OPEN CALL

European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)

2014/C 6/05

Developing stronger links amongst European researchers is crucial to building the European Research Area (ERA). COST brings together researchers and experts in different countries working on any research topic (bottom-up). COST does not fund research itself, but supports networking activities such as meetings, conferences, short-term scientific missions, training schools and dissemination activities. Currently around 300 scientific networks (actions) are supported.

Stimulating new, innovative, interdisciplinary and broad research networks, COST invites action proposals contributing to the scientific, technological, economic, cultural or societal development of Europe. Proposals initiated by early-stage researchers are especially welcome.

COST is organised in nine broad domains (biomedicine and molecular biosciences; chemistry and molecular sciences and technologies; earth system science and environmental management; food and agriculture; forests, their products and services; individuals, societies, cultures and health; information and communication technologies; materials, physics and nanosciences; transport and urban development). The intended coverage of each domain is explained on the COST website (http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions).

Proposers are invited to locate their topic within one domain. However, broad inter-disciplinary proposals not fitting readily into a single domain should be submitted as trans-domain proposals (TDP) and will be evaluated separately.

Proposals should include researchers from a minimum of five COST countries. Financial support for an action of 19 participating countries is in the range of EUR 130 000 p.a., normally for four years, subject to available budget.

Proposals will be evaluated in two stages (except for the TDP — see below). Preliminary proposals (maximum 10 000 characters/3-4 pages), submitted using the on-line template (see http://www.cost.eu/opencall) should provide a brief overview of the proposal and its intended impact. Eligible proposals will be evaluated by the relevant Domain Committees in accordance with the published criteria. Proposers of selected preliminary proposals will be invited to submit a full proposal. Full proposals will be peer reviewed according to the evaluation criteria. The decision will normally be taken within eight months of the collection date and the actions should expect to start within three months thereafter. All details and criteria are available on http://www.cost.eu/download/COST-Action-Proposal-SESA-guidelines.pdf

The collection date for preliminary proposals is Friday 28 March 2014, 17.00 Brussels time. Around 20 % will be invited to submit a full proposal for final selection of approximately 40 new actions, subject to available budget. Full proposals will be invited on 2 June 2014 for submission by 25 July 2014.

Proposals submitted under TDP follow a specific pilot evaluation procedure, requiring submission of one single proposal, and must be registered by 7 March 2014, 17.00 Brussels time. The collection date for TDP is 11 April 2014, 17.00 Brussels time. This proposal will be remotely evaluated in two steps, followed by TDP hearings and supervised by the TDP Panel. A general description of the evaluation procedure can be found at http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/TDP, while the details on proposal submission and evaluation are illustrated in the Open Call Guidelines for TDP Pilot (http://www.cost.eu/download/TDP_guidelines).

Decisions on action approval are expected in November 2014.

Proposers may wish to contact their national COST Coordinator (CNC) for information and guidance (see http://www.cost.eu/cnc)

Proposals must be submitted on-line to the COST Office website.

COST receives financial support for its coordinating activities from the EU RTD framework programme. The COST Office, set up by the European Science Foundation (ESF), acting as the implementing agent for COST, provides and manages the administrative, scientific and technical secretariat for COST, its Domain Committees and its actions.