ILAE-Europe

• Academic institutions, hospitals, professional societies, or ILAE chapters organizing educational events related to epilepsy and clinical neuroscience.
• Both recurring and new initiatives that align with ILAE's mission to advance education, research, and patient care.

• Description of activity & relevance
• Target audience & student engagement methods
• Detailed program with faculty & schedule
• Venue info & accessibility
• Proposed budget & funding plan
• Planned bursaries & expected outputs
• Excel sheet specifying competencies & learning objectives

• Monetary endorsement: Partial financial support for organizational expenses (excl. speaker fees)
• Non-monetary endorsement: ILAE Europe branding, promotion, recognition

• Nicola Specchio, Chair
• Ronit Pressler, Secretary
• Elena Gardella, Treasurer

1. Clinical Training Visit
   • Purpose: To provide early-career clinicians with focused exposure to specialised epilepsy care in a European centre with recognised expertise.
   • Activities may include:
     • participation in epilepsy clinics and multidisciplinary meetings,
     • exposure to epilepsy monitoring units, EEG and video-EEG services,
     • observation of advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, or surgical pathways,
     • development of practical clinical skills relevant to epilepsy care.
   • Target group: Junior or mid-career clinicians or trainees (e.g. neurology, paediatric neurology, clinical neurophysiology, epilepsy nursing or allied disciplines) with a clear commitment to epilepsy.
2. Research Training Visit
   • Purpose: To support early-career researchers or clinician-scientists undertaking a defined epilepsy-related research project in a European host institution.
   • Research areas may include:
     • clinical or translational epilepsy research,
     • neurophysiology, imaging, genetics, or biomarkers,
     • epidemiology, health services, or outcomes research,
     • educational or implementation research relevant to epilepsy care.
   • Projects must be feasible within the 4-month timeframe and demonstrate clear learning and dissemination potential.
3. Visiting Professorship
   • Purpose: To support short-term visits by established epilepsy experts to European host centres, with a strong focus on education, mentoring, and sustainable capacity building.
   • Activities may include:
     • delivery of structured teaching programmes, workshops, or masterclasses,
     • mentoring of clinical or research teams,
     • support for the development of local epilepsy services, protocols, or educational programmes.
   • Applications for Visiting Professorships are expected to demonstrate clear benefit to the host institution and wider local or regional epilepsy community, beyond the duration of the visit.

• Up to two training visits will be awarded per cycle.
• Awards may be made in any of the three categories, depending on the quality and relevance of applications received.
• Training Visits are for 2 - 4 months and must be completed within the training visit year specified in the call.

ILAE Europe reserves the right not to award training visits if applications do not meet the required standard.

• Training Visits must take place within Europe, broadly defined as the WHO European Region.
• The host country must be different from the applicant's primary country of practice or employment.

Each training visit is supported by funding of up to €5000.

Funding may be requested as a contribution towards:

• travel expenses,
• accommodation,
• subsistence / living costs during the training visit period.

Funding is intended as a contribution and may not cover all costs incurred.

General (All Categories)

• Member of an European ILAE branch for at least 6 months before the application.
• A confirmed host centre and supervisor within Europe.
• Language requirements
  • Applicants must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in either
    • the working language of the host centre, or
    • English, where English is used for clinical, research, or educational activities at the host institution.
  • Evidence provided by
    • a statement from the host supervisor or host institution confirming that the applicant's language skills are sufficient for the proposed activities, or
    • other appropriate evidence of language competence.
• The training visit must represent a new, time-limited placement and may not extend or supplement an existing position.
• Each individual may receive an ILAE Europe Training Visit only once.

Category-specific

• Clinical Training Visit: Early-career clinicians or trainees involved in epilepsy care, typically within the first 6 years of specialist training or early post-qualification, with a clear motivation to develop epilepsy-specific clinical skills.
• Research Training Visit: Early-career researchers or clinician-scientists with an active role in epilepsy-related research and a defined, feasible project appropriate for the training visit duration.
• Visiting Professorship: Established epilepsy professionals with recognised expertise and a clearly defined educational, mentoring, or capacity-building programme tailored to the needs of the host institution.

Applicants (or host institutions for Visiting Professorships) are responsible for identifying and confirming a suitable host centre in advance.

A complete application includes:

• Completed application form outlining the training visit objectives, activities, and expected impact.
• CV
• Written confirmation of support from the host institution.

Full details, timelines, and submission instructions will be provided in the annual call for applications.

Applications are reviewed by the ILAE Europe Training Visit Selection Committee.

Selection is based on:

• alignment with ILAE Europe educational priorities,
• quality, feasibility, and clarity of the proposal,
• potential for dissemination and sustained impact,
• contribution to geographical balance and capacity building across Europe.

Decisions of the Selection Committee are final.

Successful applicants are expected to:

• complete the training visit as approved,
• submit a brief end-of-training visit report describing activities, learning outcomes, and impact,
• acknowledge ILAE Europe support in any outputs arising from the training visit,
• contribute to dissemination of knowledge within the European epilepsy community.

ILAE Europe provides financial support only and bears no responsibility for clinical, legal, or organisational aspects of the training visit.

Appoint a chapter representative to upload projects and notify Gus Egan.

• Education/training of professionals involved in epilepsy care
• Improve local sustainable patient care
• Education & advocacy of local authorities
• Initiate collaborative research projects

Travel/accommodation up to €5,000 per partnership. No honorarium.

Send applications to: Matthew Walker and Nicola Specchio

Applications open throughout 2025.