About International Science Programme (ISP)

Today ISP consists of three subprograms:

1. ISP Physics, started 1961
2. ISP Chemistry, started 1970
3. ISP Mathematics, started 2002

How we do it (the ISP model)

We provide long-term funding, coordination and mentoring to research groups and regional scientific networks at universities and research institutes in low and lower-middle income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our model builds on:

• Support to institutionally based research groups and regional scientific networks (not individuals)
• Long-term support (decades) to enable capacity building and self-sustainability
• Local ownership of the research agenda and the use of funds
• Flexibility and tailor made support responding to local needs and strategies
• The establishment of research links between supported groups and better equipped host research groups abroad (regionally or internationally)
• Sandwich postgraduate training, where the students travel back and forth between their home institution and the collaborating host institution abroad

Supported groups and networks use ISP-funding to improve their research environments by purchasing e.g. laboratory equipment, consumables, literature, and computing tools. Funds are also used for organizing and attending conferences and workshops, and for exchange of scientists and postgraduate sandwich students with collaborating host research groups abroad. ISP support is ideally phased out when groups and networks have sufficient resources, and are strong and competitive enough to sustain on their own.