1. COST Workshop on Developing Knowledge- Sharing Partnerships in Europe and Central Asia Orsolya Tóth National Innovation Office Gödöllő, 4 December, 2013

2. 2 Introduction  Founded in 1971  First and widest European framework for the transnational coordination of nationally funded research activities

3. 3 Member Countries  35 member states: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and  One cooperating state: Israel  Hungary joined in 1991

4. 4 Mission  Strengthen Europe’s research capacity  Support cooperation between European researchers  Covers both basic and more applied research

5. Key features of COST  Bottom-up approach  Inclusiveness and equality of access  Flexible structure  Commitment to build capacity by connecting scientific communities  Providing networking opportunities for early career researchers  Increasing the impact of research on decision makers

6. Governance and administration  Committee of Senior Officials (CSO)  COST National Coordinators (CNC)  COST Office  Open call for proposals and evaluation  Two collection dates per year  Next deadline: 28 March, 2014

7. How does COST work - What is a COST Action?  Networking instrument;  Expanding over 4 years;  Trust-building and integration;  Knowledge sharing, creation, spreading, application.  Tools: Scientific/W orking Group meetings; Workshops and Seminars; Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs); Training Schools; Dissemination activities. 7

8. Domains  Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences (BMBS)  Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technology (CMST)  Earth System Science & Environmental Management (ESSEM)  Food and Agriculture (FA)  Forests, their Products and Services (FPS)  Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH)  Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)  Materials, Physics and Nanosciences (MPNS)  Transport and Urban Development (TUD)  Trans-Domain Proposals (TDP)

9. Food and Agriculture (FA)  Aspects of research within the domain:  Biological functions of organisms  Human Nutrition and the Food Chain  Agriculture and Food Production as a Human Activity  Agriculture, Food and Environment

10. Recently approved FA Actions  FA1304Swimming of fish and implications for migration and aquaculture (FITFISH)  FA1305The EU Aquaponics Hub: Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU  FA1306The quest for tolerant varieties: Phenotyping at plant and cellular level  FA1307SUstainable Pollination in Europe: joint Research on Bees and other pollinators (SUBERB)  FA1308DairyCare

11. http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/fa/Actions

12. COST Association  Established on 19 September, 2013  it provides the legal entity for the implementation of COST activities under Horizon 2020  the governing bodies and administration are integrated; roles and responsibilities are clearly defined  it provides COST with administrative autonomy in order to preserve COST specificities and qualities  It utilizes COST’s long lasting experience and core activities and its light administration and adaptability 12

13. The COST Association shall:  serve COST mission  function according to principles of good governance  operate according to the principles of efficiency, efficacy as well as assure sound, lean and cost-effective management  be built on the values of integrity, commitment and transparency  secure the management of funds through high quality accountability and financial auditing measures  not entail any additional costs to COST Member Countries compared to the FP7 period. 13

14. Orsolya Tóth National Innovation Office 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 12. T: 484-2526 orsolya.toth@nih.gov.hu www.nih.gov.hu Thank you! www.cost.eu