Participation to COST Actions is ideal for forming networks and preparing for submissions of RTD proposals for HORIZON 2020 Calls.
How COST works
COST funds pan-European, bottom-up networks of scientists and researchers across all science and technology fields. These networks, called 'COST Actions', promote international coordination of nationally-funded research.
COST does not fund research itself, but provides support for networking activities carried out within COST Actions. COST Actions are bottom-up science and technology networks open to researchers and stakeholders, with a four-year duration and a minimum participation of five COST Countries.
COST Actions are active through a range of networking tools, such as meetings, workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions (STSMs) and dissemination activities. COST Actions are open to researchers from universities, public and private research institutions, as well as to NGOs, industry and SMEs.
COST invites researchers throughout Europe to submit proposals for COST Actions through a continuous Open Call. Following a thorough evaluation and selection process, the decision for funding a proposal is taken by the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) within eight months from the collection date. Successful proposals are approved to become COST Actions. Proposals for COST Actions can be submitted in one of the COST Scientific Domains. Highly interdisciplinary proposals that cover several scientific Domains can be submitted through the COST Trans-Domain (TD) Pilot.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides the formal basis for COST Action. The proposal for a new Action must fulfill certain formal and qualitative criteria, and if the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) approves the MoU, the COST countries wishing to take part in the Action can agree to it. A COST Action is launched when at least five COST Member Countries have agreed the MoU and starts with the first Management Committee (MC) meeting of the Action. A COST Action runs for an average of four years.
Researchers can also apply to join an existing COST Action or become involved in various COST Action activities.
Apart from submitting a proposal, a researcher can also join an existing COST action or become a COST expert.
COST Scientific Domains
- Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences
- Food and Agriculture
- Forests, their Products and Services
- Materials, Physics and Nanosciences
- Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies
- Earth System Science and Environmental Management
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Transport and Urban Development
- Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health
- Trans-Domain Proposals
Current Open Call
Proposals for a COST Action must represent a network of proposers from at least 5 COST countries (COST Member Countries or Cooperating State).
Selected proposals for COST Actions will get a financial support in the range of EUR 130.000 p.a., normally for four years, subject to available budget.
Deadlines
24/3/2015 FIRST COLLECTION DATE IN 2015
SEPTEMBER 2015 SECOND COLLECTION DATE IN 2015
