International Science Programme

About

International Science Programme (ISP) aims at assisting developing countries to strengthen their domestic research capacity within the chemical, physical and the mathematical sciences. ISP focuses on least developed countries.

Story

ISP has been in operation for more than 50 years, developing from a pure fellowship programme into a programme supporting the building of research teams and networks. This development has been a more or less continuous process. Already during the 60’s, the need to assist in building research teams and to provide opportunities for research at the parent institution was emphazised.

The experiences gained over the years have resulted in a mode of operation that includes:

• Support to building research teams and to networks working within institutional frames.
• No individual support, but recognition of the importance of key people to form research groups and the importance of good supervisors for the MSc and PhD programmes supported.
• Long-term cooperation on projects proposed by the developing countries.
• Detailed plans for each cooperation keeping in mind that research is dynamic and therefore must be allowed flexibility.
• Performing continuous monitoring and evaluation of the supported activities.
• Working as much as possible on conditions specified by the developing countries.
• Trying to achieve as good background information as possible, not only in individual countries but of whole regions.
• Concentrating the support on strengthening of the local scientific environment through support of equipment, spares, consumables, periodicals, workshops, conferences, training, etc.
• Support is tailor-made for every individual project according to the proposals.
• Training not only of scientists but also of technicians.
• PhD training on a sandwich basis with degrees given by the parent university whenever possible. This is also the case when MSc programmes cannot be performed entirely at home.
• Finding the most suitable cooperation partner as defined in the project proposed. In the North – South cooperation this means in the Nordic countries mainly and in the South-South cooperation partners in the region.
• Taking an active part in the scientific discussions in all phases of a project, i.e. not only administering but participating.
• Be responsible for all administrative matters related to the project support but transferring as much of the responsibility as possible to the developing countries themselves.
• Be responsible for social matters related to fellowships, especially for the students' stay in Sweden.

The ISP is thus a flexible organisation that can easily adapt to different conditions and environments, avoiding bureaucracy and working with scientists as directly as possible. The main part of the support goes to capacity building within the basic sciences, which means support to university based research teams. Being a university organisation confers many advantages on ISP, including recognition by developing country university leadership and being non political. Further, it has never been difficult to find suitable cooperation partners neither in the North nor in the South.