Memorandum of Understanding

Recalling that the International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network (ICRANet) is an international organization whose Member Countries are , , and and whose Member Institutions are the Arizona University, the ICRA and the , and that at the moment ICRANet has Operative Seats in Rome (Italy), Pescara (Italy), Nice (France), (Brazil);

Recalling that ICRANet has signed collaboration agreements with the following Institutions in South America: CBPF (Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas, Brazil), Government of the State of Cearà (Brazil), FAPEC (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Ceara, Brazil ) , FAPERJ (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (to be renewed), INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Brazil, to be finalized), ITA (Instituto Tecnòlogico de Aeronàutica, Brazil), UERJ (University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), UNS (Universidad Nacional del Sur, );

Recalling that ICRANet has initiated an International Relativistic Astrophysics Ph.D. Program (IRAP-PhD) with the following Universities: AEI – Institut – Potsdam (Germany), Free University (Germany), CBPF – Brazilian Centre for Physics Research (Brazil), ETH – Zurich (Switzerland), Ferrara University (Italy), IHÉS (France), Indian Centre for Space Physics (India), Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France), Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (France), Rome University – “La Sapienza” (Italy), Université de Savoie (France), Astronomical Observatory (China), University (Sweden), Tartu Observatory (Estonia);

ICRANet and FAPERJ will collaborate on the creation of an ICRANet Center in Rio de Janeiro (ICRANet Rio), initially located at CBPF, to foster the advancement of basic sciences in Brazil and South American countries.

The collaboration will take place along the following principles:

I. Scientific Objectives

ICRANet Rio will operate in areas of Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology, both in the theoretical and observational fields, already internationally recognized by the activities of ICRANet and of all the above-mentioned Associated Institutions. It will start operations at the ICRANet Center at CBPF and, depending on the availability of funds and need, will gradually expand its activities in other scientific and geographical areas. The long-range objective is to create a number of regional scientific Centers of Excellence in the continent of America, with each corresponding country joining ICRANet and each Center having its Seat Agreement established with the Local Government with all privileges and appropriate immunities. For each Center the ICRANet Statute will be adopted. ICRANet will act as the central coordinator of such Centers.

II. Governing bodies

The highest Governing Organ of the Institute is the ICRANet Steering Committee.

a) Local Administrative Committee

There will be a “Local Administrative Committee” (LAC) which will address the major policy questions concerning the Institute: a) the funding of the Institute, b) the number of permanent positions (both scientific and administrative), c) overseeing the spending of the budget of the Institute.

The Members of the LAC will include the President of the Steering Committee of ICRANet, as chairperson, one representative for FAPERJ and one for each of the South American Institutions who have signed an agreement with ICRANet.

The LAC will present a report to the Steering Committee of ICRANet for approval of its activities and planning.

The minutes of the LAC meetings to be approved by th ICRANet Steering Committee will be taken by the Director of ICRANet. b) Local Scientific Committee

The Local Scientific Committee (LSC) will consist of the President of the ICRANet Scientific Committee, who will be the chairperson, and will include one representative for FAPERJ and one for each of the South American Institutions who have signed an agreement with ICRANet.

The duties of LSC will be: a) to analyze the scientific program of the Institute, b) to recommend the permanent researchers and post-doctoral fellows to the LAC, and c) propose new ideas for the activities of the Institute. The members should be appointed for a period not longer than 3 years. c) Local Director

There will be a Local Director (Director-Br) who will implement the program proposed by the LAC and the LSC and approved by the ICRANet Steering Committee.

The mandate of the Director-Br should last for 3 years and can be renewed.

III. Staffing

1. Administrative Staff

The Director-Br will organize a centralized administrative and financial staff. All measures should be taken to shape the administrative body in such a way that the engagement of the scientists in non-scientific issues is minimized.

2. Scientific Staff

a) The institute will consist of a small number of permanent scientific staff and a larger number of post-doctoral fellows who will be appointed for a period of 3 years. b) A number of visiting scholars from Brazil and member countries will be part of the scientific staff of the Institute. c) It is foreseen that post-graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and active researchers from Brazil and the region will visit the Center regularly for short or long periods of time. Particular attention will be devoted to fostering the participation in the IRAP-PhD (see below).

3. Nomination of the Director-Br and the permanent scientific staff

The nomination of the permanent scientific staff as well as the Director-Br will be made by the ICRANet Steering Committee on the basis of proposals made by the Director having received the advice of the LAC and the LSC.

IV. Level and modalities of the Institute activities

The Institute will be involved in training and research at post-graduate and post-doctoral levels. In particular it will support research in those South American countries where research in relativistic astrophysics and theoretical physics is not yet well developed.

In short the activities of the Institute will be modeled on those of ICRANet, i.e. annual organization of schools, courses, workshops, and conferences in areas of competence of the Institute combined with an active visiting program.

V. The Role of ICRANet

ICRANet will be the legal representative of the Center. It will participate in a decision- making capacity in the creation and operations of the Institute.

ICRANet will provide an international support for the operations of the Institute.

ICRANet will cooperate in fund raising, in the organization of activities at all levels and sponsoring of visitors from the least developed countries of the region.

ICRANet will extend the IRAP-PhD program to the interested Universities of South America.

ICRANet will guarantee that the best teaching and research facilities will be at the disposal of the ICRANet graduate students and of the visiting Faculty. In particular, ICRANet will foster exchanges with students and researchers. They will be allowed to use the facilities and structures of the ICRANet Seats, in particular of the already operative ones in Rome (Italy), Pescara (Italy), Nice (France), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and from there to collaborate with European Universities. The Students will be registered in all the Universities and Research Institutions of the IRAP PhD program.

ICRANet will organize a program of exchanges of Faculty and students within the Brazilian program “Science without frontiers” in the framework of the Cesare Lattes Meeting.

This MoU will be valid for a period of 5 years from the date of its signing, with the possibility of renewal with the consent of all parties. Each party can withdraw from it providing an advanced notice of 6 months.

Signatories:

Director of ICRANet President of FAPERJ