Collaborating personnel are selected in accordance with the procedure approved by the AEI Governing Council on 30 July 2026, drawn up with the advice and endorsement of its Scientific Committee: PROTOCOL FOR COLLABORATING PERSONNEL 2026

Depending on the responsibilities and duties involved, collaboration may take one of three forms: Chairing, Coordination or Management. In general:

• The Chair heads a Scientific and Technical Area (ACT). This requires an overview of the ACT, the Spanish research groups and researchers working in it, their leadership relative to other countries in our region, trends, resource requirements, and institutional and geographical distribution.
   
• The Manager is part of the team of collaborators for a sub-field or Scientific and Technical Sub-area. Reporting to their sub-area’s Coordination, managers are responsible—together with the Coordination itself—for preparing evaluation and monitoring reports, selecting experts, participating in committees, analysing and resolving representations, incidents and other procedures relating to funded activities.
   
• The Coordinator is responsible for a Scientific and Technical Sub-area or a sub-field within the area. Reporting to the Chair of their ACT, they coordinate the preparation of evaluation and monitoring reports, the selection of experts, the work of committees, and the analysis and resolution of representations, incidents and other procedures relating to funded activities.

As described in the protocol, the Scientific and Technical Committee, the Directorate for Scientific and Technological Management, management staff and the AEI Directorate participate in selecting new collaborators. The procedure varies according to the type of collaborator (chair, coordinator or manager) and whether or not their collaboration will fall under the Directorate for Scientific and Technological Management.