The cancellation policy concerns all IBRO funded programs and activities. The purview of the policy includes cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation and imposed travel restrictions as well as other unforeseen events that may impact IBRO-funded activities and programs.
We are grateful to organizers who have worked diligently toward the successful planning of their respective events. IBRO strongly recommends that event organizers consider options for virtual implementation of in-person events whenever this is feasible as this will help increase equality in access to training. The IBRO secretariat will continue working closely with local organizers and individual awardees to support our community as much as possible during unexpected events.
Singular and Recurrent events
Recurrent events are defined by their receipt of IBRO funds over a period of several consecutive years. Such events include all Schools hosted by the IBRO Advanced Training Centers in Africa and Asia and Schools funded by IBRO’s Regional Committees. The repetitive nature of such events is documented in approved budget requests from previous years or through partnership agreements. Per definition all Schools run by Regional Committees are considered recurrent in all cases where a regional School program has been funded regularly in prior years even though these events have changed venue(s), organizers, and/or focus area(s).
If recurrent events cannot occur in the present year, a new request for support may be submitted by the organizer(s) to the respective Regional Committees and in such cases shall form part of the regional budget requests for the following year. Recurrent events that are based on multi-year partnerships with IBRO, do not need to submit a renewed request.
Singular events are defined as not having received IBRO funding within the previous two years.
Approved singular events, scheduled to occur in the present year that cannot be implemented physically or virtually within the same calendar year may, upon written motivated request from the organizer(s) to the relevant Regional Committee, exceptionally be approved for postponement with an updated and approved budget. Funds for approved events in a given year cannot as a general rule be transferred to the next calendar year.
Recurrent and singular events that are not implemented as scheduled, and where no written requests for postponement have been submitted prior to the scheduled event, are automatically considered canceled by IBRO.
Canceled events
Organizers of canceled events must return funds they have already received. A reimbursement request may be submitted by the organizers for documented expenses already incurred for the canceled event. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and must be accompanied by the appropriate justification and relevant receipts.
Virtual events
In cases where previously scheduled in-person events are modified to take place virtually, IBRO reserves the right to adjust the previously approved budget for the altered event. If the organizer(s) have already incurred expenses towards in-person events, these costs may be claimed by the organizer(s) through a request for reimbursement. Such requests for reimbursement will be considered on a case-by-case basis by IBRO leadership and must be accompanied by appropriate justification and relevant receipts. Unspent funds must be returned to IBRO after the event. Organizers are, in all cases, required to submit an event report upon completion of the event.
Individual grants and laboratory exchanges
Individual grants, including travel grants, may be postponed to a later date in the same calendar year in cases where the conference, event, or activity for which the grant was given has been postponed. Requests for postponements to a following calendar year will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and justifications for the request will be required. Requests to change a grant to apply to a different conference or meeting from the one designated in the original travel award will not be accepted. Individual grants where no written requests for postponement have been submitted prior to the scheduled date are automatically canceled by IBRO.
Where a physical conference or meeting is modified to occur online, grantees are expected to attend virtually. Awardees will receive reimbursement for actual costs incurred (e.g., registration fee), upon presentation of the relevant receipts and documentation for attendance.
Awardees participating in laboratory exchanges may modify their intended starting dates, which should in all cases be requested in writing by the awardee through the submission of a motivated official request to IBRO. Laboratory exchanges may take place later than originally planned, and requests for postponements to a following year will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Justification for the request will be required.
The IBRO Secretariat will work closely with all grantees to provide the necessary administrative support. Final reports are required upon completion of all IBRO funded activities.
This policy is effective as of 9 July 2022.