The initiative models itself on the N+N concept (where N+N refers to a workshop involving a number of researchers from the UK and an equal number of local researchers; ideally eight or more from each country). It is specifically targeted at post-doctoral researchers or people who have been tenured for five years or less.

The intention is to avoid established collaborations and concentrate on new faces to encourage new links. PhD students can be included, to encourage them to have direct contact with researchers in other countries, put forward original research ideas and contribute to the development of links, with a view to applying for postdoctoral fellowships.  The workshop location can be in either country, but more commonly outside the UK.

DOES ANYONE ELSE OPERATE A SIMILAR SCHEME?

Other organisations fund international mobility of scientists and engineers in relation to specific research work, but none has an initiative that is, effectively, an exploratory and preparatory measure for support from international, longer-term mobility programmes.  The Council initiative is a mechanism for encouraging researchers to travel and be mobile, with the aim of gaining knowledge and ideas that help in applying for international fellowships or scholarships, for example, those offered under the Sixth EU Framework Programme (FP6).

The FP6 mobility programme funds three types of Individual Fellowship, open to any nationality: i) Intra-European fellowships for one to two years of postdoctoral work, ii) Outgoing international fellowships for two years outside the EU and one year back home, iii) Incoming international fellowships for three years of research work inside the EU.  FP6 also supports Host Fellowships and the formation of Research Training Networks.