The aim of the ITP is to encourage large-scale international scientific projects of the highest quality, which cannot easily be accommodated within other time allocation schemes. The observing programmes should concentrate on a single large-scale astronomical investigation. Especially encouraged are proposals that would benefit from the deployment of more than one facility, and which would be unlikely to obtain the necessary observing time through the usual time allocation panels because of the scale of the project or because of the difficulty to co-ordinate several telescopes. However, projects that require the use of a single facility are equally welcome. Proposals should be international in their range of participants.
Scientific excellence is a prime consideration.
Each proposal will be assessed scientifically by two or more independent referees of international standing. The CCI reserves the right not to make an award on one or more telescopes if the quality of the proposals is not adequate to justify their use. The CCI may award time to one or more projects. Once a project is selected, and with the agreement of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, any Spanish institution shall have the right to join the programme if it wishes. Annual brief progress reports will be required by the CCI from successful applicants, until such time as the scientific programme has effectively been completed.