Process for Proposing Locations to host the CSC
This note explains to potential Local Organizers
interested in hosting the CERN School of Computing the process for
developing their proposal and provides a template for formulating it.
1 Process.
2 Elements to be
taken into account when considering a location
2.1 Location (city)
2.2 Possible models for the site (single /
separate)
3 Role of the Local
Organizing Committee
3.1 Summarized role
3.2 Key of success: the LOC team
4 Template for
Proposals to host a CSC
4.1 General elements
4.2 Elements specific to each proposed
location (city) and model
4.3 Other information (free text)
1
Process
The process for submitting proposals is in two stages:
-
An Expression of Interest
letter is to be sent to the Director of the CERN School, of
Computing, by the authorized person in the organization which will act
as Local Organizer or which will lead a consortium of organizations.
The letter should be short and the only required elements are:
-
A proposal based on
the following template is to be submitted at least 20 months before the
school.
-
The proposal may include
several options regarding the location city, the tuition and lodging
places, …
-
During the preparation
of this proposal, it preferable that the options be discussed with
the School Director.
Based on the
proposal, the CSC Advisory Committee will make a decision at least 18 months
before the school takes place.
2
Elements to be taken into account when considering a location
2.1
Location (city)There is no
absolute rule for the choice of the city where the school is taking place.
Recently. very successful schools have been organized:
-
in country capitals
(Helsinki)
-
in medium size
tourist/resort towns (Dubrovnik, Vico Equense, Funchal)
-
in smaller towns located ~
90 min from a major city (Krems, 80 km from Vienna).
However, the
following key criteria must be considered:
-
The location should be in a
reasonably attractive area.
-
For logistics reasons, it
should not be located too far from the premises of (one of) the local
organizer(s). This is to facilitate logistical support (secretarial
support, technical assistance)
-
In general, participants,
who are young, prefer reasonably animated places (cities
or nearby cities) rather than exceptionally beautiful but very isolated
areas.
-
The location should permit
the organization of attractive excursion(s), as well as other
social activities (nearby sport centre / facilities is
particularly appreciated).
-
The costs in the area (for
lodging, meals, transportation, services, …) should be compatible with
the limited budget of the school (unless prices are very favourably
negotiated).
2.2 Possible models for the site (single / separate)Annex 1
provides details of the possible school models, and the key elements to be
taken into account for each model.
In short, a
school site is formed of two components:
A - Single site
model
\
B - Separate
sites model
-
B1:
Accommodation in hotel - tuition at academic site
-
B2:
Accommodation in hotel - Tuition in Convention Centre
-
B3:
Accommodation in academic campus - Tuition in Convention Centre
-
B4:
Accommodation in academic campus - Tuition at distinct academic site
Advantages and
drawbacks of each model are discussed in details in Annex 1.
In recent
years, very successful models have been:
A1
2004
2007 |
Single
hotel to provide both accommodation and tuition facilities |
- Major advantage: all-in-one
aspect (no commuting time, …)
- Major drawback: logistics and cost
to set up a full computing / networking infrastructure in the
hotel |
B1
2006 |
Accommodation in hotel - tuition at academic site |
·
Major advantage: use of local
computing infrastructure for exercises (no cost, no set up) |
B4
2003 |
Accommodation in academic campus - Tuition at distinct academic site |
- Major advantages:
-
low cost
-
all-in-one aspect
(no commuting time, …)
-
use of local
computing infrastructure for exercises (no cost, no set up)
- Possible drawback: commuting time |
Another model
likely to be successful (though not experimented recently) is
A2,
provided that:
-
The campus is not too
isolated
-
The lodging and meals on the
campus are of good quality
A2 |
Single
academic campus to provide both accommodation and tuition facilities |
- Major advantages:
- use of local computing
infrastructure for exercises (no cost, no set up)
- Possible drawback: if isolated
campus, distance to reach animated areas |
3
Role of the Local Organizing Committee
3.1 Summarized roleThe role of
the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) is detailed in Annex 2. The key
components of this role can be summarized as:
-
Proposing options for the
city and the site(s) (campus, hotel)
-
Providing the computing
infrastructure (students PCs, school servers, on- and off-site
networking, …)
-
Proposing social
activities and assisting in their running (Sport
Programme, excursion, …)
-
Providing on-site
secretarial and technical assistance during he school
-
If possible, identifying
domestic industrial or institutional sponsors to support (in-cash
or in-kind) small school items (e.g. recreational activities, bags,
presents, …)
-
Arranging
for European Credit Certificates (ECTS credits) to be provided to
participants who successfully passed the examination.
3.2 Key of success: the LOC teamThe key of the
success is the formation by the LOC of a team of people, with clear
responsibilities before and (for some of them) during the school. See
example from
CSC206-Helsinki.
From past
experience, the team is particularly efficient when it includes:
-
young engineers / scientists
(social chemistry with students is facilitated)
-
people with a knowledge of
the local social opportunities (sport, self visits, discos, ..)
4
Template for Proposals to host a CSCThis
template must be viewed as a guide to collect key data of the proposal. Not
all components may be known at the time the proposal is submitted. It is
preferable to discuss initial ideas and versions with the School Director
before investing too much into a specific direction.
The
proposal may contain several options for the proposed city and/or the site
model (single/separate)
4.1 General elements
Organizing Committee |
Name
of Leading Local Organizer |
|
Name of the organization
acting as Local Organizer or as consortium leader |
Name
of other involved organization(s), if any |
|
Name of other
organization(s) part of the Local Organizing Committee Consortium |
Name
and affiliation of the prime contact person (in principle, the
chair-person of the future Local Organizing Committee) |
|
|
Year |
Is the
proposal only valid for one specific year? |
|
Indicate the year, if
hosting the school is only possible one specific year. |
Is the
proposal valid for a range of years? |
|
Indicate the range of
years, if applicable |
Location (city) |
Proposed school location (city).
Give the list, if several cities are proposed |
|
Name of the city(ies)
where the school is proposed to take place |
School Model (Single /Separate site) |
What
is (are) the model(s) proposed (A1, A2, B1, … other)?
Give the models for each city, if several cities are proposed |
|
Refer to the models of
Annex 1.
If several models are
proposed for a given location, list them. |
4.2 Elements specific to each
proposed location (city) and model
Campus and hotel(s) |
Campus (if applicable):
Give
the name of the institute / university / … |
|
Only if a campus is
involved for tuition and/or lodging |
Hotel(s) (if applicable):
Are possible hotels already identified? |
|
If potential hotels
already identified, provide names of hotels |
Sport centre / area close to tuition
and/or lodging site? |
|
|
Tuition facilities (if known) |
Lecture room: type (amphitheatre,
large room, ...) and numerology (number of seats, floor area M2,
…) |
|
Only if this is already
known.
Indicative numbers only |
Exercise room: type (single large
room, ...) and floor area (M2) |
|
Only if this is already
known.
Indicative numbers only |
Commuting time (for separate sites models only) |
Means
(walking, public transport, rented bus) and estimated time to
commute between the two sites |
|
|
Cost aspects |
Is
there a cost (e.g. rental) associated with the use of the lecture
and/or exercise rooms?
If so,
indicate the range. |
|
Provide indicative cost
only |
Is
there a cost associated with the use of the Internet connection, or
other networking facilities?
If so,
indicate the range |
|
Provide indicative cost
only |
Other
cost associated with the tuition facilities? |
|
Provide indicative cost
only |
Indicative cost per day / per person for lodging (in two-bed
rooms) and meals |
|
Provide indicative cost
only |
Possible domestic sponsoring |
Any
prospects for either industrial (e.g. computing companies) or
institutional (e.g. city, …) domestic sponsoring? |
|
No commitment at this
stage, indication only
- Industrial sponsoring
may be for special social events, receptions, excursions, presents
to meritorious students, …
- Institutional
sponsoring may be for social events (city hall reception, …),
in-kind contribution (e.g. free access to city public transport
system, …) |
4.3 Other information (free text)If
available, any additional information such as details of city, campus
facilities, hotel facilities, computing infrastructure, on-site networking,
wireless access at tuition location or hotel; lecture room, exercise room,
excursion possibilities, nearby sport centre, planned LOC team, sponsoring
opportunities, …. Pictures are also welcome.
|