Funding Initiative

ESCAIDE Funding Initiative 2024 - funding, application process and selection criteria

The ESCAIDE funding initiative aims to support in-person attendance for those who may not be able to afford to travel and attend ESCAIDE 2024.

For selected participants, ECDC will arrange and cover the costs of accommodation and travel from an EU/EEA Member State, and reimbursement of the per-diem for three days (20-22 November 2024), in accordance with ECDC Rules on reimbursements. The number of funded participants in 2024 will be defined at a later stage, based on budget availability and number of applicants.

Who can participate in the ESCAIDE 2024 Funding Initiative?

Selection criteria:

Applicants are eligible to apply for the Funding Initiative if they are:

• Are the presenter of an accepted abstract at ESCAIDE 2024 (either as a poster or as an oral presentation),
• Are residing in an EU/EEA Member State (either as an EU/EEA national, or living in an EU/EEA Member State with residency and working permit), and will be residing in the EU/EEA at the time of the conference,
• Are available to attend all three days of the conference (20-22 November).

Exclusion criteria:

Applicants are not eligible if they:

• Are staff members of EU institutions,
• Are current EPIET/EUPHEM fellows/ supervisors/ coordinators or EU-FETP fellows/ supervisors,
• Have previously presented an abstract in-person at ESCAIDE or benefited from the ESCAIDE Funding Initiative for 2018/2019/2022/2023,
• Have other sources of funding to attend and present at ESCAIDE 2023,
• Are working on projects funded by ECDC.

Conditions for participation and advantageous criteria:

The Funding Initiative Committee will take the following into account when awarding funding:

• Preference will be given to early-career public health researchers with a maximum of 5 years work experience, or a current MSc or PhD student in an area relevant to Public Health or infectious disease prevention and control.
• Preference will also be given to candidates from EU/EEA Member States that usually submit fewer abstracts to ESCAIDE.
• The originality of the work presented in the abstract.
• The motivation of the applicant to participate.

Application process

1. At the stage of abstract submission: a question in the abstract submission form invites you to register your interest in being considered for the Funding Initiative
2. Request for further information and a motivation statement: After the completion of the abstract selection process, we will initially screen the presenters of accepted abstracts and send a link to an application form to those presenters who indicated their interest and meet the eligibility criteria. This application form will serve to collect further information and determine whether the presenter meets all of the criteria, and to gauge the presenter’s motivation for receiving the funding.
3. Decisions and awarding of the funding: The Funding Initiative Committee will review applicants with selected abstracts and award funding based on the criteria.

Please note that successful applicants may be required to provide evidence of eligibility regarding their country of residence at the time of the conference, such as a copy of their passport, proof of residence or work permit, or other documentary evidence to demonstrate residency in the EU/EEA. Personal data collected as part of the application will be processed according to this privacy statement. 

Those who indicated their interest at the stage of abstract submission but do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be contacted.

You are welcome to contact escaide.conference@ecdc.europa.eu with any questions.