1 ESCMID Study Group Definition

An ESCMID Study Group (SG) is a group of scientists who organize themselves under the auspices of ESCMID with the main objective of studying a defined research area within clinical microbiology and/or infectious diseases in line with ESCMID's mission.

ESCMID's mission

• Build on a democratic basis (elections & statutes)
• Promote, foment and divulge the research in the topic of the SG
• Disseminate their achievements to other health professionals
• Advise public health authorities as well as other organizations about the aspects concerning the topic of the SG
• Establish and foster links with other scientists and scientific societies in similar fields
• Actively participate in
ECCMID scientific & education programme (symposia, educational workshops)
ESCMID education programme outside ECCMID (i.e. propose and organize postgraduate education courses and technical workshops)
ESCMID scientific programme outside ECCMID (i.e. propose and organize conferences, sessions at other congresses)
• Plan and maintain research projects
• Develop medical guidelines
• Advise ESCMID Executive Committee in their field of expertise
• Report timely all their activities to the Scientific Affairs Officer; report annually to the Scientific Affairs Subcommittee/Executive Committee/public
• Always use SG logo and official SG name in conjunction with SG activities and on SG publications

• Provides templates for SG proposal, funding requests, etc.
• Provides various logistic & financial support (to be detailed below)
• Hosts annual SG business meeting at ECCMID
• Hosts SG website embedded in the ESCMID web environment
• Promotes SG information through the ESCMID website and newsletter
• Publishes SG medical guidelines, consensus or research papers in the Society�s journal CMI
• Manages addresses of people interested in the SG topics
• Administrates the SG bank account

• Complete the SG proposal form and send it to the Scientific Affairs Officer (CC Education and Science Manager). Please note that you should be able to nominate at least 15 individuals from at least three European countries who wish to be part of the SG.
• Await evaluation by the ESCMID Scientific Affairs Subcommittee
• Get approval by the ESCMID Executive Committee
• Hold inauguration meeting (at ECCMID) with election of SG Executive Committee (see § 5.2)
• Assemble all information important for the SG website

5.1 Membership

The SG statutes define the conditions and procedure for individuals who wish to join the SG as members. They will be granted the status of associated ESCMID members and are encouraged to become full ESCMID members. A wide representation of different European countries is sought.

ESCMID assembles and maintains lists of people interested in the topic of the SG; the SG itself is responsible for keeping overview over the active SG members.

Corporate membership is open for companies and other organizations who wish to maintain closer ties with the Study Group. Corporate members pay an annual membership fee. They may name one person of their organization which shall be of equal rank as full SG members in relation to membership rights.

5.2 Organization

The SGs elect an Executive Committee, composed of at least a chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer. The maximum duration of service in the Executive Committee is restricted to eight years. Election by the group’s members can be held during the assembly of members, which must take place annually, preferably during ECCMID. The members of the Executive Committee must be ESCMID members in good standing and should be professionally active.

5.3 Information policy

The SG must inform the Scientific Affairs Officer in advance about all major activities, such as the organization of meetings, courses, workshops, development of guidelines and consensus papers, the production of printed material and the planning and running of research projects. All these activities must be approved by the EC. The SG maintains its website up to date by delivering publishable news texts, pictures etc. to the ESCMID Executive Office.

5.4 Annual reporting

An annual report is prepared by the SG Executive Committee following the structure described in Annex I, and forwarded to the Scientific Affairs Officer (CC Education and Science Manager). It is due 6 – 8 weeks prior to the annual ECCMID meeting upon invitation by the ESCMID Executive Office. The SG agrees with publication of the annual report material on the ESCMID website or in ESCMID publications.

5.5. Representation

SG Members cannot act as representatives of ESCMID without prior approval by the ESCMID Executive Committee.

6.1 Support of SG Symposia and SG Educational Workshops at ECCMID

The ECCMID Programme Director will invite the SG chairpersons approximately 14 months prior to each ECCMID to submit proposals for 1- or 2-hour symposia and/or 2- or 4-hour educational workshops to be staged during the said ECCMID. Symposia proposals should focus on new findings and developments in the SG’s field and educational workshops rather on state-of-the-art knowledge in the field. ESCMID will cover all costs involved with these sessions. Among the most competitive symposia proposals the best fitting ones will be chosen for the ECCMID programme without changes and designated as “Study Group Symposia”. The Programme Committee reserves the right to use parts of the other proposals for the ECCMID programme. The SGs will be informed about this.

6.2 Support of SG Scientific Meetings and SG Sessions at other Congresses

SGs are encouraged to organize scientific meetings. ESCMID can provide assistance with the distribution of electronic and printed announcements and posters.

In addition, SGs are encouraged to actively participate at other congresses with organizing a SG symposium or workshop.

In both cases, a request should be submitted that includes the scientific programme and a detailed budget submitted to the Scientific Affairs Officer (CC Education and Science Manager) no later than nine months prior to the event. ESCMID will support these activities with up to EUR 5’000 as a deficit guarantee that must be returned if the final accounts allow so. In addition, ESCMID may contribute a grant of up to EUR 5'000 to be used for attendance grants.

6.3 Support of SG Postgraduate Education Courses (PGECs) and Technical Workshops (PGTWs)

SGs are expected to submit at least one proposal for organizing a free-standing PGEC or PGTW, i.e. not linked to ECCMID, every three years. Proposals must be submitted to the Education Officer (CC Education and Science Manager) following the ESCMID Operating Procedures for Educational Activities.

EOPs - Educational Activities

6.4 Support for Research Projects

SGs may request support from ESCMID for the conception and preparation of a research project. This may be a smaller project conducted by the SG alone (see § 6.4.1) or a larger project, in which SG members act as coordinator or partner (see § 6.4.2).

6.4.1 Research projects conducted by the SG alone

For these projects, SG can apply for a Research Grant, which is specifically reserved for collaborative projects undertaken by the SGs and can be up to EUR 30’000. These applications are to be defined along the lines of the currently available Research Grants for individuals using the same proposal and evaluation procedures.

6.4.2 European funded projects

ESCMID support can include – depending on the individual project – financial support, advice on proposal writing and project execution, and/or administrative support.

For the project conception, ESCMID funding may be used for the honorarium for a scientist on a short-term basis (maximum two month full-time) to prepare a grant application for submission to a funding agency (e.g. to the European Commission), or for the organization of preparatory meetings to develop a research project. Precondition is a letter of intent that the SG through ESCMID becomes official partner in the project.

Funds may not be used for internal institutional or entirely national research projects. Funds are intended to support transnational collaborative research projects in Europe.

Each SG may submit only one project per year; the maximum support for a single project is limited to EUR 15’000 with applications to be submitted at any time throughout the year. Applications not accepted for funding may be resubmitted the following year.

IMPORTANT for projects with European funding agencies: Since SGs itself are not a legal entity, the participation of SGs in European projects are only possible by ESCMID becoming official legal partner in the project. ESCMID as a professional society offers a variety of expertise in dissemination, medical guideline development and educational activities for European projects.

Request submission

Requests for support must be submitted to the Scientific Affairs Officer (CC Education and Science Manager) and include the following:

1. title of project and requested support
2. project partners with affiliation
3. rationale and brief review of literature 
4. outline of research plan and deliverables
5. detailed budget
6. short CV of principal investigator
7. date for submission of detailed research proposal

Applications will be accepted throughout the year. The evaluation of the research proposal is the responsibility of the Scientific Affairs Officer who will present his/her conclusion to the Executive Committee for approval. He/she is assisted in the evaluation by the members of the Scientific Affairs Subcommittee and other experts from the Society, if needed.

SGs which have not been supported during the preceding two years will be favoured when in competition with applications from SGs which have received support during this time period. An agreement between ESCMID and the principal contractual partner of the SG will be signed stating the detailed conditions of the support. Any research publication arising from supported projects must acknowledge ESCMID’s support.

6.5 Funding of the Administrative Costs of SG Activities

SGs complying with these operating procedures are entitled to receive EUR 2’000 per year in support for their administrative duties.

6.6 Accounting

Each Study Group must run a dedicated account through the ESCMID Executive Office, where all financial aspects of the respective SG are dealt with. No accounts outside the ESCMID accounting may be held. Disposition of funds is possible through the Study Groups’ Chairpersons, Treasurers or Secretary only, as outlined in the respective Statutes of each group.

SGs are strongly encouraged to publish their research findings in the Society’s journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection (CMI) in preference to other journals of similar scope. They are to be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief for peer review as is the case with other research papers. Clinical and laboratory guidelines and consensus papers that have the support of ESCMID must be published in CMI. Manuscripts on medical guidelines and consensus papers must also be submitted to the Scientific Affairs Officer for consistency review with the Society's policy and related guidelines.

The SG logo is to appear on each document, announcement and brochure published by a SG. In scientific articles, the SG name must be visible in the title or the author bylines.

A SG is initially set up for five years. After this time period, the Scientific Affairs Subcommittee evaluates its scientific output measured by publications, contributions to scientific meetings, consensus documents, medical guidelines, scientific workshops, educational courses and/or collaborative research projects. The minimum activity should be:

8.1 At least one proposal to the ECCMID Programme Committee for a symposium and/or educational workshop every two years

Plus at least four of the five following items:

8.2 At least one free-standing (i.e. not linked to ECCMID) educational activity (PGEC/PGTW, see § 6.3) every three years

8.3 At least one collaborative research project underway during any one-year cycle

8.4 At least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal in which the name of the SG is included in the authorship every second year

8.5 At least one consensus document, technical or clinical practice guideline to be published (via website or print publication) every five years

8.6 Other SG activities like conferences, symposia at other congresses, e-learning offerings, etc. The SG has to get approval of the SAS in advance that this activity can be counted in the evaluation.

If the SG has not covered the minimum activity, the Scientific Affairs Subcommittee may propose through the Scientific Affairs Officer to the ESCMID Executive Committee to terminate the SG.

At any time, SGs may be terminated either by a majority vote of members or by a decision of the ESCMID Executive Committee if there is a documented violation of the present operating procedures. In such cases, remaining funds from SGs should be transferred to ESCMID to support other SG activities.

July 2010