PROGRAMME SUMMARY
COST is a European cooperation measure in the field of scientific and technical research. It does not fund research itself but provides a platform for European scientists to cooperate on a particular project and exchange expertise. These projects are called “Actions”.
COST Actions are:
- Pan-European: Spanning 36 Member States
- Researcher-driven: In terms of proposed topics, objectives and work organisation; researchers choose their own topics; all decision are entrusted to the Action’s Management Committees
- Open and inclusive: Open to all researchers, engineers and scholars, irrespective of gender, field or career stage. Actions can expand, as researchers from new countries can join in during the first three years
- Multi- and interdisciplinary: Building, bridging and expanding multi- and interdisciplinary science and technology research communities
- Future-oriented: Engaging the next generation of young researchers
- Lightweight: They are a light platform to coordinate national research funding through easy networking tools and simple rules.
- On the basis of mutual benefit, researchers, engineers and scholars from Near Neighbour Countries and International Partners Countries may join.
Each COST Action is a Network centred around nationally-funded research projects in fields that are of interest to at least five COST countries. COST provides the COST Actions with financial support for joint activities, such as conferences, short-term scientific exchanges and publications. Each COST Actions has an objective, defined goals and clear deliverables.
COST Actions have located their topic into one of COST’s scientific Domains.
70 new COST Actions approved June 2022
Click here to download a list of the newly approved Actions.
FUNDING SPECIFICS
COST financing is restricted to coordination expenses (meetings between teams, publication expenses, short travel assignments of young researchers, etc.); the cost of the research itself is borne by each country under national programmes.
PARTICIPATION INFORMATION
The initiative of launching a COST Action comes from the European researchers themselves. Researchers who wish to launch a new Action submit a proposal to the continuous COST Open Call for Proposals. Projects presented at the initiative of researchers involve between five and 25 countries (15 on average).
If you wish to participate in a COST Action please complete the COST Action form and send it to Dr Helena Burg (FNR) with your CV. You will then be nominated to Management Committees (MC) of the COST Action. Once you are accepted by the action, you will have the full rights to participate in the Action meetings.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
Luxembourg-based researchers from the public and private sector are invited to participate in these Actions. Participating in a COST Action is a particularly effective way for building up an international network.
More general information on COST and its ongoing Actions (external link)