About COST COST: European Cooperation in Science and Technology This a test note Dr. Mafalda Quintas Science Officer 11.04.2013

COST: European Cooperation in Science and Technology An inter-governmental framework, founded in 1971, allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level through the support of cooperation and mobility of researchers. NOTES: COST is an inter-governmental framework, founded in 1971, for cooperation in the field of science and technology, allowing the coordination of nationally funded research at the European level, through the support of mobility and cooperation between EU researchers

What is COST Mission? COST enables break-through scientific developments leading to new concepts and products and thereby contributes to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities. COST is a unique means for European researchers to jointly develop their own ideas and new initiatives across all scientific disciplines through trans-European networking of nationally funded research activities. 3

What are COST Principles? Highest S&T Quality S&T-driven (bottom-up) Transdisciplinarity Young researchers Sharing knowledge Inclusive Leverage of national resources 40 years Bottom-Up All Disciplines High Quality Networking of Excellence Young Enabling Early Career Researchers Experienced Networking scientists across all generations Inclusive Intergovernmental – Pan-European – All Participants (Public, NGOs, Private RTO, Industry, SMEs etc) A la Carte Open Global Cooperation – Near Neighbours 4

What are COST features? Intergovernmental Pan-European Open to global cooperation on the basis of mutual interest Light-weight administration Easy implementation

COST Strenghts networking of researchers (its Actions), which are open to: all fields of S&T (including interdisciplinary, new and emergent fields) any novel and original idea (innovative) all partners (public and private, big and small) all career stages (young and senior investigators) all countries (small and big, leader and follower countries), and to non-COST countries (fostering international cooperation)

COST in Figures Established in 1971 19 founding COST countries  now 35 + 1 Cooperating State 4 reciprocal agreements with Non-COST countries 250 MEUR of FP7 (0.4% of Total Budget)

COST Countries Republic of Serbia The 27 EU Member States EU Acceding & Candidate Countries  Croatia  Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia  Iceland  Turkey Other Countries  Bosnia and Herzegovina Republic of Serbia  Norway  Switzerland COST Cooperating States  Israel

Near Neighbour countries participation Ukraine (28) Russia (52) Algeria (3) Tunisia (7) Georgia (3) Egypt (7) Morocco (9) Moldova (3) Armenia (4) Lebanon (4) Belarus (7) Montenegro (7) Albania (13) 152 Participations in running Actions (15 countries) – September 2012 Azerbaijan (3) COST Countries NN countries Jordan (2) 12

Reciprocal Agreements (RA) Participation in Actions 215 Participations in running Actions (4 countries) - September 2012 COST countries RA countries Australia (92) South Africa (39) Argentina (28) New Zealand (56)

Non-COST Countries Participation in COST Actions excluding Reciprocal Agreements and Near Neighbour Countries COST Countries Japan (16) Canada (39) USA (99) Rep of Korea (3) India (10) Hong Kong (2) Brazil (13) Colombia (2) China (24) Mexico (6) Pakistan (3) Singapore (2) UAE (1) Indonesia (1) Taiwan (1) Sudan (1) Thailand (1) Peru (1) only one Action Mauritius (1) Namibia (1) Chile (1) Uruguay (1) 229 Participations in running Actions (22 countries) - September 2012

COST Governance Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) Ministerial Conferences COST Secretariat at the Council Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) Domain Committees (DC) COST Office COST National Coordinators DC Rapporteur Different Countries have different ministries represented at the ministerial conferences: science, education, innovation, economy, … Ministerial conferences: last May 2010 meet whenever needed review COST COST Secretariat of the council will stop at end 2013. Management Committee (MC) Working Groups (WG) Action

COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) Responsible for the overall strategy of COST Approves all COST Actions, and (rarely) their prolongation Approves participation from institutions in non-COST countries President: Dr Ángeles Rodríguez-Peña Dr Rodríguez-Peña has been President of the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) since June 2010 and Special Advisor to the Technical Cabinet of the Secretary General of Innovation at the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation since January 2011.

Domain Committee (DC) Evaluates proposals for new COST Actions Monitors running COST Actions through Rapporteurs Assesses completed COST Actions through Final Evaluation Panels Proposes strategic initiatives in its Domain Disseminates and highlights COST activities Promotes synergies between and among all COST Domains, the European Commission (EC) and other relevant stakeholders

Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies COST Scientific Domains BMBS Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences CMST Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies ESSEM Earth System Science & Environmental Management FA Food and Agriculture FPS Forests, their Products and Services ICT Information & Communication Technologies ISCH Individuals, Societies, Cultures & Health MPNS Materials, Physical & Nanosciences TUD Transport & Urban Development NOTES: COST is organised according to 9 Scientific & Technical Domains, as listed here, In addition, as part of the Open Call process, the proposers have the possibility of submitting their proposal as TDP, that is across 2 or more Domains, and be evaluated accordingly, by a multi-disciplinary panel Point out acronyms: BMBS - Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences • CMST - Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies • ESSEM - Earth System Science and Environmental Management • FA - Food and Agriculture • FPS - Forests, their Products and Services • ISCH - Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health • ICT - Information and Communication Technologies • MPNS - Materials, Physical and Nanosciences • TUD - Transport and Urban Development

COST Funding Funded through the FP7 ‘Cooperation’ programme European Commission FP7 ESF COST Office Funded through the FP7 ‘Cooperation’ programme The European Science Foundation (ESF) is COST’s implementing agent Operated by the COST Office (Brussels) NOTES: FP6: SSA = Specific Support Action FP7: The funding is in the range between 210 and 250 Ml Euro for the FP7 period, with a significant budget increase over FP6, while the final amount will depend on the Mid-term evaluation to be carried out in 2010

What is a COST Action? COST Actions are networks integrating nationally funded research, with a minimum of 5 participating COST countries, AND pursuing tangible aims and objectives . They receive a financial contribution based on a 4-year joint work programme for: Scientific/Working Group meetings Workshops and Seminars Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) Training Schools Dissemination

Thorir Assistant Professor Ülle Full Professor John Consultant Lech Post-doc Clémentine Senior Researcher Maria phD Zeynep Industry representative

Nationally/institutionally funded activities Thorir (Assistant Professor) 1 project Hanna (Full Professor) 2 projects John (Consultant) 4 Projects Lech (Post-doc) 1 draft project Clémentine (Senior Researcher) 3 projects Zeynep (Insdustry representative) Several on-going projects Maria (phD) 1 phD thesis

Nationally/institutionally funded activities Thorir (Assistant Professor) 1 project Hanna (Full Professor) 2 projects John (Consultant) 4 Projects Lech (Post-doc) 1 draft project COST Action Clémentine (Senior Researcher) 3 projects Zeynep (Insdustry representative) Several on-going projects Maria (phD) 1 phD thesis

Nationnally/institutionally funded activities Thorir (Assistant Professor) 1 project Hanna (Full Professor) 2 projects John (Consultant) 4 Projects Lech (Post-doc) 1 draft project COST Action Clémentine (Senior Researcher) 3 projects Zeynep (Insdustry representative) Several on-going projects Maria (phD) 1 phD thesis

What can be fubnded under a COST Action?

Management Committee (MC) Responsibility Supervises and coordinates the implementation of the Action MC minuted decisions are the only legal basis for expenditures, and must respect COST rules MC meetings are supported by a template agenda (via Grant Holder and e-COST) Composition A maximum of two representatives from each Party Each party has one vote One (1) non-voting representative from each participating non-COST institution, with a maximum of two (2) representatives per non-COST country

Working Groups (WGs) Responsibility Coordinates pre-funded research Discusses research progress and identifies or makes progress on efforts needed in order to achieve the objectives of the Action Working Group members may be: MC members Other scientists from the accepting parties Up to 4 invited speakers from non-participating countries or experts may be invited to meetings

Coordination and Decision Making Activities Management Committee Meetings Define the Action strategy: Objectives, Milestones, Deliverables and Timeframe Discussing progress Planning of activities Budget allocation Request for non-COST institutions Oversees Gender and Age Balance … Core Group Meetings Prepare MC decisions

COST Co-Funded Science and Technology Activities Working Group Meetings Coordinate the research work Prepare reports to MC Workshops and Conferences To serve the scientific Action objectives and acts as a showcase for the activities of the Action. Short Term Scientific Missions all researchers from participating countries but…preference for young scientists (< PhD + 8 years), PhD students… fostering collaboration, learn a new technique or take measurements using instruments not available in their own institution (excellent mean to produce joint research)

COST Co-Funded Science and Technology Activities Training Schools Provide intensive training on a subject that contributes to the aim of the Action If applicable, offer familiarization with unique equipment or know-how in one of the laboratories of the Action Dissemination (publications, website and outreach activities) COST Activities from other budget lines ESR Conference Grant R-STSMs

Joining an Action COST countries: Non-COST countries: Membership in a new Action is open to all COST countries within 12 months of Action approval After that, MC approval is required Non-COST countries: Applicants should directly contact Chair of the Action If mutual benefit exists, then several approval steps (Action, Domain and COST CSO) taking about 6 months

Monitoring/Evaluation of Actions Monitoring of Actions is carried out via: Annual Monitoring Progress Reports Attendance of Action meetings by the DC Rapporteur assigned to each Action Annual Progress Conference Annual Progress Conference (APC): MC Chairs presents Action progress All MC Chairs are invited NEXT CMST APC: 5-7 June 2013 in Assisi, Italy

Your COST Action COST TD1208 The overall aim of this Action is the establishment of an internationally leading virtual - centre in Europe concerned with the development of theoretical and experimental knowledge and expertise on discharge plasmas-liquid interactions. This Action’s developments will lead to future studies and applications in physics, chemistry, biomedicine and materials engineering. The overall scientific challenge is the development of control strategies for producing plasma- liquid environments that are capable of delivering useful processes and species.

Your COST Action COST TD1208 Secondary Objectives Understand discharge ignition mechanisms in liquid phase Identify and understand fundamental physical phenomena in the plasma – liquid interaction Identify the dominating chemical processes in liquids initiated by plasmas Develop physical- chemical models linked to the topic Control and utilize the strong non- equilibrium chemistry initiated by plasma- liquid interactions Develop strategies for specific interdisciplinary applications of plasma- liquid systems VGI: volunteered geographic information

Your role as a MC Member It is YOU, who has been nominated to be a MC member. YOU are representing your Country in this Action The SUCCESS of this COST Action is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Be OPEN. Be PROACTIVE. HELP. OFFER yourself for activities. BRING IN your expertise (scientific, regional, etc.) Pass forward information, SHARE knowledge. It is your chance To create or enlarge your network To be recognized (in a working relationship) Emphasize, that you are working in this COST Action

www.cost.eu