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Guidelines for Euro Summer and Winter Institutes (ESWI)

EURO Summer and Winter Institutes (ESWI) are an instrument EURO has established for the encouragement of good scientific and social relationships between promising early stage OR scientists in Europe.

Motivation and Purpose

The main purpose of each ESWI is to establish in each OR field a network of outstanding people who will continue to work together in the future.

Participation in an ESWI should be regarded as a considerable honour. The main objective of an ESWI is to give a limited number of carefully selected representatives of the next generation a unique opportunity for establishing a personal network and for addressing an international audience and thus to create new research groups around the topic chosen.

The basic idea is that around 25 early stage researchers, who are either PhD students or who have less than two years research experience since completing a PhD can meet for about two weeks. All participants will have an unpublished paper within the theme announced, and will present their material, discuss it with others and with a handful of specially invited senior experts in the field, and finally prepare a paper to be considered for inclusion in a feature issue of an OR publication.

Frequency and Organization

Up to two ESWI may be organized every year. Each ESWI desirably covers a different theme so that as many early stage scientists as possible will have the opportunity to participate once in their career. The duration of an ESWI is normally between 10 and 14 days. The official language is English.

Every participant gives a well-prepared presentation of her/his paper as a starting point for discussion. Invited experts' lectures can be included in the program, as well as seminars and other research activities conducted by the Scientific Committee.

The organizers are encouraged to prepare a special or feature issue of an OR publication, with a peer-reviewed evaluation process, with a selection of papers prepared and discussed in the ESWI.

The announcement of a EWSI and the call for applications will be disseminated to all EURO member societies and made available on the EURO web site.

ATTENDING AN ESWI

Admission to an ESWI

Disregarding the senior experts, no one else can participate more than once in his or her lifetime.

To be eligible, a candidate must satisfy the following conditions:

• they are early stage researchers, who are either PhD students or who have less than two years research experience since completing a PhD can meet for about two weeks.
• they have a single-authored or co-authored paper in the selected field, which has not yet been published, nor accepted for publication.
• they are from a EURO member society country, or studying in a EURO member society country.

To apply to the ESWI, eligible candidates should submit their curriculum vitae together with their paper to the Scientific Committee of the ESWI.

The Scientific Committee selects and ranks (in the case of more than one accepted from the same country) the candidates and passes their applications to the National Societies for funding decision.

Additionally, up to two candidates can be appointed by IFORS, according to the EURO and IFORS exchange for ESWIs (see guidelines below).

The deadline for admission applications is 4 months before the ESWI starts.

Financial Arrangements

If the travel costs of the participants are not covered by their National Societies, they should be covered by the participants themselves.

All living costs (accommodation, meals, and travel within school activities) should be supported by the ESWI.

ORGANIZING AN ESWI

Download the application form for the ESWI here (.doc file)

 

The following items should be considered when submitting an application for the organisation of a EURO Summer/Winter Institute:

• Define the theme: Outline of the theme on the application form is provided.
• Nominate an Organizing Committee: The committee should consist of local people approved by the National OR Society and is responsible for all the organizational matters of the ESWI.
  The Committee must include at least two prominent senior scientists in the field of the ESWI who will be able to stay for the full duration of the Institute. The role of these scientists is to contribute to the discussions about the work of the participants, conduct workshops and assist the participants in improving their papers.
• Fix the dates: The duration of the ESWI will be between 10 and 14 days, in the summer or winter periods, with accommodation usually on a University campus, preferentially starting with a get-together activity in order to develop friendly links between the participants.
• Find a location: The chosen location has to include facilities for the scientific work, as a conference room, for accommodation and good alternatives for social activities. EURO considers the social activity (dining and playing together) to be very important for the success of the ESWI, because it is through these activities that friendships develop.
• Fix the deadline for submitting papers to the Scientific Committee

Financial Arrangements

• EURO financial support: EURO provides in advance a financial support to cover part of the costs of the organization, accommodation and social activities. Costs above this will have to be covered by the organizing society and sponsors. The additional funds will be raised by the organizers. Public institutions and private firms should be approached.
  Currently EURO provides a maximum of 25,000 EUR to fund the ESWI. The organizers receive 5,000 EUR as a lump sum. Further, the financial support of each selected participant, coming from EURO member countries or appointed by IFORS, is of 800 EUR. Other participants fulfilling the eligibility rules may be accepted in the ESWI but will not be supported by EURO.
• Raising additional funds: The organizers should try to obtain as much external funding as possible, to increase the number of invited speakers and social activities. Government, institutions, foundations, firms, societies, all kind of possible sponsors could be approached. The sojourn (accommodation, meals, social activities, scientific programs) is offered to the participants. Participant's travel expenses to the host country are at their own costs. EURO strongly encourages National OR Societies to cover travel expenses of their participants.

Important Dates:

• Submission of proposal: at least 18 months before the proposed date for the ESWI.
• Call for participation and circulation of information among OR Societies: 14 months before the ESWI.
• Selection of Candidates by Scientific Committee and communication to the National OR Societies: 3 months before ESWI.
• Submission of paper final versions for publication in the eventual special/feature issue: 4 months after the end of the ESWI.
• Submission of a Final Report on the ESWI by the Chair of the Committee, to the Executive Committee of EURO: 4 months after the end of the ESWI.

Prepare the announcement

A website for the ESWI should be set-up and used as the main source of information dissemination. Large size and/or reduced size posters announcing the ESWI may also be prepared. The announcement should include the definition of the theme and other relevant information, and should be sent to the editors of the EURO and IFORS websites, as well as to all National Society EURO representatives, etc.

Circulate the announcement

Address it directly to potential interested persons in Universities and Research Centers, and to prominent persons working in the field of the Theme in Europe.

Prepare the selection procedure

Each participant has to submit a paper (possibly co-authored). Only the best applications will be selected. Nobody can participate in more than one ESWI. A good balance among countries should be sought.

Prepare a social program

Examples of possible activities are the following:

• Barbecues, parties
• Visit of the host country (towns, nature, museums, etc.)
• Walks in open nature (some buses to be booked for travel)
• Sport activities (Volleyball, Ping Pong, etc..)
• Cooking together

For the opening day:

• Get-together activity

For the closing day:

• A final dinner or banquet
• A diploma to be offered to the participants

Think about invited speakers

People of the host country, or people being in the host country at the time of the Institute, may be invited. Try to get a good balance between invited speakers tutorials, or other training activities, and students' presentations. Avoid invited speakers requesting too much travel expenses. 

Scientific Committee and invited speakers expenses

It is recommended to give free accommodation and board to the speakers and, if possible, a lump sum to cover their travel expenses.

Prepare the Institute Program

• Timetable lectures by participants.
• Timetable invited lectures.
• Timetable working groups.
• Timetable social activities.

Prepare the procedure for the special issue of an OR publication devoted to the Institute

Well in advance select an OR publication with a peer-review evaluation process, contact the editor and negotiate with him/her the publication of a special/feature issue. Run the refereeing process. This special/feature issue should be completed no later than 12 months after the Institute.

Keep the selected participants regularly informed

Be enthusiastic and dynamic.

GUIDELINES OF THE EURO/IFORS PROGRAM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF EARLY STAGE RESEARCHERS (revised July 2012):

Believing that OR professionals in the early stage of their careers (within 2 years since acquiring their PhDs) should be supported, EURO and IFORS agreed to exchange early stage researchers in their Institutes. The aim of this cooperation is to reinforce the relations between EURO and IFORS.

The exchange of early stage researchers between EURO and IFORS works both ways:

• One early stage researcher (preferably, coming from a developing country) will participate in the program of EURO Summer/Winter Institute (ESWI), and
• One early stage European researcher will participate in the program at IFORS institutes in a developing country.

When called for, EURO or IFORS may opt to send a second candidate to the Institute.

EURO Summer/Winter Institutes

ESWI is an instrument EURO has established for the encouragement of good social and working relationships between promising early stage OR scientists. The official language is English.

According to the Exchange Program, IFORS will send one or two researchers, preferably from a developing country, to ESWI. For the IFORS-sponsored participants, IFORS will cover travel expenses while local costs will be assumed by EURO. IFORS is also responsible for selecting candidates who must meet all the ESWI criteria, specifically that the applicant is an early stage researcher who can present an unpublished paper along the ESWI theme.

The procedure runs as follows:

• Each ESWI is responsible for sending a call for ESWI participants to the IFORS Office.
• IFORS will issue a call for candidates for the Exchange program detailing, among other things, that the applicant must have a good knowledge of English. IFORS will require (1) a complete CV, (2) a paper proposal (complete text or a 3-5 page extended abstract), and (3) a letter of recommendation from one referee (preferably the thesis advisor or head of department).
• The IFORS Vice-President [EURO] is responsible for evaluating the candidates according to the procedure given below. The candidates ranked first, and possibly second, will be selected to participate in the Institute.
• The IFORS Vice-President [EURO] will inform the selected candidates, as well as IFORS and the Chair of the Scientific Committee, of the ESWI about the final decision.
• All selected candidates must send a report to the IFORS Vice-President [EURO] no later than one month after the termination of the ESWI. The report must summarize the activities of the candidates in the ESWI and indicate the benefit obtained from his/her participation.

IFORS Institutes in Developing Countries

IFORS Institutes take place in developing countries. Their main purpose is the interaction and interchange of ideas between OR seniors and early stage scholars. Each Institute must comprise at a minimum a full stream of English speaking presentations.

According to the Exchange Program EURO will send one or two early stage researchers from EURO to the Institute. Travel expenses will be covered by EURO while local expenses will be covered by IFORS. EURO is responsible for selecting one or two candidates from EURO countries who must meet all the Institute's criteria (early stage researchers, presentation of an unpublished paper in the relevant topic).

The procedure runs as follows:

• IFORS is responsible for sending the IFORS Vice-President [EURO] a call for candidates for IFORS Institutes, which will be distributed among EURO member Societies.
• To apply, candidates with a good knowledge of English should respond to the call by sending to their National OR Society their application including (1) a complete CV and (2) a paper proposal (complete text or a 3-5 page extended abstract).
• Each EURO member Society is responsible for selecting one early stage researcher from the corresponding country and forwarding his/her candidature to the IFORS Vice-President [EURO].
• The IFORS Vice-President [EURO] is responsible for selecting one or two candidates among the ones selected by the national societies, according to the procedure given below.
• The IFORS Vice-President [EURO] will inform the selected candidates as well as IFORS, the Chair of the Scientific Committee of the IFORS Institute, and the involved national societies about the final decision.
• All selected candidates must send a report to the IFORS Vice-President [EURO] no later than one month after the termination of the IFORS Institute. The report must summarize the activities of the candidates in the IFORS Institute and indicate the benefit obtained from his/her participation.

The selection Procedure for EURO Summer/Winter Institutes and IFORS Institutes

The IFORS Vice-President [EURO] will evaluate and rank all the candidates on the basis of the following criteria:

1. A Curriculum Vitae, including information about your education, research projects, publications, awards, and other pertinent experiences (pdf format).
2. A single-authored or co-authored paper in the relevant field where you are the main contributor and which has not yet been published or accepted for publication (pdf format).
3. A statement outlining your motivation for participating in the event (at most one page).
4. For ESWI only, A letter of recommendation from one referee (preferably the thesis advisor or head of department).

The candidate with the higher score is automatically selected. When appropriate, IFORS and EURO may opt to also award the candidate ranked second.

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