Plan

A tentative plan of what INESP would accomplish is presented for the first 2 years or so..

Year 1 (January 2001) would be spent in

  1. putting into place the organizational framework for INESP at the University of Guelph
  2. appointing a Steering Committee in consultation with concerned and interested parties.
  3. developing a draft program of activities in line with the overall aims of INESP
  4. hosting the first general organizational workshop of the Steering Committee
  5. contacting various International, Governmental, Non-Governmental and such organizations that would support in principal and financially the INESP program as developed during the first general workshop.

N.B. This would be my sabbatical leave so that initial costs would be small for the first half of the period. Thereafter, it would be hoped that funds for secretarial assistance would be made available at the U of G. This would be important for organization with respect to item 4.

The latter part of Year 1 and early part Year 2 would be spent in

  1. following up from year 1, items 3 and 5 with applications for support to initiate activities as noted as part of the INESP aims above.
  2. co-ordination with organizations identified in item 5 with respect to activities and support.

By the end of Year 2, it is expected that INESP would be fully operational and that fiscal support would become available through various sources in co-ordination with other organizations, especially international and UN. The commitment of the University of Guelph to my salary, space, and secretarial help through the Canada Chairs program would carry the fiscal weight of INESP to this time. Thereafter, with the increased levels of activities as envisioned, additional funds will become necessary. It is likely that it will take at least two years for such funding sources to be identified, applications prepared and submitted, and funding to be appropriated.

Further plans would be developed from workshops of the Steering Committee and recommendations and requests of contributors to INESP. At present, it is premature to suggest the order in which the various activities of INESP might unfold, but the body of the proposal illustrates the wide variety of interdisciplinary tasks ahead.