International Programs

Australian participation in European cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST) in FY2011-2012
This program is now open

The Australian Academy of Science has opened the call for applications for the project Australian participation in European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST).
In order to deliver the project, the Academy and COST have signed a reciprocal agreement for Australian and European scientists to participate in COST Actions (www.cost.esf.org/about_cost). Under the terms of the agreement and COST guidelines, Australia is regarded as a country with reciprocal arrangements.

Financial Assistance is available for Australian professional researchers who are official members of a COST Action to undertake Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) of COST and/or attend a workshop/meeting of COST.

Non-COST country participation in COST Actions as at June 2010

Missions are aimed at strengthening existing networks by allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST country to foster collaboration, to learn a new technique or to make measurements using instruments and/or methods not available in their own institution/laboratory.
Funding of $135,000 is available to support visits in FY 2011-2012 for Australian researchers to participate in COST Actions. Australian researchers need to be official members of a COST Action to be eligible for funding.

Australian researchers travelling to Europe may receive a grant in aid of up to A$5,000 for a STSM or attendance at a workshop or seminar. The aid covers a return airfare of up to A$2,500 and daily living allowances. Daily living allowances, covering accommodation and meals are provided at the rate of A$200 per day or a maximum of A$2,500 per month, whichever is the smaller amount.

All STSMs must be for five days minimum and three months maximum duration and need to be conducted by 30 June 2012.  Visits to attend a workshop or seminar must be for five days minimum and can include site visits.

Priority areas

Priority areas of interest to Australia in COST Actions fall under the six broad themes of medical and health research; agriculture, biotechnology and food; nanotechnology; information and communications technology; environment and climate change; and social sciences and humanities.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents residing in Australia at the time of application.
• Applicants must be official members of a COST Action at the time of application.
• Researchers who have already received one or more COST Action grants from the Academy will need to explain why they are seeking further funding.

Application procedures to become a member of a COST Action

• To become an official member of a COST Action, Australian researchers need to contact the Chair of the COST Action Management Committee that is relevant to their area of research. www.cost.esf.org/participate/join_action
• The Action Chair and the Australian researchers will need to make a formal request for participation as a non-COST country institution.
  • Complete a non-COST country template, focussing on the mutual benefits and how the COST Action will benefit from the participation.
  • Write a motivation letter (maximum 1 page), on organisation letterhead, to the Chair explaining the expertise/research of the applicant, relevant to the Action and summarising the mutual benefits of the participation.  Include a CV.
• Please note the above documentation needs to be submitted to the Chair for their approval prior to approval by the Management Committee, followed by the Domain Committee and the CSO.  This process can take up to three months.
• Once researchers become official members, Action Chairs are able to invite Australian researchers to participate in STSM.
• Once the above conditions are met, Australian researchers will need to complete the Australian Academy of Science's online summary form and an application form.

Applications will be processed by the Academy in order of receipt. Australian researchers will receive confirmation of the grant approval, on a first-come first–serve basis, approximately within one month, provided funds are available. Researchers are expected to submit a short report of the success of the mission at the end of the process to the COST Action chair, to the Australian Academy of Science and the COST Office.

Reporting forms for COST visits

This project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.