EMS Handbook: Standing Committees

2.3.8 Meetings

The Meetings Committee is concerned with the evaluation of the activities listed below. The applications must be submitted online via the calls page Activities organized, co-organized, sponsored or endorsed by the EMS. Deadline for applications is July 31 each year for the events happening in the following year.

The Meetings Committee makes suggestions for the funding. The final financial decision is made by the EC in the autumn meeting (or via an electronic vote in exceptional circumstances).

The organizing committee of each supported event makes sure that the EMS sponsorship is properly mentioned (with the EMS logo) in all announcements, in conference materials, as well as on conference website. In agreement with the EMS the organizing committee appoints an EMS delegate who is responsible for the EMS being properly advertised during the meeting.

EMS scientific meetings

EMS sponsored scientific meeting, in particular, meetings of EMS Topical Activity Groups (EMS-TAGs) can be supported financially from the budget of EMS. The meeting has to have a strongly international nature and be inclusive in view of the general guidelines for supports of events. Birthday and honouring events should not be financially supported.

EMS Lecturers

An EMS Lecturer, typically appointed once a year, is a honorary post, bestowed on an internationally renowned researcher, affiliated to a European institution. An EMS Lecturer is asked to deliver several lectures in various European places; one of the lectures is tied to an international conference in Europe. Nominations for EMS lecturer must be motivated by the quality of the person. Costs of EMS Lecturers are supported by the EMS.

EMS Distinguished Speakers

An EMS Distinguished Speaker is a prestigious appointment, awarded to an internationally renowned researcher. An EMS Distinguished Speaker is asked to deliver a plenary lecture in a large regional or international European conference. Costs of EMS Distinguished Speakers are supported by the EMS.

EMS Joint Mathematical Weekends

An EMS Weekend is a regional European conference, interdisciplinary and covering several mathematical fields; usually organized jointly with one or several corporate members of the EMS. The EMS provides partial financial support to the organization.

EMS Summer Schools

A prototype event is a one-week school on a given mathematical area, with at least two courses of 10 hours each. The core programme can be complemented with tutorials and poster sessions by the participants. Proposals should be on topics contributing to the advancement of mathematics and its applications. The EMS provides partial financial support up to 50% of the total budget (max €6,000).

EMS flagship school

Once a year the EMS will support a flagship school to be hosted by one of the ERCOM centres with an important research topic and top-quality speakers. ERCOM centres can apply to host such a school. EMS supports travel and accommodation for speakers and gives partial support for participants. Details should be specified in the application and will be fixed in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Special events

In special circumstances, the EMS may consider contributing to scientific events not belonging to any of the types listed above. Since resources are scarce, only a very limited number can be partially supported.

Activities endorsed by the EMS

The EMS provides the logo as sign of scientific quality, but not financial support. These activities are susceptible of hosting EMS Distinguished Speakers and EMS Lecturers.

Guidelines for the Meetings Committee
  1. Scientific quality. The event should meet high quality standards. This concerns the importance of the scientific topics, the mathematical level, and the attractiveness for a qualified wide audience, the composition of the scientific and the organizing committees and the international scientific reputation of the selected speakers.
  2. International nature. The event must have an international nature, and not be restricted to national or local interests. This applies to the composition of the scientific committee, the selection of the speakers and the audience.
  3. Inclusiveness and gender balance. The EMS is committed to increasing the participation of women in research in mathematics and its applications. Efforts towards giving place to mathematicians of all genders and towards integrating early career mathematicians will be particularly appreciated. Therefore, the Meetings Committee will appreciate gender balance in the scientific committees and among the speakers as well. The participation of young researchers among the speakers and participants should be promoted. The organizers should also facilitate the participation of researchers from less-favoured countries.
  4. Budget. The budget of the event should be detailed and clear. The requested funding from EMS should be in a reasonable (not too large) proportion with the total budget. Support can be granted up to 50% of the total budget (up to 6000 euros for small events and workshops and up to 10000 euros for larger events). It is recommended to use the contribution of EMS to support speakers and young participants.
  5. Participation fee. The Meetings Committee will give low priority to events which require a participation fee, unless this is supposed to cover travel or local expenses of speakers and participants.
  6. Birthday conferences, recurrent events, iterated applications and location. Birthday conferences will not be funded. Recurrent events will be given lower priority. More than one application for the same event in different slots (like EMS Distinguished Speakers, EMS Weekends, Special activities, etc.) are strongly discouraged. Events that do not take place in Europe can be funded only if they are joint meetings with non-European mathematical societies.
  7. Special events. Special events should really have some special feature (e.g., they should have a higher interdisciplinary character; treat questions related to mathematical sciences communication and dissemination, etc.). In any case, ordinary conferences should not be considered as special activities.
Memorandum of Understanding (Scientific activities)

Before any funds transfer happens, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed between the EMS, represented by the EMS President, and the event’s organizing committee. MoU is a contract, describing responsibilities of both sides.

The European Mathematical Society provides EMS publicity materials and financial support on the order of up to the amount approved by the EC.

The organizing committee:
  • makes sure that the funds are properly spent for the assigned conference (usually EMS support is used to cover travel costs of speakers or young researchers, but in principal there is no restriction). A financial report of the use of the provided funds is to be sent to the treasurer of the EMS within four weeks after the meeting;
  • makes sure that the sponsorship by EMS is properly mentioned (with the EMS logo) in all announcements, in the conference material, as well as on the conference website. In agreement with the EMS the organizing committee appoints an EMS delegate who is responsible for having the EMS is properly advertised during the meeting;
  • sends request for the EMS printed materials and logos to the EMS Publicity Officer;
  • sends invoice to the EMS Secretariat.