Create your own EuroTech winter/summer school

Call for Projects in 2024

Are you interested in organizing a winter/summer school to explore a topic that you find important?

The EuroTech Alliance (DTU, EPFL, TUM, TU/e, L’X and Technion) is funding selected winter/summer schools, organized jointly by professors and doctoral candidates from the EuroTech Universities, at least two institutions, for their peers. The objective of this project is to enhance exchange between the EuroTech Universities.

The course should contain the following attributes:

  • Candidates acquire knowledge at the cutting edge of science & technology
  • Community building including exchanges between doctoral candidates and faculty

The initiators of an EuroTech winter/summer school are fully responsible for the organization. The administration of the winter/summer school should be managed by them, as the Organizing Committee.

The best proposals will be approved by an Evaluating Committee composed of representatives from the EuroTech Alliance.

Deadline: March 28, 2024


Requirements for a winter/summer school organized at EPFL

Form an Organizing Committee (OC) of professors and 1 or 2 doctoral candidates from each of the participating, normally at least 2 of the 6, EuroTech Universities.

Note: Applications involving more EuroTech Universities in the OC will be preferred.

The doctoral candidates co-create the course with their professors. The doctoral candidates are encouraged to propose the course topic and then work closely with their professors to organize the school. The OC must name one main contact person from EPFL, who will be responsible for the handling of the granted funds and local organizational matters in cooperation with the Doctoral School. We recommend that you enlist the help of an administrative assistant (e.g. from your laboratory or the supporting Professor) for the administrative management or your school. The winter/summer schools should be actively promoted within the EuroTech Universities by the organizers.

It is up to you to come up with a topic. The suggested winter/summer schools are expected to be original in their character, content and format: topic, format and participating units must be well matched. The suggested winter/summer schools should be as diverse as possible w.r.t. gender, nationality, age and the other diversity criteria.

Prepare a 2-7 days program.

According to your course subject, think about potential speakers – strongly favor EuroTech faculty staff (cost, community building) – you could invite, and get their agreement.

Minimum 15 doctoral candidates from DTU, EPFL, TUM, TU/e, L’X, Technion and other international institutions. Amongst them, each organizing  EuroTech University should have at least 3 doctoral candidates participating in the course.

The winter/summer school be held on the premises of EPFL, before the end of calendar year 2024.

1-2 ECTS credits for each doctoral candidate. Each university should grant the same amount of ECTS credits for the course (28 hours of work, assignments included = 1 ECTS).

You are required to impose participation fees of CHF 100 for doctoral EuroTech candidates (members of the OC are exempt).

Each university covers accommodation and travel expenses of its participants, i.e. of the speakers (the faculty/postdocs who are foreseen to lecture at the winter/summer school) and doctoral candidates, according to their local procedure. EPFL, as host university, covers the local costs (promotion of the school, facilities, lunch, coffee breaks, travel expenses and accommodation of external speakers, and one event dinner).

The registration fees of the doctoral candidates (which demonstrates their commitment) go to the host university, EPFL.

The budget contains the request of subvention (of the host university, EPFL) and the contributions. If granted, EPFL gives CHF 10’000 to the OC.

Details must be given on how participants will be tested at the end of your course by whatever method to ensure that the doctoral candidate acquired the new knowledge that was taught (an exam or written report, presentation, poster, group project, etc.).

Six weeks after the event, organizers are requested to deliver a financial report as well as a report on the event’s achievements (or problems). Substantial deviations from the original budget in the financial report must be justified. The report must include the information on the participants (number of participants and affiliated university), as well as an overview over the program and the participants’ evaluation of the course. This report should not be longer than 3 pages. Please add some recommendations for the next team of organizers. We will make sure they receive your good advice. The financial contribution will be paid by EPFL after review of the report (to reset the accounts).

Your proposal including detailed budget should be submitted in PDF format to your doctoral program, and follow this structure:

  1. Winter/summer school proposal form (PDF document to download here, 1 page)
  2. Presentation of your winter/summer school (1-2 pages)
    • Topic
    • Target audience
    • Potential speakers
    • Sustainability: how the connections, results and spirit of the planned summer school can endure and will be of use beyond the very meeting
  3. Program (1 page)
  4. Budget (Excel file to download here, 1 page)

Should you have any question concerning the requirements, please get in touch with the Doctoral School ([email protected])

 

 

Last update: 08.02.2024