Human Resources Development

Under IBSA five research themes have been identified as Flagship Projects. Each will involve about 10 scientists or so from each nation engaging in specific research targets. It is proposed that in addition a major initiative in Human Capacity development may be mounted.

Three concrete steps are proposed:

1. Organization of Summer / Winter Schools with 20 faculty and 60 students with 50% from the host country and 25% each from the other two nations. This will minimize the costs of arranging transcontinental schools and yet maximize the interaction among young scientists of the IBSA nations. We will also plan specialized workshops on relevant topics like Electro Microscopy, Micro and Nano – fabrication, Synchrotron utilization etc.

2. Invitations to scientists from IBSA nations for conferences in Nanotechnology. This is already in place with ICONSAT in Chennai, February 2008 and Indo-US workshop on Nanobiology at Bhubaneshwar, Feb 2008. It is hoped that large delegations from South Africa and India can attend the forthcoming Nano 2008 at Rio in Brazil.

3 Web based courses.