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Interested in joining Alternet?

Alternet’s mission is to support the science-policy interface and integrate research on biodiversity and ecosystems at the European level. As we work toward greater integration, our aim is to feature full, pan-European membership and representation.

We always welcome new partners!

How does Alternet bring added value to its partner institutes?

Alternet enables integration among its network of partner institutes. Transdisciplinary in nature, Alternet partners bring together expertise from both the natural and social sciences and supports platforms for high-impact interactions with policymakers, the scientific community, and the public. It offers unique added value to its members by:

  • Facilitating and engaging with the science-policy interface, including through management of the Eklipse mechanism.
  • Hosting the Alternet Summer School in Peyresq, which has been providing training for young researchers in inter-disciplinary approaches to biodiversity and ecosystems research since 2006.
  • Bringing together diverse scientific, policy, stakeholder, practitioner, and NGO perspectives for bi-annual Alternet Conferences.
  • Facilitating capacity-building events and opportunities for early career researchers through the A4Cap network.
  • Funding high-impact research projects that take advantage of Alternet’s pan-European network of partners through the Alternet Collaborative Projects initiative.
  • Communicating with the scientific community, policymakers, and the public–and promoting updates, events, and opportunities from our partner institutes.
  • Enabling international consortium building on major European projects and internal sharing of funding opportunities through the Call Exchange clearing house mechanism.
  • Supporting research infrastructure, including the LTER-Europe network of Long-Term Ecosystem Research sites (LTER), Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research platforms (LTSER) and LifeWatch; Alternet was instrumental in developing major European research infrastructures.
  • Maintaining strategic partnerships with organisations like Biodiversa+, eLTER, and PEER.
  • Establishing a vibrant international and interdisciplinary ecosystems and biodiversity research community in Europe.

Partnership Commitments:

Alternet partners commit to:

  • Proactively developing and mobilizing joint research activities
  • Funding their own participation in the Alternet meetings
  • Supporting Alternet activities with a yearly cash and in-kind contribution
  • Responding appropriately to communications from Alternet bodies
  • Actively promoting and communicating about ALTER-Net’s goals and activities within its own organisation
  • Contributing actively to the outreach and profiling of the activities for Alternet

Each partner pledges to provide cash and in-kind contributions according to its size (large, medium and small). The classification is based on the number of employees working on Alternet related topics:

  • Very large >100 employees: 5500 €
  • Large 50-100 employees: 4400 €
  • Medium 10-50 employees: 2200 €
  • Small <10 employees: 550 €

Alternet is aiming to achieve full pan-European coverage as well as research encompassing all major ecosystem types in Europe. Apply now to become a member of Alternet and start benefiting from our services. To find out more, please contact the Alternet Secretariat.

How to Join:

Is your institute interested in joining Alternet? We encourage you to apply today!

Applicants are asked to provide the following application materials:

  1. A completed membership form
  2. An invitation letter from an existing consortium partner who acknowledges the candidacy

Additionally, applicants are asked to carefully review the following documents:

  1. The Alternet Association Statutes
  2. The Alternet Association Internal Rules

For direction in preparing these materials, please contact the Alternet Secretariat.

Forms and Documents

Necessary documents for prospective and present partners can be found below.