On 22 February 2022, 80 researchers based across Slovakia joined the COST Info-Day with a dedicated Slovak information session on how to advance careers by proposing or participating in COST Actions.
Opening the event, the Director of the COST Association, Dr Ronald de Bruin introduced the principles for participating in COST Actions and detailed the different existing options for researchers. As indeed, several entries are
possible to join and benefit from the COST programme: researchers can either participate in an Action, join any of the various training activities or the networking events. Dr de Bruin encouraged the Slovak research community to
submit an Action proposal and to have a close look at the 70 new Actions that will be approved end of May 2022.
Participating into a COST Action has a career boosting effect: for young researchers, 88% indicate that participation has led to advancement; while follow-up proposals from COST Actions have a 37% success rate.
Following the Director’s presentation, several COST representatives provided further insights about the COST Actions features and structure, as well as on the financial rules around the supported activities. It is important to stress that
COST does not fund research, but a variety of networking activities.
Mr Christer Halen presented the COST Open Call for Action proposals and the rules for participation. Explaining how to submit proposals and detailing the evaluation process, he focused on the eligibility criteria, in particular the anonymity
criteria.
Researchers and innovators are highly encouraged to submit proposals.
At COST, all eligible proposals receive an extensive and valuable feedback which can help unsuccessful proposers to improve their proposal.
During the info-day, two experienced COST Actions’ working group leaders also joined to share their journeys and practice to the audience: Dr Ghadir Pourhashem, Working Group Leader from the COST Action “Wider impacts and
scenario evaluation of autonomous and connected transport” ; and Prof. Zdenko Machala, Working Group Leader from the COST Action “Plasma applications for smart and sustainable agriculture”.
“The Action gave me the opportunity to meet researchers in the fields, working in various aspects of the thematic, and to create new contacts.” said Dr Pourhashem.
“Being part of the Action gave me further knowledge that I could use in my research work and preparation of calls under Horizon Europe.”
Dr Ghadir Pourhashem
Prof. Zdenko Machala said that: “A publication from the Action had more than 700 citations!”
Finally, Ms Andrea Dankova, the Slovakian COST National Coordinator, invited Slovakian researchers to verify COST Actions where MC member slots are still available.
View the recording of the online COST Info-Day Slovakia here:
View the presentations here:
Presentation COST
Presentation Dr Ghadir Pourhashem
Presentation Prof. Zdenko Machala
Presentation CNC Slovakia
More information:
On COST Open Call here
On rules for participation here
On COST Actions here