Objectives of STSM
Short-term scientific missions (STSM) are exchange visits between researchers involved in a COST Action, allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST country, to learn new techniques or gain access to specific instruments or methods not available in their own institutions.
Important dates
Call launched: 16 September 2019
Application deadline: 8 October 2019
Decision by the evaluation committee: 15 October 2019
Timeframe for realisation of STSM: between 1st November 2019 and 31st March 2020
This call is open to all participants, but priority will be given to Early Career Researchers (ECI, less than 8 years of experience from obtaining PhD). WGs, regional and gender balance policy will be also applied.
Scientific Topics
The work plan of the STSM applications must fit within the scope of one of the Working Groups of the Action (see MoU):
- WG1 – Technical platforms
- WG2 – Impact assessment
- WG3 – Policies and regulations
- WG4 – Perceptions and opinions
- WG5 – Integration and communication
Duration
The STSMs must take place between 1st November 2019 and end no later than 31st March 2020. STSM must respect the following criteria:
- They must have a minimum duration of 5 days.
- For this call, they can have a maximum duration of 150 days.
Financial Support
The STSM grant is used to cover costs of travel and subsistence. The financial support should be viewed as a contribution to the costs of the mission and may not cover all costs. The calculation of the financial contribution for each STSM must respect the following criteria:
- Up to a maximum of EUR 3000 in total can be afforded to each successful STSM applicant;
- Up to a maximum of EUR 160 per day can be afforded for accommodation and meal expenses.
The Action Chair, Vice Chair and STSM Coordinator can approve differentiated country rates to cover accommodation and meal expenses based on the perceived cost of living in the host country.
Applicant and Host Institution
The home and the host institution can be public or private. A STSM may only be approved:
- From a home institution in a COST participating country to a host institution in a COST participating country or to a formally approved host institution in a non-COST country
- From a formally approved home institution in a Near Neighbour country to a host institution in a COST participating country
- The Applicant is responsible for obtaining the agreement of the host institution, before submitting his/her application.
How to apply
The applicant should complete:
- A fully completed COST STSM application form (use the online registration / submission tool: www.cost.eu/stsm
- A motivation letter
- Applicant CV
- A written agreement of the host institution
- A letter of support from the home institution
- A budget (amount for travel and subsistence)
Such documents send to the official site of the action and spread to:
- The future Host of the STSM
- The Chair of the COST Action, Dr Dennis Eriksson dennis.eriksson@slu.se
- The Vice Chair, Dr Sebastian Carpentier sebastien.carpentier@biw.kuleuven.be
- The Grant Holder of the COST Action
- The STSM coordinator, Dr Vladislava Galovic vladislava.galovic@gmail.com
After the STSM
The grantee is required to submit a scientific report to the host institution, Action Chair, Vice Chair, Grant Holder and STSM coordinator for approval within 30 days after the end date of the STSM. The report should contain:
- A scientific report
- An official letter/confirmation by the host institution of the successful execution of the STSM
The Action Chair and STSM coordinator are responsible for approving the scientific report. The failure to submit the scientific report within 30 days will effectively cancel the grant. Once approved, payment of the STSM grant will be made by bank-to-bank transfer to the grantee.
For more information and enquiries please do not hesitate to contact the STSM coordinator:
Dr Vladislava Galovic, PhD
vladislava.galovic@gmail.com
University of Novi Sad
Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment
Antona Cehova 13, 21000 Novi Sad – Serbia
Tel: +381 21 540 383 // Fax: +381 21 540 385
Mob: +381 69 203 89 11
