On 11 March, the COST Association organised an online informative event specifically dedicated to the Near Neighbour Countries’ research communities. With the purpose of informing and raising awareness on the opportunities offered by the COST Programme, this event triggered lots of interest as it brought more than 350 participants to follow the event via the webinar platform as well as through the live web stream on the COST YouTube channel.
The COST Near Neighbour Countries (NNCs) are strong partners for the COST Programme. Their researchers are therefore encouraged to participate in COST Actions by joining a specific Action, participating in one activity, becoming a partner to submit a proposal, but also by acting as a COST expert.
Designed in this perspective and spread along a two-hour online session, the webinar featured presentations on the rationale of the COST Programme and also detailing the participation options for new potential candidates.
Several polls were held as well and helped assessing the level of information participants had on COST activities. While half of the audience was familiar with our Programme, polls’ results also showed that most of the attendees saw the biggest benefits in joining a running COST Action.
Indeed, there are strong advantages in sparking research networking beyond COST countries. Two COST Actions’ participants shared their experiences and attested on the added values of joining the Programme. Dr Igor Kotsiuba from COST Action on Digital Forensics said:
“COST Actions allow us to submit those proposals to Horizon 2020 that we could not have submitted otherwise. I believe that the main objectives of any scientists are to be visible, to be published and to communicate. And COST Actions just fire in all those things. A COST Action enables communication, it enables networking. It breaks down the silos!”
Dr Igor Kotsiuba
Prof. Moez Han from COST Action INDEPTH also said that “This is a nice opportunity to improve networking with European colleagues and from other countries. It facilitates access to knowledge, research infrastructure and technology not available in your country. My PhD student could profit of the Action as well.”
This event follows the footsteps of growing initiatives COST undertakes to contribute to the internationalisation process of the R&I communities.
The participation from the COST Near Neighbour Countries in the COST Programme has been continuously growing in the last couple of years, increasing the individual participation by 60%.
“It is a remarkable outcome, and we are committed to continue” says COST Director Dr Ronald de Bruin.
Event presentations here
Information on global networking and NNCs here
Information on COST Actions here
Information on COST Actions’ participation here