mathematics ; the lecturers are thus not remunerated. They can ask (with the support of CIMPA) that their course be included in their teaching duty at their parent institution, with no guarantee of success.
2. The people in charge of a CIMPA research school must seek to secure diversified sources of funding : international (ICTP, IMU, AUF, Embassies,…) and local (local organizations, companies,…).
3. The people in charge make a budget (resources and expenditure). They indicate if the funds are requested or confirmed.
4. They particularly seek funds for the travel and accommodation expenses of the lecturers (lecturers’ institutions, Embassies, local organizations, companies…).
5. 5. The RSR or the Director of CIMPA may help in obtaining these funds, in coordination with the people in charge of the research school.
6. The financial participation of CIMPA occurs after all other means are exhausted.
7. At least 2/3 of the CIMPA funding is intended for the travel expenses of the young people of the region and if necessary for their accommodation expenses expenses (15 as an average, at least 5 and rarely near 40) ; the latter should preferably be dealt with locally. If absolutely necessary, CIMPA can partly fund the expenses of some lecturers from near countries, from States which participate to CIMPA or from European countries (approximately 1/3 of the contribution of CIMPA). Expenses for participants from the country are normally covered by local financing.
8. Typically the financial support from CIMPA is at most 1/3 of the total foreseeable final budget, which comprises the travel and accommodation expenses paid directly by other organizations. For particular cases the participation of CIMPA can vary between 20% and 50% of the total budget.
9. It varies between 8K€ and 12K€, according to needs of the research schools and the annual budget of CIMPA.
10. Registration fees are collected uniquely by CIMPA from participants (out from lecturers) coming from other countries than the one of the Research School. Participants from developing countries can require to be exempted – their demand will be automatically accepted. Other exemption requirements will be considered case by case. Participants from the country where the Research School takes place do not pay any registration fee, neither to CIMPA nor to organisers. In case the Research School needs some funding available in advance the organizers may contact CIMPA for this purpose.

Place

1. One common site is strongly recommended for the talks, meals and accommodation. Preferably all meals are taken together, at least those at midday.
2. The site is simple and adequate for the talks. CIMPA research schools do not take place in luxurious environments.
3. Bibliographical documentation for the courses should be available on site
4. The site is favorable to exchanges, discussions and informal working sessions.
5. A excursion-walk, for example on Wednesday afternoon, can be organized. A financial participation can be required.

BEFORE

1. Once the Scientific council and the Steering Council of CIMPA approve the project, the scientific organizers of the research school contact their RSR
2. The two scientific organizers in charge of the research school set up a Web site that they maintain. This Web site is the backbone of the meeting, before, during and after.
3. If necessary, CIMPA can contribute to the development of the Web site or host it.
4. CIMPA sets up a Web page concerning the research school and a link towards this Web site. Three months after the end of the school, a complete and permanent copy of the Web site will be recorded on the Web site of CIMPA.
5. The participation and the registration of local mathematicians are managed on site by the organizers.
6. The other requests for participation and funding are made via CIMPA.
7. Two months before the beginning of the research school, the two scientific organizers and CIMPA select the participants, as well as the young mathematicians who will be funded by CIMPA. A maximum amount of travel expenses is fixed for each one.
8. The selection is made based on the quality of the candidates and their suitability to the subject and to the expected level. Letters of recommendation and letter of motivation are also important. Applicants funded by CIMPA are generally less than 38 years or have a recent Ph.D. They have to reside in neighbouring countries of the Research School except for those in Sub-Saharan Africa for which a special effort can be made according to the relevance of the files.
9. They study the possible participation of CIMPA in the expenses of the lecturers.
10. The people funded by CIMPA buy their own travel ticket, they will be refunded at real cost, not exceeding the maximum amount allotted. The purchase of the ticket by other manner can be studied by CIMPA, at the request of the participants.

DURING

1. A person from CIMPA (the Director, the RSR, or someone representing it) attends the research school. The travel expenses of this colleague are funded separately from the budget of the school. His accommodation is taken care of by the research school.
2. He presents CIMPA and makes sure that the research school develops in agreement with the mission of CIMPA, in particular towards young mathematicians. He intervenes if necessary.
3. He establishes contacts with local authorities, contributes to the discussion on the future evolution of mathematics, in training and research
4. He makes sure that the complete budget of the research school is in agreement with the estimates
5. He has the responsibility of refunding the participants according to the estimates, obtains a copy of their passport, makes them sign the receipts provided by the administration of CIMPA and keeps any original document (invoices, boarding passes) justifying refunding. He forwards them to CIMPA on his return by registered mail within ONE MONTH after the research school.
6. In order to be able to finance other research schools, the contribution of CIMPA can be decreased depending on circumstances, for example when other last-minute funds are obtained. In certain cases the budget of CIMPA can be increased in view of exceptional circumstances. This flexibility is a kind of limited insurance.

AFTER

1. The scientific organizers of the research school make sure that each lecturer writes notes (or arranges for young mathematicians attending the research school to do so). The notes of a CIMPA research school can be deposited on “Cours en ligne - archives ouvertes” [CEL-AO] if they are completely written (some summary notes in support with the lectures are not accepted). They must be able to be useful to all, and not only to the participants. They are deposited under the scientific responsibility of their author and with the technical assistance of CIMPA (which cannot be given the responsibility to type them) CEL-AO : http://cel.archives-ouvertes.fr, Collection du CIMPA : http://cel.archives-ouvertes.fr/CIMPA
2. They make sure that the Web site establishes a link towards these notes and that the final list of participants is up to date.
3. Two reports are prepared, one by the local organizer, the other by CIMPA representative and must be forwarded to CIMPA within ONE MONTH after the research school. Each report considers the scientific and the financial side. They are placed on the web site of the research school.
4. Three months after the end of the school the Web site is finalized, a complete copy is then lodged in a permanent way on the Web site of of CIMPA for consultation, filing and evaluation.

April 2013

Roadmap (pdf format)