European Cooperation in Science and Technology COST INGA DADESHIDZE COST Science Officer COST INFO DAY, SCIENCE and INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL FEST 2nd October, Tbilsi, Georgia

COST Association Contact Point Action Science Officer / Administrative Officer Action Chair / Vice Chair Horizon 2020 NCP Coordinator in Georgia Ms Natia Gabitashvili Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia Tel: +995 577 097800 +995 599 970051 ngabitashvili@mes.gov.ge Science Officer Dr. Inga Dadeshidze inga.dadeshidze@cost.eu Tel: +32 (0)2 533 38 17 COST Action Contact Point

COST European Cooperation in Science and Technology Introduction to the COST Framework Programme Outline What is COST and how does it work? What are the COST Actions and how to participate in them? How to prepare a successful proposal? How to participate as a COST expert?

What is COST and how does it work?

COST European Cooperation In Science and Technology “The trick to having good ideas is not to sit around in glorious isolation and try to think big thoughts. The trick is to get more parts on the table.” Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation

What is COST? COST (COoperation in Science and Technology) is the longest-running European framework supporting cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars by enabling them to jointly develop their own ideas and new initiatives across all fields in science and technology, including social sciences and humanities.

European framework for cooperation in S&T What is COST? European framework for cooperation in S&T 37 countries and beyond Leverage of R&D funds Open ~300 COST Actions Founded in 1971 Bottom-up

European at heart but with global reach COST enables breakthrough scientific and technological developments leading to new concepts and products. It thereby contributes to strengthening Europe’s research and innovation capacities. Through trans-European networking of nationally funded research activities COST Actions European at heart but with global reach Sharing, spreading, disseminating knowledge Boosting nationally research investments Providing equal opportunities and removing bottlenecks Customer-focused Flexible with light administration “Clear and long standing European added value”

COST Association The implementing structure for COST activities Intergovernmental organisation with 36 COST Members + 1 Cooperating Member on board Established in September 2013 as an international not-for- profit organisation under Belgian law, location in Brussels COST Association organisation is composed of President, Vice-president, Committee of Senior Officials, Executive Board, Director and Administration Dr Ronald de Bruin was appointed Director of the COST Association on 1 June 2016; Prof. Dr Sierd Cloetingh was appointed as President of the COST Association on 22 June 2017; Vice-President: Ms Annette Borchsenius COST organisation features the Ministerial Conferences, the COST National Coordinators and the Scientific Committee

COST Association organisation and relation with other actors Ministerial Conferences (every five years) Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) - General Assembly Scientific Committee (SC) Executive Board COST Association COST Association Administration (incl. SOs, AOs) COST National Coordinators (CNC) Important to mention: 1. COST Association – legal entity in Belgium 2. CSO decision body of the Association, responsible among others for the approval of the Actions to be financed 3. Executive Board – legal representatives; responsible for decisions related to the individual Actions (e.g. participation of non COST countries) 4. SC – will look at the progress reports (what else?) 5. CNC – the Main Proposer should know them already  6. COST Association, where the SO and AO work, among other people 7. Ministerial Conference: get together of high-level people to confirm their support to and appreciation of COST work. COST Actions http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/who

1 2 3 Role of COST in the ERA – 3 Strategic Priorities Promoting and spreading excellence Fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science Boosting careers young researchers 1 2 3

Priority 1. Promoting and spreading excellence Everyone Benefits COST plays an active role in the Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation policies of the European Union, by providing access to international networks for excellent researchers and innovators who may lack sufficient involvement at the European and international level. As concerns about the innovation divide in Europe moves up the agenda in the years to come, COST should play an even more important part of the effort to realise Europe’s potential in research and innovation. The ultimate goal is to increase active participation of less research intensive countries and to disseminate their knowledge in various scientific domains where the more research intensive countries are in deficit. Researchers and scientists perceive COST as a vector to build the right network, whilst saving costs and time to find and connect with the right partners. The bottom-up and open nature of the COST Actions makes the entrance barrier for participants coming from less research intense areas very low. Participation in COST activities is an entry point to the often closed European collaborative research networks.

COST Action TU1306 - CYBERPARKS Priority 2. Fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science COST Action TU1306 - CYBERPARKS Fostering knowledge about the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies and Public Spaces supported by strategies to improve their use and attractiveness Cooperation across disciplines and areas of science, as well as with stakeholders outside the science system is an essential precondition to achieving real breakthroughs in research and innovation. Collaborative, bottom-up research projects will enhance European excellence and bring clear added value by drawing together various kinds of expertise, knowledge and cultures. The open nature of bottom-up research allows researchers the freedom of thought and attracts contributions of various science disciplines, leading to solutions to societal challenges and identifies new emerging topics. Interdisciplinary research often results in discoveries and innovations that, in turn, will help the European Union to realise its ambition to boost jobs, economic growth, investments, and improve the quality of life of its citizens and the environment. COST’s activities are clear examples of putting the theory of interdisciplinary research into action. Within the COST Actions, open networks of excellence are created in all scientific fields, and knowledge is freely shared among all types of specialists using bottom-up principles. COST Actions are characterized by their pluralism and heterogeneous nature, both in participants and in activities. The report on the Science, Research and Innovation Performance of the EU in 2016 clearly indicates that international mobility or researchers is a key source of knowledge circulation, and that it yields positive impacts in terms of scientific quality, innovation and growth. With every new encounter and exchange, there is a new chance for the right mix of perspectives and information to come together and kick off the research and innovation process. This figure shows the number of participants classified by their expertise profile and their participation to each Action. Actions are also classified by science and technology areas. This shows that, for example, not all the experts on natural sciences are in natural sciences’ Actions, but also in engineering, medical sciences and agriculture sciences Actions.

Priority 3. Boosting careers of young researchers Researchers’ career development and complementary funding schemes ERC Advanced Grant ERC Consolidator Grant Post-docs Senior Professor Students Post Graduates Junior Professor/ Junior Researcher Associated Professor Full Professor ERC Starting Grant Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Erasmus+ Bottom-up networking schemes

One networking instrument: the Action COST Features One networking instrument: the Action Open participation (involve all stakeholders, type of institutions, career levels, countries, at any time) Bottom-up approach (researcher driven, any topic/ multiple topics) Flexible (adaptable research and activities) * 300 running Networks of researchers: from min 7 COST countries, responding to an Open Call for proposals, based on a MoU, 4 years duration, implemented via networking activities

COST Features Output oriented (open science, wide sharing of knowledge and results, open access, open innovation) Why Networks? Knowledge sharing leads to… Common understanding of problems at hand Coordinated activities Pooling resources Reduced risks Synthesis and re-combination of spread pieces of knowledge Innovation Synergies (1+1>2) Knowledge sharing leads to.. Participants in, for example, a research project need to share knowledge in order to create a common understanding of problems at hand, and to coordinate activities. This applies to information seeking, interpretation, analyses etc including timing and sequencing of research tasks and reporting. New knowledge (innovations) seem often to arise from synthesis and re-combination of spread pieces of knowledge (disruptive innovation). These are pieces already existing here and there, and which may serve quite new functions when put together in new and innovative ways. There is a common understanding that networking creates synergies, where 1+1 is more than 2.

3 level scientific classification 6 Main Fields of Science: Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities 41 Sub-fields of Science… 719 areas of expertise (research areas) New scientific classification covering the whole spectrum of research topics at the service of multi-disciplinarity and bottom-up approach - Widely implemented at COST (expert, proposal, Action level) - Proposers can specify up to 5 areas of expertise - Evaluators will be selected on the basis on the areas of expertise they entered in their profile - Flexible approach: no permanent bodies (ad-hoc Review Panels per collection as clustering changes for each collection - depending on the proposals)

What are the COST Actions and how to participate in them. http://www

COST Actions – characteristics A network of researchers, engineers and scholars with nationally funded research From at least seven COST member Countries Collaborating in S&T fields of common interest Expandable to new participants 300 running Actions

COST Actions – characteristics Based on a 4 years joint work programme (MoU) Submitted, evaluated and selected through an Open Call for proposals Implemented through a range of networking activities (Meetings, Workshops, Short Term Scientific Missions, Training Schools, etc.) Average annual support of EUR 129 000 Pursuing the fulfilment of the objectives and deliverables described in the Memorandum of Understanding of the Action

37 COST members

COST members’ Action participation in 2016

Excellence and inclusiveness (widening the European research base) Core policies Excellence and inclusiveness (widening the European research base) Strengthening the excellence through cross-border networking of researchers Promoting geographical, age and gender balance throughout its activities and operations Specific objectives International cooperation (mutual benefit, NNC,…) Industrial dimension (dedicated dissemination and exploitation activities) Geographic pillar (support to less research intensive countries, connecting pockets of excellence,…) Career pillar (support to young researchers: leading roles, access to STSM/TS) Gender pillar (Gender balance)

COST Inclusiveness Target Countries

Measures to reinforce the participation of researchers from ITC COST Action proposals must have a minimum ITC amongst represented countries in the proposal Reserve at least 1 of the leadership position in an Action for participants from ITCs Conference grant for PhD students and Early Career Investigators COST Academy (leadership trainings, mentoring scheme targeting young ITC researchers) Pre-financing for ITC participants in STSM

Enhance international cooperation Guiding principle: ascertained mutual benefit New Statutes introduces clear criteria for membership Continued tailored approach to Near Neighbour Countries Enabler for countries associated to Horizon 2020

Participation in a COST Action Based on ascertained Mutual Benefit http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions In the proposal, as secondary proposer By contacting the Action Chair (Fast procedure) Support from COST: participation to meetings, STSM and training school

Near Neighbour Countries Example of Action

Eastern Partnership Countries participation in COST Actions October 2016

International Partner Countries

Key figures 2016 1) >25000 supported researchers 2) 2700 Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) 3) 4500 Trainees in Training Schools

Stepping stone for young researchers 96% STSM participants indicated improved career opportunities as a consequence of their participation Springboard for further funding (ERC Grants and MSCA) Action FA1005 (Improving health properties of food by sharing our knowledge on the digestive process) led to 29 research project with 10 mio in funding Following the COST Impact Assessment dating back to 2014, 22 COST participants had received an ERC grant

Reasons for participation of SME’s: Network and Information driven Participation in COST Actions allow SME’s To find partners for research projects and proposals To stay up-to-date with new research To exploit new technologies To retrieve first-hand information To know the key researchers in a specific field To increase European/international visibility 820 SMEs are currently involved in COST Actions Targeted impact assessment of participation of non-academic partners in COST Actions (2016 Study)

Examples of Industry and SMEs COST Action FA1305: The EU Aquaponics Hub - Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU: In the Management Committee there are 5 MC members that are coming from SMEs COST Action FA1402: Improving Allergy Risk Assessment Strategy for new food proteins (ImpARAS) The Vice Chair of the COST Action is from Unilever

Association Administration COST Action Structure MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (MC) GRANT HOLDER (GH) COST Association Administration WG1 WG4 WG2 WG5 WG3 WG6

Action Management Committee (MC) Decides and coordinates scientific & networking activities Supervises the allocation and use of funds Decides on international cooperation and dissemination strategy Implements COST policies (excellence and inclusiveness) Key roles: Chair, Vice-Chair, Grant Holder, WG leaders, Science Communication Manager,… MC nominees have a role of national representative in the Action Up to 2 members nominated by their respective COST National Coordinator (CNC) + MC observers Key roles: Chair, Vice-Chair, Grant Holder representative, WG leaders, Dissemination leader,… CORE GROUP: Prepare MC decisions Decision making body: decide on the Action structure (key roles, WG), decide on international participation

3 to 6 WG as set in the proposal Action Working Groups 3 to 6 WG as set in the proposal Perform specific research tasks as set in the Memorandum of Understanding Open to participating COST member countries and approved international participations Ad hoc meetings All MC Members involved Any researcher from Participating COST Member Countries can be involved – contact the WG leader/National representative

Meetings (participation and organisation) Supported activities Meetings (participation and organisation) Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) Training Schools Dissemination activities and meeting Reviewing (proposals/Actions) Reimbursement rules: see Vademecum Meeting organisation also included STSM: Exchange visits fostering collaboration, contributing to the scientific objectives of the Actions and allowing participant to learn new techniques, to have access to data/instruments/methods not available in their own institution TS: intensive training on a subject that contributes to the aim of the Action (new or emerging subject) Dissemination meetings - Reimbursement - 30 day rules: claim submitted <30 days after the activity, payment <30 days after submission of claim

Join an Action Search existing Actions in your topic from the COST website Browse the Action’s own website – check their activities Find if your country participates and, if yes, who is/are the national representatives Contact the relevant person

Join an Action – who to contact? As a Management Committee (MC) member Contact: CNC (and MC Chair) As a Working Group (WG) participant Contact: national MC representative or WG leader Short Term Scientific Missions, Training schools, Workshops,… Contact: see Action website

Search an Action/contact

Elected by the Management Committee Grant Holder Elected by the Management Committee Signs the yearly Grant Agreement with the COST Association Receives and administers the Grant according to the Work and Budget plan (3 instalments) Average Grant: EUR 129.000/year May retain up to 15% of the yearly expenses Financial reporting to COST Reimburse the individual participants according to the Vademecum Vademecum - Reimburses (30 day rules)

How to prepare an Action proposal

Open Call for proposals Open to all S&T fields contributing to the scientific, technological, economic, cultural or societal knowledge advancement and development of Europe closing the gap between science, policy makers and society throughout Europe and beyond providing for knowledge share, knowledge creation and application being open and output oriented while aiming at strengthening the S & T basis of the proposed topic(s) responding to COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy

Open Call for proposals New Submission, Evaluation, Selection and Approval (SESA) procedure follows the subsequent phases: Submission: by a Main Proposer on behalf of a network of proposers Evaluation: External Remote Evaluation by Individual External Experts Revision and Quality Check by Ad hoc Review Panels Selection: COST Scientific Committee (SC) Approval: COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO)

Step 1: External Remote Evaluation 3 Independent External Experts COST Expert data base Fields and sub-fields of Science and Technology and, if needed, Key Words Validated by Scientific Committee Remote peer-review evaluation Remote consensus shall be sought between the independent External Experts The consensus shall not be imposed; independent External Experts may maintain their views on the proposal Eventual differences in opinion of the experts resulting in a non-consensual decision will be handled and arbitrated by the Review Panel

Step 1: External Remote Evaluation Proposals are evaluated only on the basis of the evaluation criteria

Step 2: Revision and Quality check By ad hoc Review Panels Review Panels - active researchers, engineers or scholars Appointed by COST National Coordinators Ad hoc Review Panels set by the COST Association Reviewing and validating all the Consensus Reports and marks Resolving the differences in opinions among the Independent External Experts After validation of consensus reports and marks, rank the proposals above the threshold For the proposals above the threshold, identify those that indicate emerging issues or potentially important future developments

Step 3 - Selection by the Scientific Committee 37 high-level experts representing the 36 COST Member Country and 1 Cooperating state Appointed by and reports to CSO Shall select among the ranked list of proposals received from the Review Panels by discriminating among proposals with the same mark range, taking into account the COST mission and policies Balanced COST Action portfolio, by ensuring the coverage of all S&T fields Shall submit the final ranked list of selected proposals to the CSO for approval.

Open Call for proposals anytime submission next collection: 25 April 2018-12:00 noon (CET) 30 to 40 Actions approved in each collection, subject to budget availability one-stage online submission by a Main Proposer (on behalf of a network) 7~8 months evaluation period guidelines and template on cost.eu/opencall

Open Call for proposals – key documents Source: cost.eu/opencall Online submission Guidelines Proposal template

Open Call for proposals - eligibility coordinated by a main proposer in a COST Full or Cooperating Member state represent a network of proposers from at least 7 COST Full/Cooperating Member states (min. ICT) anonymous: no reference to the participants in the network of proposers peaceful purposes respect the word or page limits written in English

Online submission tool (e-COST)* *www.cost.eu/ecost

Open Call for proposals - submission SECTIONS GENERAL FEATURES Online tool Expertise needed for Evaluation TECHNICAL ANNEX PDF upload MAX 15 Pages Figures and Pictures - Copyright REFERENCES (optional) 500 words COST POLICIES & SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 1000 words Excellence and Inclusiveness International Cooperation Industrial Dimension NETWORK of PROPOSERS Minimum 7 researchers from 7 COST Member/Cooperating State (ICT share) Statistical Information used for evaluation

Open Call for proposals - submission SECTIONS SUB-SECTIONS S&T EXCELLENCE Challenge Objectives Progress beyond the State-of-the-art and Innovation Potential Added value of networking IMPACT Expected Impact Measures to Maximise Impact IMPLEMENTATION Description of the Work Plan Management Structures & Procedures Network as a whole

Express your interest: Become a COST Expert New experts can express their interest via the COST Expert online registration form (www.cost.eu/experts) An updated Curriculum Vitae with a list of publications is required to demonstrate competence in specific areas of expertise As a COST expert, you will have opportunity to: Contribute to the evaluation of COST OC proposals; Participate in the assessment of Action results and outcomes; Take a part in the assessment of COST strategic activities. Express your interest: www.cost.eu/experts

Thank you COST – European Cooperation in Science and Technology Avenue Louise 149 1050 Brussels, Belgium opencall@cost.eu www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1699127 www.facebook.com/COST.Programme twitter.com/COSToffice www.cost.eu