A COST Action is a bottom-up research network with a four-year duration. Its aim is to foster researcher mobility and scientific excellence, to improve collaboration between researchers from different European countries, and to reduce fragmentation of research funding in Europe. The programme also aims to increase the participation of non-COST member countries.
COST Actions are bottom-up networks with a duration of four years
The duration of COST Actions is four years. Participation in a COST Action is voluntary and open to researchers from all sectors. COST provides additional support to ensure the smooth functioning of the networks, including training and outreach to policy-makers. It also supports the development of innovative applications.
COST Actions are open, multidisciplinary networks that connect researchers from across Europe. The purpose is to foster research and innovation and enhance careers. However, COST does not fund the research, only the networking costs. In addition, it covers certain dissemination costs. To apply for a COST Action, researchers must submit a proposal through an Open Call. The COST Documents and Guidelines page provides an overview of the rules for COST Actions.
The COST organisation focuses on three strategic priorities: promoting excellence, fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science, and retaining young researchers. The network has over 240 COST Actions active at any time of the year, a 400% increase from the 1980s. Actions are fund for four years, and they are made up of many researchers from different sectors.
To celebrate COST’s 50th anniversary, researchers in various fields are encouraged to participate in virtual meetings using Zoom. These meetings are open to researchers from all countries and are free. Participants are encourage to participate in these meetings and spread the word. The next COST Action Meeting is plan for October 29-30, 2020.
COST Actions are manage by a committee of CSO Members. They convene the CSO Ministerial Conference every five years. The main decision-making body, the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO), is responsible for reviewing proposed new Actions. The CSO comprises two representatives from each COST Member State. One of them is usually the COST National Coordinator.
They promote researcher mobility and scientific excellence
COST Actions are bottom-up science and technology networks that enable researchers in different European countries to cooperate on a common idea. Each COST Action runs for four years and funds a range of activities. Participants can be researchers from any country, from universities to SMEs. COST Actions are also open to researchers in all stages of their career.
The challenge of bringing people together is especially significant for early-stage researchers, such as post-docs and early career researchers without permanent positions. In addition, many of them are building families and may find it difficult to attend international meetings. Childcare is often difficult to find, and many early-career researchers have very limited incomes. Moreover, they must pay for their own travel and accommodation.
The management of COST Actions is govern by a Management Committee (MC). The MC consists of up to two members from each member country. The MC must elect a regular proposer and at least one secondary proposer, with the nomination of two other countries or stakeholders.
The COST Actions promote researcher mobility beyond Europe by supporting the creation of networks and partnerships between researchers. Through these networks, researchers from different countries can work in European research centers. The benefits of this mobility include the creation of strategic partnerships between research-focused organisations and leading institutions worldwide. These partnerships, in turn, foster the exchange of knowledge and information.
In order to create a better European Research Area, Europe needs to promote the interchange of scientists across borders. However, this needs to be coordinate with migration policies to promote a skilled population. A balanced skills distribution will ensure the competitiveness of the entire region. In order to achieve this, the European Commission must coordinate its science and migration policies.
They reduce fragmentation of European investment for research
COST Actions promote international cooperation in the European Research Area and complement the activities of EU Framework Programmes. They foster researcher mobility and scientific excellence across virtually all fields of research. Participation in COST Actions has multiple benefits for Greek researchers: it fosters outward orientation, provides access to important infrastructure and data, and paves the way for cooperation in other EU-funded programmes.
The scientific objectives of COST Actions are defined by Working Groups (WGs). Each WG is composed of members nominated by member countries. COST Actions are usually funded at an average of 100 k Euros per year. COST funding cannot be use for specific research activities. The funding is provided for networking and collaboration within Actions, as well as short-term exchange visits, training schools, publications, and the creation of new cooperations.
The COST Actions are manage by a Management Committee (MC). Each Action has a Management Committee (MC). The MC is made up of national experts who participate in the Action and are nominat by their COST National Coordinator. The MC’s main task is to decide the Action’s activities and coordinate them.
As Europe continues to digitize its economies, it is imperative that EU member states continue to support European innovators and create a vibrant digital ecosystem. It is also critical to protect intellectual property rights, a crucial factor in innovation. Furthermore, European leaders should be vigilant of China’s AI strategy and impose more scrutiny on partnerships with Chinese technology firms.
The EU should also reinforce and implement its innovation policy to maintain excellence in key enabling technologies and dual-use technologies. It should also develop a pan-European approach to critical technology infrastructure across the continent. This approach will help sustain efforts to diffuse and scale up technologies.
While large firms provide many benefits, European SMEs are more sustainable. They generate lower external environmental costs than larger firms. Indeed, according to data from Trucost, a data analysis company, SMEs are more environmentally sustainable than large firms, especially in high-impact sectors. In addition, CMU supports the activities of SMEs and other greener companies.
They promote inclusion of non-COST member countries
The COST Actions programme provides a common space for international collaboration in research, science and innovation, while also supporting the coordination of national research funds. COST Actions cover a wide range of scientific disciplines and networking activities, and are based on a bottom-up approach, with a focus on excellence, inclusion and interdisciplinarity.
COST Actions promote the participation of researchers from non-COST member countries, especially emerging ones. They provide funding for research networks, increase the impact of research, and strengthen the capacities of national research systems. These activities, which are support by the European Commission, promote international cooperation.
Among the benefits of participating in COST Actions is the chance to network, exchange views and present results. COST Actions are open to researchers from all sectors. They are particularly focus on the inclusion of researchers from countries with low research outputs, such as Cyprus.
To find COST Actions promoting inclusion of non-COST member countries, visit the COST Actions website. There you can browse all the Actions or use the search engine to find the one that interests you. If you’re interested in participating, contact the Action’s management committee or working groups for details. COST Actions are evaluated by external experts who evaluate applications and the results of the funded projects. These experts can register themselves HERE.
Several workshops will be organize as part of the COST Action CA15212 to improve the inclusivity of scientific projects. Some of these workshops will focus on citizen science and gender. The latter aims to highlight the underrepresentation of women in science. Another workshop focuses on inclusiveness in Wikipedia publishing.
