CALL FOR PROPOSALS
India Science Festival 2023
Since its launch in 2020, ISF has served as a vibrant and stimulating platform to celebrate and explore science in every way possible. The Festival aims to inspire and nurture interest and appreciation of science in young people and the public at large. In keeping with our ambition to make science accessible to all, the entry to ISF is free and open to everyone. Learn more about the past editions of the Festival here.
We are pleased to announce that the fourth edition of India Science Festival will be taking place in Hyderabad, from the 20th to 22nd of January, with Hyderabad Public School (HPS) being the central venue! The theme of the Festival this year is “Future is Now“!
As we bring together yet another inspiring and exciting edition of the Festival next year, we are keen to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations in India and globally to make the Festival a memorable experience for our audiences. We are pleased to invite a Call for Proposals for innovative and unique events linked to our Festival theme and that fall in the following categories: Workshops, Panel discussion/Round-tables, PhD Program Booth and Installation/Performance.
- Workshops
ISF features a wide range of hands-on workshops for children and young adults. Submit ideas for organising a unique workshop covering topics linked to the festival theme and on a cutting edge topic. The workshop should be designed with a specific target audience in mind and must be highly creative and interactive. The duration of these workshops should not exceed more than an hour.
- Panel discussion/roundtables
With an aim to catalyse transformation of the S&T sector in the country and its impact on society, ISF brings together scientists, policy makers, industry experts and a wide range of stakeholders to deliberate on ideas for advancing scientific research and policy. ISF also hosts constructive debates and discussions on scientific topics of historical and contemporary relevance. Ideas are invited for innovative round tables and panel discussions addressing these areas. The event should result in actionable ideas or recommendations in the form of a white paper or similar outputs. The duration of these events should not exceed more than 1 hour.
- PhD Program Booth
ISF aims to not only spark interest in STEM fields among young people and the public at large but also attempts to serve as a platform to nurture and empower future scientific workforce in the country. Submit ideas for workshops/events that aim to support, inspire and nurture the PhD community in the country. The duration of these workshops/events should not exceed more than 2 hours.
- Installation/Performance
While science has been progressively helping advance artistic inquiry and practice, creative art has become a powerful tool to explore and demystify complex scientific ideas and concepts. Together, they can provoke, inspire and engage a wide range of audiences on topics and themes that are often hard to grasp or uncomfortable. We invite ideas that promote exquisite and meaningful collaborations between science and creative arts (theatre, street art, multimedia art, dance, music, etc.) that can culminate as a performance and/or installation at the Festival.
Application process
Submit your ideas for events at ISF 2023 through our online application form.
Timeline
Launch of Call for Proposals: 13 July 2022
Deadline for submission: 15 September 2022
Festival team reviews submissions: Mid-Late September
Event selection finalised and successful event organisers are contacted: Early October
Collection of event information and Participation Agreements: Late October
Important information:
- Please note that submission of your proposal does not guarantee inclusion in the Festival programme. Preference will be given to events that demonstrate a commitment to best practice science communication and to providing high-quality experiences, as well as a strong connection with our Festival theme.
- Reasonable costs towards consumables/stationery will be reimbursed by ISF organisers after the Festival.
- The Festival team will provide inputs for developing the event and requisite on-ground support to the organisers of the selected events but will not be involved in conducting the event at the Festival.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
● What type of audiences can I expect at the festival?
The festival is designed for school-going children, young adults, who are currently pursuing their UG/ MS/PhD/ Post Doc degrees and also from non-STEM fields. But the audience will not be limited to just
these; people from all walks of life will gather at the festival.
● Who is eligible to submit proposals for the India Science Festival?
Anyone with a great idea and who is based in India can submit their proposal. Researchers or
academics from universities, colleges or other academic institutions based in India. Professionals
from non-profit organisations, government institutions, industry, non-academic organisations: science
museums, observatories, policy/ advocacy related entities, professional societies, research labs,
organisations engaged with sustainable development activities and/ or global change, animal
protection/ welfare.
● What activities can I propose under the call for proposals for the India Science Festival?
Proposals can be submitted under these categories :
Workshops,
Panel discussions/ roundtable,
PhD program booth,
Installations and/ or performances
Applicants are also welcome to submit proposals apart from the aforementioned
categories.
● Will the organisers bear the costs of organising the event(s)?
If a proposal is accepted, the ISF will have a detailed discussion with the organisers of the proposed event, regarding the logistics and the costing of the proposal. If feasible, ISF will endeavour to cover the travel and accommodation costs of the speaker(s)/ event organizer(s).
Reasonable costs towards consumables/stationery will be reimbursed by ISF after the
Festival. These details should be included in the proposal.
● Will any changes be made to the proposed event by the organisers if selected or will it
be executed as proposed?
The event organisers in consultation with the applicant will modify the event so that it is in line with the
Festival objectives and values and has maximum impact on audiences.
● Are applicants allowed to submit more than one proposal?
Yes, an organisation/ researcher/ entity can submit more than one proposal, if the two events are
distinctly different.
● Can more than one applicant pair up in a joint proposal?
Yes, individuals/organisations can submit joint proposals.
● If selected, will I be responsible for publicising the event?
While the organisers will take care of the publicity, you are encouraged to promote the event through
social media and your network.
● Should we find our own funding/sponsorship to run the event at the festival?
Seeking your own funds is desirable, however, not necessary and nor will it impact your application.
Funds/ sponsorship raised by the applicant need not be given to ISF and can be used by the applicant
as appropriate for the proposed event. The funders/sponsors of the event will be mentioned as ISF
sponsors.
● Can we submit a proposal for an online event? If so, how many people can we let take
part in our online event?
Yes, you can submit a proposal for an online event too. You will have to mention the same in the
application form. There is no limit to the number of attendees for the online event. You will have to
mention the number of speakers for the event keeping in mind that the event/ talk will not exceed
more than 2 hours.
● Can we submit proposals for more than one online activity/ event?
There is no limit to the number you may submit. If you want to run more than one event and each is
distinctly different, then you may make two submissions.
● What is the deadline for proposal submission?
23:59 PM IST, 15th September, 2022
● If we don’t get selected, am I allowed to pitch this idea to another organisation for a different event?
Yes. If your proposal is not selected by ISF, please feel free to pitch it to other funders/organisations/events.