One of the core missions of the ITI is to facilitate and support cutting-edge research in implant
dentistry in order to advance this field. The ITI Research Mentoring Program is designed to assist the the upcoming generation of researchers, equipping them for the development of innovative techniques, enhancement of quality standards, and the advancement of technology in this field.
The program matches a talented researcher (the mentee) and an established researcher with specific expertise (the mentor). The mentee spends a variable period of time at the mentor’s institution (ranging from a few weeks up to 12 months). During this time, the mentee is expected to gain new skills in a specific field, benefit from personalized research training, and plan or execute a collaborative research project that should result in tangible contributions to the advancement of implant dentistry.
The funds allocated to a mentoring project are intended to support travel, accommodation and the coordination of such projects.
Interested researchers must submit their applications by the respective deadline. Evaluation of the application is only possible if accurate and complete information is provided. The application form must be completed in English and must include all relevant details required for the review.

• Mentoring funds are awarded only in the context of travel required for a research-driven project or the development of a particular skill that will enable the mentee to advance their career in
  cooperation with an academic institution/university.
• The funds granted to a mentee are to be used for travel (plane, train, bus, taxi, car) and travelrelated expenditures, including but not limited to accommodation (hotel, hostel, guesthouse, B&B,
  apartment), food and beverages, or communication costs means required during the mentoring
  stay (e.g., internet access, network provider)
• Once a researcher is accepted for a mentoring period, they are barred from submitting another
  mentoring application for a period of three years.
• Applicants are restricted to one application per cycle.
• Applicants may indicate preferred mentors or institutions for the mentoring grant. However, the
  ITI cannot guarantee a match, as both the mentor and institution must first agree to collaborate
  with the specific applicant.
• Once matching of a mentee and a mentor has been accepted, no additional funding will be awarded
  to the mentee, mentor, or academic institution at a later stage. The assigned funds do not cover institutional administrative or overhead fees beyond the scope defined in these guidelines and the terms & conditions.
• If a research mentoring application is accepted by the ITI Research Committee but either the mentee or mentor must delay the planned start, the project and related travel can be deferred for a maximum of six months. If the mentor is no longer able to participate, all parties will work together to find an alternative solution.

Funds reserved for the Mentee will be made available via bank transfer to the bank details indicated by the applicant. Funds will only be released once both the mentor and mentee have confirmed acceptance of the mentoring collaboration.

Funding range is for orientation purposes. The final amount allocated to a specific mentee will depend on the nature of the project and the location of the mentor’s institution.

In addition, the ITI will compensate the university/academic institution for the time invested by the mentor as well as for any use of facilities, administrative work or other related costs incurred during the mentee’s stay. Please refer to the table below for the planned amounts.

Mentors who agree to participate in the ITI Research Mentoring Program will supervise the mentees and provide the onboarding required for successful collaboration.

Compensation for the mentor’s university/academic institution cannot exceed 25 % of the research mentoring grant allocated to the mentee.

Compensation for the institution will be paid upon receipt of an invoice.

1. Applications must be submitted via the designated online platform on iti.org. Applications submitted
   in writing or by email will not be considered.
2. The portal is compatible with most modern internet browsers; however, we recommend using Google Chrome.
3. All mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk (*).
4. The form consists of a series of fields the applicant must complete and submit prior to the application deadline.

All complete and valid applications are forwarded to the members of the ITI Research Committee for assessment and rating. Committee members review the applications based on the following criteria:

Preferred duration and location of the hosting institution.

Match between the Mentee and available Mentors.

Field of research, objectives and potential impact.

Profile of the candidate and quality of the proposal

Candidates are matched to a Mentor based on their background, qualifications, research objectives, and preferences expressed in the application.
The mentor must review the candidate’s profile and inform ITI Headquarters whether they accept the candidate for a collaboration project. In case of deferral, the mentors or the ITI Research Committee can propose an alternative Mentor or institution.
Applicants are informed once the Mentor has confirmed to ITI Headquarters that they accept the
candidate. If accepted, the ITI will provide the applicant with details regarding the agreed Mentor,
location, scope, and funding for the mentoring period.

Possible outcomes of an application

1. Acceptance
2. Request for additional details or proposal for a modified mentoring project
3. Request to consider other mentors or institutions for the proposed project
4. Rejection

Upon acceptance of the mentoring grant, both the Mentee and the Mentor will be required to sign a short agreement acknowledging the collaboration. Mentees will then have access to their application record via ITI’s dedicated research platform.
Depending on the duration of the program, one or two progress reports will be requested. Mentees must complete and submit these reports online through the platform to document the progress and
outcomes of the program.

At the end of the mentoring process, both mentees and mentors must confirm completion of the collaboration and complete the survey provided by ITI Headquarters. Once this is done, the mentee will receive a certificate of completion. Further questions shall be addressed by email to ITI Headquarters: [email protected].