FAQs Proposals

Could you specify the requirements for the proposals?

There are no formal requirements. But we recommend a proposal to contain the following key items:

• title page with title, organizers with affiliations, and proposed slots (first and second choice)
• brief description of the overall aims of the trimester program
• core topics of the Trimester Program, important developments and goals
• planned activities (workshops, roughly one per month, one obligatory Summer or Winter School) and a list of possible additional organizers beyond TP organizers for these activities
• a list of and commitments by possible long-term participants (with a stay of at least 15 consecutive days) and short-term guests
• bibliography

How high is the budget for a trimester program? 

The overall budget for the Trimester Program is 330.000 €, 90.000 € of which is in particular reserved for junior researchers. There is an additional budget of up to 25.000 € for the organization of a School. All payments to participants and all costs for additional activities such as workshops must come from the budget. HIM usually pays a monthly fellowship to long-term guests, from which they pay all expenses, i.e. travel, housing, meals, and so on. As a basic principle, HIM does not pay travel subsidies to senior scientists. For short-term guests we arrange and cover the costs for single accommodation in addition to disbursing a small per diem in cash. In general, HIM does not reimburse travel costs of workshop participants (not even for PhD students or postdocs).

What do the organizers have to do after the program is accepted and before the program starts?

• Website/Poster
  In consultation with the organizers, HIM designs a website and a poster. The organizers have to propose a text and provide an image. The titles/topics and approximate dates of the planned workshops should be mentioned on the website and the poster, so that prospective participants can time their dates of stay accordingly. Some experts who have already confirmed their participation should be mentioned on the website. HIM has an international distribution list containing approx. 800 institutions. The costs for the production and distribution of the poster will be paid by HIM separately and not deducted from the total Trimester Program budget.  

• Organization of a School
  The organization of a School is obligatory. The organizers should contact possible lecturers in due time and determine a week of this event. The organizers should nominate up to 4 key speakers, which have to be present for a minimum of 3 days and hold a minimum of 3 talks. Other (non-key) speakers can be invited as the organizers deem relevant. In consultation with the organizers, HIM will design a poster for the School.

• Invitation to participants
  HIM puts an online application form on the website of the Trimester Program. After the deadline for applications has expired, the organizers can examine the applications (including letters of intent, CVs, lists of publications, and recommendation letters) online. The organizers will design a list of guests who obtain an invitation. Of course it is possible to send out additional invitations during the program.

• Organization of workshops
  If the organizers have already decided to organize a workshop, the organizers and the HIM Director agree on a list of participants and HIM administration sends out invitations several months before the event starts. Small activities can be initiated spontaneously during the Trimester Program, but longer term planning is appreciated and encouraged. 

What if long-term participants or organizers need to leave Bonn on business (conference, collaboration)?
Absences are possible, though not encouraged. It is important that the number of days of absence is in reasonable relation to the entire stay at HIM, and that the trip is for business. The rule is that the Director has to be informed in advance if a long-term guest intends to leave Bonn for two or more working days within a week. Absences of short-term guests (stays < 1 month) are not encouraged.

How much office space is available?
There are 30 work desks at the Institute. There are about 15 more work desks in Poppelsdorfer Allee 82 available for HIM. In this building, also the HIM administration is located. Participants of workshops do not get offices.

Where do the lectures and talks take place?
The HIM Lecture Hall accommodates up to 60 persons. Standard equipment includes chairs (w/o desks or tables), beamer with screen and connected PC (presentations on a USB stick), 2-part chalk board (vertical extension), and air conditioning. Video recording is possible and a sound system can be installed on demand.  A video streaming from the main Lecture Hall at HIM to a second lecture room is permanently installed. In the second lecture room, another 20 persons can follow the talks.

How can organizers and participants find information or contact persons for questions about housing, family support, computer support, visa problems, health insurance, travel to Bonn, entertainment and culture in Bonn, language courses and so on?
Please see here.