ICTP Claudio Tuniz ICTP | Strada Costiera 11 | Trieste - Italy |

ICTP mission Conducting research at the highest international standards, ICTP's mission is: > To foster growth of advanced physics and mathematics studies in developing countries > To develop high-level scientific programmes and encourage international scientific exchange > To provide excellent research and training facilities ICTP Public Information Office I

Quick facts > Founded in 1964 by Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam > Provides training to improve scientific capacity in developing countries > Supports in-house staff of world-class physicists and mathematicians > Sponsored by tripartite agreement between Italy, UNESCO and IAEA ICTP Public Information Office I

Research at ICTP > Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics > Earth System Physics > High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics > Mathematics > Applied Physics > Multidisciplinary Laboratory ICTP Public Information Office I

ICTP training and education > Provides training and skills to scientists from developing countries > Organises more than 60 conferences/workshops each year > Welcomes 4000 scientists from about 130 nations each year > Attracts an additional 2000 scientists/year through hosted activities ICTP Public Information Office I

ICTP training and education > Pre-PhD programmes > Diploma Programme > ICTP/IAEA Sandwich Training Educational Programme > Joint Ph.D. programme with University of Trieste > ICTP/University of Trieste Laurea Magistralis ICTP Public Information Office I

ICTP training and education > Scientific career support: > Associate and Federation Schemes > Training and Research in Italian Laboratories > ICTP visitors' programme > Training at Elettra Synchrotron Light Laboratory > SESAME Programme ICTP Public Information Office I

ICTP training and education > Office of External Activities > Supports scientific activities in developing countries > PhD courses > Scientific meetings > Regional networks > Affiliated centres ICTP Public Information Office I

IAEA-ICTP Sandwich Training Educational Programme (STEP) Capacity building by fostering the formation of PhD’s Sandwich programme: Addressed to Ph.D students in developing countries, in physics, mathematics, and related areas. The STEP fellows come to ICTP or to a collaborating scientific institution for 3 to 6 months per year, for 3 consecutive years. They have a co-supervisor at the host institution who, together with the home supervisor, coordinates the Ph.D work of the student. Started in 2003

The Ph.D degree is awarded by the home Institution. This is a scheme that is meant to expose the fellows to the international scientific community and offer them access to world-class research and training facilities, while they remain enrolled in their home Institution, and work for their home country. Meant as an alternative to brain drain especially severe in sub-Saharan Africa -> therefore strong emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa In the Sandwich scheme:

STEP FELLOWS 113 fellows (38 women) from 40 countries % LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN 22% CE EUROPE 54% AFRICA (44% sub- Saharan Africa) 17% ASIA Geographical distribution Since 2003, the programme has awarded 113 fellowships

STEP FELLOWS Host Institutes Fellows since 2003: 49 at ICTP 22 at the Laser Laboratory (now at Elettra) 14 at Elettra 3 at the University of Trieste 3 at the Jozef Stefan Inst., Ljubljana 5 at INFN Laboratories 5 at the CNR TASC Laboratory 2 at the Hospital of Udine 2 at ICS 1 at the Astronomical Observatory of Trieste 1 at SISSA 6 at other Universities/Institutes Main areas covered: nuclear physics, lasers, synchrotron radiation, earth science, condensed-matter physics, high-energy physics and astrophysics, applied physics, mathematics

Results So far, 35 fellows have obtained their Ph.D degree (14 from sub- Saharan Africa). They are doing well (~4 papers/fellow) 29 are back in their home country -20 have permanent positions - 9 have temporary positions most are teaching and doing research at their home University 6 are postdocs elsewhere, mainly in Europe 74 fellows are completing their Ph.D work 4 fellows have left the programme without a Ph.D The fellowship catalyzes new international collaborations, which extend well after the fellowship* * initiatives were taken also to stimulate applications of Ph.D students of Associates; when the home advisor benefits from the Associates programme, this facilitate a closer collaboration.