A Letter:
International grants for developing countries – helpful or not?
The Impression of Maryjune Cabiguin
Hi there, I am Maryjune Cabiguin from the Philippines. I received grants to attend two different international conferences:
1. The International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions (ICMB) in May 2023
2. The International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) in May 2024.
These international grants have been incredibly helpful, especially for individuals from developing countries. There are limited opportunities for graduate students in the Philippines to secure local funding for international conferences. Personally, the bursaries helped cover significant expenses such as flights and accommodations.
Regarding the grant process:
• For ICMB, the funds were sent via PayPal, but I requested the money to be forwarded only
after I received my visa. Once approved, they sent the funds promptly on the same day.
• For ICAIS, the initial rule was to release the bursary on the conference day. This was a
challenge for me since I didn’t have sufficient funds to cover major expenses upfront. I reached out to the organizers to request an advance payment. Initially, they hesitated due to
their policies, but thanks to my record with ICMB, they allowed the advance payment
through a bank transfer.
As for the grant amounts, the ICMB grant covered all my expenses, while the ICAIS grant covered approximately 80%. Nevertheless, attending these conferences have significantly helped me grow as a scientist. They allowed me to build global connections and share my research, particularly in the niche field of invasive species.
Maryjune Cabiguin
Overall, travel grants are very helpful. Therefore, I would like to share my thoughts regarding travel grants. First, organizers might consider adding an additional category specifically for participants from developing countries. These countries often have fewer opportunities and may face higher logistical expenses, so it could be beneficial to create a separate category for them. Secondly, it is commendable that organizers are cautious about providing funds to international students before the conference. Proof, such as my record from ICMB, was instrumental in convincing other organizers and demonstrating that not everyone has the financial capacity to cover expenses in advance.
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