I*PROMS comprises a large number of associate partners to augment its research capacity and assist with the dissemination of results and spreading of excellence to the research and user communities beyond the Network. At any stage of the project, it will be possible for new organisations to join I*PROMS as associate partners.

These partners will not receive direct funding from the Network but are fully entitled to join in all the excellence spreading activities of I*PROMS.

There are six categories of I*PROMS associate partners:

• Academic Associates
• Industrial Associates
• Group Associates
• Institutional Associates
• Publishing Associates
• Public Associates

I*PROMS’s academic associates will join I*PROMS’s research projects in cases where they have niche expertise to contribute. They will also play an active regional role in the process of knowledge transfer to industry in their localities. This active engagement of local partners will ensure the widest, most cost-effective and most sustainable dissemination of I*PROMS’s results.

The role of industrial associates will be to provide industrial direction to the Network (through participation in I*PROMS’s Industrial Council) and end-user involvement, particularly for Integrated Projects launched by the Network.