1. Paide, Estonia 28/08/2014 Annual COST Seminar - News from COST Office Dr Luule Mizera COST ISCH Science Officer

2. COST at a turning point COST is a cornerstone of ERA aiming at higher visibility during the H2020 period:  COST Association establishment: a new dedicated implementation structure  New funding period: 2014-2020  Contribution to H2020 goals: strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities 2

3. 2014 year of transition Establishment of a new implementing structure, the COST Association (19 September 2013)  Current membership of the COST Association stands 33 members and one Cooperating State: Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Israel (Cooperating State). Transition from FP7 to Horizon 2020  To prepare for this transition, the COST Office and the current implementing agent for COST, ESF, are collaborating to finalise FP7 activities 3

4. 4 COST Budget from H2020 EUR 300 million (constant prices) for 7 years coming from two H2020 work programmes:  Challenge 6 “Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective Societies”  “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation” For trans-European networking of nationally funded research activities

5. COST objectives under H2020  Joining research efforts and developing common S&T programmes  Capacity building  Addressing societal questions  Strengthening COST’s Inclusiveness Policy 5 Enabling breakthrough scientific developments leading to new concepts and products. Jointly contributing to strengthening Europe’s research and innovation capacities.

6. COST Key Principles  Supporting excellence  Being open  Being inclusive 6 COST Driving Forces  Fostering new ideas  Sharing knowledge  Output orientation COST Key Features for H2020

7. COST Policies under H2020 7

8. Inclusiveness Originated from:  Political context of Horizon 2020.  Geographical context of the COST Member Countries. With the aim to:  Encourage and enable researchers from less research- intensive countries across the COST Member Countries to set up and/or join COST Actions and get more intensively involved in all COST activities.  Counterbalancing research communities’ unequal access to knowledge infrastructures, funding and resources distribution. 8

9. 9 COST Inclusiveness countries

10.  Leadership roles at Action level.  Locating Action meetings, workshops & conferences.  Promoting STSMs tool in these countries.  Benefiting from COST networking tools.  Strategy of the Action in order to attract top-scientist from these countries. 10 IMPLEMENTATION at MC Level: Inclusiveness SOME EXAMPLES: The ACTION should have a plan towards inclusiveness that should be revised an updated at every MC meeting.

11. Early Stage Researchers 11 To address the difficulty in developing independent careers and to establish their first research group under their own responsibility. ESR = ˂ 8 Years PhD* COST Strategy Support ESR COST Strategy Support ESR *PhD or equivalent experience

12.  Set a target figure, from which a percentage of the Action budget shall be used for ESRs-STSMs.  Special STSMs for Early Stage Researchers: up to 6 months with a grant of up to 3.500 EUR.  Specific Support for Training Schools.  An early stage researchers' network may be created within the Action as a “think tank”.  Leadership roles at Action level (WG leaders…). 12 IMPLEMENTATION at MC Level: SOME EXAMPLES: Early Stage Researchers The ACTION should have a plan for the involvement of ESR that should be revised and updated at every MC meeting.

13. Gender balance With the aim to:  Encourage and enable under represented gender to be intensively involved in all COST activities.  Networking the way to gender equality in science and technology. 13 IMPLEMENTATION at MC Level: SOME EXAMPLES:  Leadership roles at Action level (WG leaders…)  Gender balance in allocation of STSMs  Active promotion of STSMs to ESRs of under-represented gender  Gender balance in allocation of Training School Trainee grants  Gender balance in allocation of meeting reimbursement places

14. International Cooperation With the aim to:  to support the involvement of researchers from Near Neighbour and International Partner countries in COST Actions on the basis of mutual benefit. 14 IMPLEMENTATION at Action Level: SOME EXAMPLES:  Approved IPC and NNC institutions can host STSMs  Researcher from Approved NNC institutions can:  Apply for STSM  Attend Training Schools  Researchers from Approved IPC and NNC institutions can be trainers COST 4115/13: COST International Cooperation Rules http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/cost_countries/international_cooperation

15.  Facilitate/ encourage industry/ stakeholder participation – eg programme has a half/ full day focussed just on industry-relevant issues 15 SMEs & Industry

16. COST Association Administration Management Committee (MC) Management Committee (MC) Working Groups (WG) Action Scientific Committee(s) (SCs) COST Organisation under H2020 Ministerial Conference Executive Board Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) COST Association COST National Coordinators

17. Principles of monitoring and reporting for COST Actions:  Assure a lightweight and cost effective procedure.  Support Actions in Objective completion.  Assess progress and identify possible corrective measures. Objectives of the Final Evaluation:  To identify and describe how well the Action has reached its stated objectives.  Identify long last impact of the Action after its completion, including the initiation of any follow-up activities and its impact on R&D activities in the area covered by the Action. COST Prepares for H2020 17

18. Dissemination & Publication Disseminating and transferring knowledge is a key value to COST, and the use of results by policymakers, industry and society is vital. 18 COST Actions are therefore encouraged to use all means to communicate their findings to the European research community and to society at large.

19. Dissemination & Publication 19 COST Action budget and are paid by the Grant Holder. Responsibility of the Management Committee. Publication and dissemination strategy must be reflected in the Work and Budget plan for every Grant Period. Action Publication and Dissemination Activities Final Action Publication One publication per Action. They are ordered and paid directly by the COST Office. Request 6 months before the official end date of the Action. Published and Invoiced at most 12 months from the official end of the Action

20. Thank you! Dr Luule Mizera Luule.Mizera@cost.eu 20

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