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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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)

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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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)

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. What can be fubnded under a COST Action?

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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)

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 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