Fostering collaboration across disciplines and generations

The ESF Research Conferences Scheme provides the opportunity for leading scientists and young researchers to meet for discussions on the most recent developments in their fields of research. It acts as a catalyst for creating new synergistic contacts throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

It develops principally through the establishment of long-term partnerships between the ESF and national and international organisations, including universities. Each partnership funds a series of conferences which focuses on the same topical area and takes place at a recurring venue. Individual conference topics are either selected by ESF and its partners, taking into account their strategic interests, or are generated through an open call for proposals announced at the beginning of each year.

Profile

Conferences generally last for four or five days and up to 150 participants and invited speakers may be accepted to attend. The Chair, assisted by the Organizing Committee, selects participants on the basis of applications (to be submitted online usually no later than 3 months before the conference). A conference fee is charged to participants. A limited number of grants is available for young researchers, to cover their attendance and contribute towards their travel.

The core activities of the Conferences are based on lectures by invited scientists, who are leaders in their respective fields, followed by extensive discussion periods. An informal exchange of ideas, both inside and outside the lecture room is encouraged, and the number of sessions in the daily timetable is limited in order to allow sufficient time for interaction between the participants. In addition to the 5-6 hours per day of lecture room activities, poster sessions, round-table discussions or discussion groups are organised. Either one afternoon or extended lunch periods are usually kept free of lectures in order to allow time for free time activities.

In order to encourage speakers to present their latest results and ideas, which may not yet be fully explored and ripe for publication, no written papers are requested. The publication, as proceedings, of selected papers prepared after the Conferences may be approved by the Chair, subject to the agreement of the speakers concerned.

Research Areas

ESF Research Conferences currently cover the following scientific areas:

• Physics, Biophysics and Environmental Sciences;
• “Biology+:” Molecular Biology at the interface with other science disciplines (Chemistry, Physics, Computing Science, Mathematics and Modelling, Space Science, Clinical Medicine, Engineering, Environmental Science, Humanities and Social Sciences);
• Social Sciences and Humanities;
• Biomedicine, Global Change Research;
• Chemistry;
• Mathematics;
• Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences

A Europe-Africa Frontier Research Conference Series in basic science profiling African excellence was also established in 2008, to encourage dialogue and cooperation between European and African researchers.

Partnerships

ESF Research Conferences, which are the major activity of the Conferences Unit, are sponsored through partnerships established between ESF and other organisations:

• European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO): ESF-EMBO Symposia (interdisciplinary with focus on Molecular Biology)
• Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung in Österreich (FWF) & Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck (LFUI): ESF-FWF Conferences in Partnership with LFUI (Physics, Biophysics & Environmental Sciences)
• Linköping University (LiU): ESF-LiU Conferences (Social Sciences and Humanities)
• University of Barcelona (UB): ESF-UB Conferences (Biomedicine)
• Vetenskaprådet (VR) & Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS): ESF-VR-FORMAS Conferences (Global Environmental Change)
• European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST): ESF-COST High-Level Research Conferences (Chemistry)
• International Council for Science (ICSU), European Academies & Network of African Science Academies (NASAC): Europe-Africa Frontier Research Conference Series (Basic Science profiling African excellence)
• Foundation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (FMSH) & Association Entre-Sciences: ESF-FMSH-Entre-Sciences Conferences in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences (Environmental Sciences)
• Bielefeld University & Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF): ESF-ZiF-Bielefeld Conferences (Humanities and Social Sciences)
• European Mathematical Society (EMS) & European Research Centres on Mathematics (ERCOM): ESF-EMS-ERCOM Mathematics Conferences
  

The Scheme has recently been extended to include World Conferences under its umbrella (eg ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conferences for Young Researchers) as well as a series of Summer and Winter Schools that provide advanced scientific training in physics.

The ESF Conferences Unit, which is located in Brussels with a Liaison Officer in Strasbourg, also acts as service provider for conferences which arise from other ESF instruments.