Membership of the Collegium Basilea is international. It continues the tradition of the "Republic of Letters"
dating from the late Middle Ages, and encourages the free flow of scientists
without let or hindrance.
There are two principal categories of membership, individual and corporate.
Individual scholars may apply to become members. An annual subscription is payable, but membership is not limited to one year. A stipend may be attached to membership, and research grants are available. Members have full use of the facilities of the Collegium Basilea, and the support of its administrative staff.
At present the Collegium Basilea has no residential accommodation. Every effort is however made to encourage intellectual exchange between Members, as well as their integration into the local academic and industrial community.
Corporate members are mainly, but not exclusively, commercial organizations. They will be assigned a mentor who will be their personal contact at Collegium Basilea, and an expert in the field of activity or interest of the corporate member. An agenda will be established, which may comprise, inter alia, formation of contacts with relevant academic departments, seminars and joint workshops, and exchange visits for staff. Corporate members generally pay an annual subscription; longer term agreements may also be concluded.
An important aim of the Collegium Basilea vis-à-vis its industrial members is to promote dissemination of the concepts behind frontier advances in the sciences, and act as an informal, unbureaucratic medium for exchanges between academic and industrial scientists and engineers. It also acts as a policy forum in which the impact and acceptance of technology in society can be discussed. It is not a consulting organization per se for the solution of specific industrial problems, although it will be glad to act as intermediary in the search for suitable consultants to work on such problems.
Associate members enjoy the same privileges as ordinary members except that they do not have voting rights. No annual subscription is payable. Associate membership is generally acquired by invitation.
All members are entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is usually held in July in or near Basel. Invitations, including the Agenda, are sent out about two months beforehand. At the AGM, apart from any special business (which should be announced to the Treasurer not later than Easter) the President and Treasurer present their Annual Reports, and voting members elect the President and Treasurer for the next 12 months.
It is important to ensure that the secretariat always has your current postal and e-mail addresses. If you (a Member) have not received your invitation to the AGM, the annual report, and your ballot papers by 15 June, please contact the office.
Actions concerning COVID-19: the 2022 AGM could not take place due to pandemic restrictions. The Governing Board unanimously decided that, exceptionally, the current President and Treasurer will remain in office until next year's AGM. It is hoped that by then restrictions will have been sufficiently relaxed to permit it to take place as usual. Meanwhile, the President's and Treasurer's Annual Reports will be sent by e-mail to those members requesting them.
The President for 2019-2023 is Jeremy J. Ramsden (E-mail: president@colbas.org).
Applications for and enquiries about Membership or Corporate Membership should be made to the President.
Correspondence about subscriptions and subscription rates should be addressed directly to the Treasurer.