Membership
Become part of a shared CERN collaboration
Membership is open to Chinese universities, institutes and related organisations engaged with CERN. It complements existing collaborations with a consortium-level platform.
Process
Four steps to membership
The process follows the CCICC Charter. The Secretariat works with applicants at every stage.
Apply
Submit an application describing your institution, its CERN collaboration and intended areas of participation.
Initial review
The Secretariat checks completeness and discusses fit with the charter and existing programmes.
Governance review
The Institutional Board and Steering Committee review the application under the charter.
Sign the charter
Sign the charter, nominate IB representatives and become a full member.
Detailed procedures and materials follow the CCICC Charter and the latest Secretariat guidance.
Materials
A clear and complete application
If you are unsure what to prepare, contact the Secretariat first.
- Application letter — Signed and stamped, stating intent and intended areas.
- Institutional profile — Disciplines, research teams and relevant platforms.
- CERN collaboration record — Existing involvement in experiments, projects, instrumentation or computing.
- IB nominations — Proposed representatives for each experiment and domain, with brief CVs.
- Authorisation — Authorisation or undertaking as required by the charter.
Commitment
Light commitment, shared platform
There is no mandatory contribution, no interference in members' internal affairs and no replacement of existing collaborations. Members advance the CERN partnership through voluntary participation and consensus.
- Not a legal entity or commercial venture
- The MoU is a non-binding framework
- No mandatory contribution; members fund their own work
- Withdrawal under the charter, with ongoing projects protected
FAQ
Questions before joining
Is there a membership fee?
There is no mandatory fee or contribution. Members fund their own staff and research; any joint project investment is agreed separately.
What are the obligations of membership?
Observe the charter and governance decisions, nominate representatives, take part in the consortium's work, uphold its reputation and contribute to agreed projects.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the materials and the governance calendar. The Secretariat will confirm the expected timeline once a complete application is received.
How many representatives can an institution have?
Under the charter, members may nominate representatives for each experiment and domain (ATLAS, CMS, ALICE, LHCb, accelerator, computing). Seats follow the charter.
Join CCICC
Shape the next frontier of particle physics with us
Chinese universities and research institutes engaged with CERN are invited to join the consortium and share its platform and mission.