Grant Awarding and Reimbursement Policy of COST Action CA22137

This document is based upon work from COST Action Randomised Optimisation Algorithms Research Network (ROAR-NET), CA22137, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.

1. Summary

Grant awarding is meant to support networking activities organised by COST Actions (see Annotated Rules for COST Actions, Annex 2). This document provides the grant awarding policy of COST Action CA22137 - Randomised Optimisation Algorithms Research Network (ROAR-NET), covering the mobility of researchers and innovators as well as presentations at conferences organised by third parties. In addition, it contains the policy on participation in Action events.

2. Mobility of Researchers and Innovators

A Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) consists in a visit to a host organisation located in a different country than the country of affiliation by a researcher or innovator for specific work to be carried out and for a determined period of time. Awarding of STSM Grants shall adhere to the following policy:

• STSM applications must be submitted in response to a Call issued by the Action.
• Calls for STSMs shall be of two kinds: thematic and non-thematic.
• STSM Calls are proposed by the Core Group and shall specify the relevant themes (if applicable), the call type (single or rolling), the relevant submission and decision deadlines, the supporting documents to be provided with the application, and the selection procedure. The supporting documents must include:
  • Application form (template available on e-COST)
  • A cover letter identifying the call to which the application is submitted, stating the applicant’s motivation, detailing the contribution of the proposed work to the Action’s goals, providing a breakdown of the costs, and declaring that the applicant will not be involved in any other COST-funded activities for the duration of the grant
  • The work plan and expected outcomes
  • One-page CVs of both the host and the applicant
  • Confirmation that the host institution is willing to receive the applicant, indicating the conditions provided.
• The application selection procedure shall consider, on the one hand, the merit of applications and the contribution to the specific goals of the Action, and, on the other hand, geographical diversity, gender balance, empowerment of YRIs and ITC/NNC researchers, and collaboration between academia and industry.
• If there is no suitable application, no grant is awarded. In such a case, the call may be extended or a new call issued.

Virtual Mobility (VM) consists of a collaboration in a virtual setting among researchers or innovators within the COST Action, to exchange knowledge, learn new techniques, etc.

• No policy for the awarding of Virtual Mobility Grants is specified at this time.

3. Presentations at Conferences Organised by Third Parties

An ITC Conference presentation consists in a presentation of the own work given by a Young Researcher or Innovator affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country / Near Neighbour Country for their participation in high-level conferences fully organised by a third party, i.e. not organised nor co-organised by the COST Action. Awarding of ITC Conference Grants shall adhere to the following policy:

• ITC Conference Grant applications must be submitted in response to a Call issued by the Action.
• Applications shall be for a sufficiently high-profile conference, with an oral or poster presentation accepted, relevant to the Action.
• Targeted conferences are identified in the Science Communication Plan, but additional conferences, including application-oriented conferences, will also be considered.
• Calls for ITC Conference Grant applications shall specify the call type (single or rolling), the relevant submission and decision deadlines, the supporting documents to be provided with the application, and the selection procedure. The supporting documents to be submitted with the application must include:
  • Application form (template available on e-COST)
  • Copy of the abstract of the accepted oral or poster presentation
  • Acceptance letter from the conference organisers
  • A cover letter explaining the relevance of the conference and the contribution of the work to be presented to the goals of the Action, providing a breakdown of the costs, and declaring that the applicant will not be involved in any other COST-funded activities for the duration of the grant
• The application selection procedure shall consider, on the one hand, the contribution of the work to be presented to the goals of the Action, and, on the other hand, geographical diversity and gender balance.
• If there is no suitable application, no grant is awarded.

A Dissemination Conference presentation consists in an oral presentation by an Action Participant of the work of the Action in high-level conferences fully organised by a third party, i.e. not organised nor co-organised by the COST Action. Awarding of Dissemination Conference Grants shall adhere to the following policy:

• Dissemination Conference Grant applications must be submitted in response to a Call issued by the Action.
• Applications shall be for a sufficiently high-profile conference, with an oral presentation accepted, relevant to the Action.
• Targeted conferences are identified in the Science Communication Plan, but additional conferences, including application-oriented conferences, and industry and networking events, will also be considered.
• Calls for Dissemination Conference Grant applications shall specify the call type (single or rolling), the relevant submission and decision deadlines, the supporting documents to be provided with the application, and the selection procedure. The supporting documents to be submitted with the application must include:
  • Application form (template available on e-COST)
  • Copy of the abstract of the accepted oral presentation focused on promoting the scientific achievements and activities being performed by the COST Action
  • Acceptance (or invitation) letter from the conference organisers
  • A cover letter explaining the alignment with the Science Communication Plan adopted by the Action and the expected impact to the Action, providing a breakdown of the costs, and declaring that the applicant will not be involved in any other COST-funded activities for the duration of the grant
• The application selection procedure shall consider, on the one hand, the contribution of the work to be presented to the goals of the Action, and, on the other hand, geographical diversity and gender balance.
• If there is no suitable application, no grant is awarded.

4. Participation in Action Events

Meetings are Action events for research coordination, the provision of tangible outputs, the generation of new ideas and the stimulation of creative discussions. Invitation of Action participants to meetings may be made with or without eligibility for reimbursement, and shall adhere to the following policy:

• All MC members (or their nominated substitutes), Core Group members and Core Group substitutes (i.e. WG Vice-Leaders and any Vice-Coordinator(s)), shall be invited to MC meetings and any co-located meetings with eligibility for reimbursement (if applicable), but not necessarily to stand-alone WG meetings or other meetings.
• All Core Group members and substitutes shall be invited to Core Group meetings. Where applicable, if eligibility for reimbursement cannot be offered to all due to budget constraints, it shall be offered to either the Leader or the corresponding Vice-Leader for all Working Groups, and likewise for other leadership roles with designated substitutes.
• Upon receipt of the official e-COST invitation to an Action activity the recipient shall respond within two weeks, either accepting or declining their participation. The Core Group is mandated to withdraw the entitlement for reimbursement of an invitee when they have not accepted the invitation or, having accepted it, have not requested reimbursement via the e-COST platform within this deadline, even when they later participate in the respective activity. This applies also to invitees who are Management Committee Members or their substitutes. The invitee shall be duly informed about the withdrawal.
• Invitations to all meetings shall promote gender balance and foster the participation of YRIs and members from ITCs and NNCs while considering both the actual WG membership demographics and COST’s indicatory target participation levels.
• At least one Action participant from each COST full or cooperating member or near-neighbour country represented in the relevant Working Groups should be invited to Working Group meetings with eligibility for reimbursement (if applicable).
• In order to involve as many Action participants as possible, meeting invitations should rotate among members from the same country during the lifetime of the Action while considering their observed level of engagement in prior activities.
• When a meeting is announced, a Call for Expressions of Interest in participating without eligibility for reimbursement should be made, and such invitations should be issued on a first-come first-served basis given applicable capacity constraints.

Training schools are Action meetings that allow training in highly specialised topics that are essential for the Action to be provided to researchers and innovators.

• No policy for the selection and reimbursement of trainers and trainees is defined at this time.