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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?

  • Facilitating and engaging with the science-policy interface, including through management of the Eklipse mechanism
  • Hosting the Alternet Summer School in Peyresq (Haute Provence, France), which has been providing training for young researchers in interdisciplinary approaches to biodiversity and ecosystems research since 2006
  • Bringing together diverse scientific, policy, stakeholder, and NGO perspectives for bi-annual Alternet Conferences, mostly developed in cooperation with the European Commission
  • Supporting high-impact research on pressing topical issues facing science and society through the AHIA initiative
  • Funding multi-site research projects that take advantage of Alternet’s pan-European facilities through the MSR initiative
  • Supporting international partner research and exchange through our Mobility Fund
  • Communicating and promoting targeted knowledge transfer with the scientific community, policymakers, and the public
  • Enabling international consortium building 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, and promoting research activities at or with these infrastructural facilities (Alternet was instrumental in developing these major, widely recognized European research infrastructures)
  • Exploring cooperation and synergies with other biodiversity and ecosystem research networks and new institutions that complement our work or stimulate innovative thinking
  • Actively participating in the IPBES process as a stakeholder, and representing Alternet at EU high level conferences
  • Establishing a vibrant international and interdisciplinary ecosystems and biodiversity research community

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:

  • For large size (>100 employees) institutes the minimum cash contribution is 5.000 € per year.
  • For medium size (50-100 employees) institutes the minimum cash contribution is 2.000 € per year.
  • For small (<50 employees) institutes the minimum cash contribution is 500 € per year.

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.