The aim of the 2022 Ecsite Conference Hospitality Grant is to express solidarity with science engagement institutions that have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. It will support these organisations wishing to send their staff members to the 2022 Ecsite Conference, taking place in Heilbronn, Germany on 2-4 June by offering selected candidates free accommodation from 1-5 June 2022. It is oriented towards younger employees and excludes those in top-management roles. Spots on the grant will be assigned to both Ecsite network members (approx. 60% places) and to other organisations who are not members of Ecsite (approx. 40%).

The grant is organised by Ecsite and experimenta science centre, the 2022 Conference Host, with the support of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation. 65 rooms (single and double) have been booked at the B&B Hotel (Mozartstraße 24, 74072 Heilbronn), close to the Conference venues.

Eligibility criteria

• All candidates should be 18-35 years old as of 1 January 2022; candidates
  older than 35 are eligible as well but during the selection priority will be given
  to those younger than 35
• Candidates’ job positions must not be in the top management of the institution (CEO, deputy CEO); however, freelancers and one-person enterprises are excluded from this criteria.
• A maximum of two candidates from any one institution can take part.
• The candidates’ institution or enterprise faced or is facing a financial hardship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Candidates express their motivation to attend the Conference and explain how it will contribute to their work
• Candidates must confirm the willingness of their institution in paying other costs related to the Conference (transport, registration fees, etc.)

Selection process

Eligible candidates will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. The majority (approximately 60%) of the places will be offered to employees of Ecsite member organisations.
The candidates that do not receive a spot will be put on a reserve list in chronological order of applying (taking into account the eligibility criteria above).

The organisers reserve their right to repeat the call if not all of the places are filled and can also offer free places to candidates that submitted on time but were not initially selected.

Application and selection timeline

• 25 January 2022 - call opens
• 25 January - 23 February 2022 23.59 CET - fill in the online form here
• To access the form candidates have to create a personal account at the Ecsite website (if they don’t already have one): https://www.ecsite.eu/user/register
• By 28 February 2022 - candidates are selected and informed by email
• By 9 March 2022 - selected participants are expected to register for the Conference during the Super Early Bird price period, or their spots in the scheme will be cancelled
• From 10 March 2022 until 4 April 2022 - vacated spots will be distributed to candidates from the reserve list on a rolling basis

Participants obligations

• All selected participants are expected to register for the Conference by 9 March 2022 and pay the Conference fee in due time or their participation in the grant will be revoked. In individual instances Ecsite can decide on extending this deadline if participant notifies Ecsite before 9 March 2022 via email to events@ecsite.eu.
• All selected participants cover their own costs of transportation and other costs incurred during the Conference. Participants cannot claim any cost reimbursement from the organisers
• Participants are obliged to attend the whole Conference - from 2-4 June 2022, with an option of a pre-Conference workshop on 1 June 2022

For further information and details on cancellation, data privacy and more, please consult the attached guidelines below.