Grant Awarding and Reimbursement Policy of COST Action CA22137

Adopted by the Management Committee on 21 December 2024

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).

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, with or without eligibility for reimbursement.

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 either thematic or 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 to be submitted with the application must include:
  • Application form (template available on e-COST)
  • An up-to-date CV of the applicant as part of their e-COST profile
  • A cover letter identifying the theme addressed by the STSM (if applicable), stating the applicant’s motivation, and providing a breakdown of the costs
  • A one-page CV of the host
  • Confirmation that the host institution is willing to receive the applicant, indicating the conditions provided
  • A short description of the goals and planned activities of the STSM to be used by the Action for communication and dissemination purposes
• 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

A Young Researcher and Innovator (YRI) Conference presentation consists in an oral or poster presentation of the own work within the scope of the Action given by a YRI in a high-level conference fully organised by a third party, i.e. not organised nor co-organised by the COST Action. Awarding of YRI Conference Grants shall adhere to the following policy:

• YRI 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 YRI Conference Grant applications are proposed by the Core Group and 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)
  • An up-to-date CV of the applicant as part of their e-COST profile
  • Copy of the abstract of the accepted oral or poster presentation
  • Acceptance (or invitation) 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, and providing a breakdown of the costs
• 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.

An Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) Conference presentation consists in an oral presentation of the own work within the scope of the Action given by an Action Participant affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country / Near Neighbour Country in a high-level conference 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 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 are proposed by the Core Group and 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)
  • An up-to-date CV of the applicant as part of their e-COST profile
  • Copy of the abstract of the accepted oral presentation
  • Acceptance (or invitation) 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, and providing a breakdown of the costs
• 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 a high-level conference 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 are proposed by the Core Group and 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)
  • An up-to-date CV of the applicant as part of their e-COST profile
  • 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, and providing a breakdown of the costs
• 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

The following policy shall apply to all Action activities implemented via the organisation of events:

• 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. Invitations that have not been answered by this deadline shall be cancelled in accordance with A1-2.3.2 of the COST Annotated Rules. Furthermore, the Core Group is mandated to withdraw the entitlement to reimbursement of an invitee when they have declined the invitation or, having accepted it, have not requested reimbursement, all via the e-COST platform, 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.

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.
• 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 events that allow training in essential, highly-specialised topics, as well as in methodologies developed by the Action, to be provided to researchers and innovators. Invitation of Trainers and Trainees to Training Schools may be made with or without eligibility for reimbursement, and shall adhere to the following policy.

• Trainers shall be selected based on their competences and commitment to work together on the development of open access training materials for the Training School, while balancing gender and career stage, not only globally, but also considering different training roles, such as lectures and practical assignments, where applicable.
• Training Schools shall be announced and publicly advertised as early and widely as possible.
• Invitation of Trainees to Training Schools must follow an Open Call for Trainee Applications issued by the Action. The Call shall be published at least 4 months ahead of the date of the event and remain open for at least 1 month.
• Calls for Trainee Applications shall specify the target audience of the Training School, the relevant submission and decision deadlines, the supporting documents to be provided with the application, and the evaluation and selection procedure. The supporting documents to be submitted with the application must include:
  • A one-page CV of the applicant
  • A cover letter explaining the applicant’s motivation to attend the Training School and how their scientific or professional profile (educational background, work or research experience, current activity, and relevant skills) place them in the target audience specified in the call
• The application selection procedure shall consider, on the one hand, the applicants’ scientific and professional profiles and, on the other hand, geographical diversity, gender balance, empowerment of YRIs and ITC/NNC researchers, and the participation of trainees both from academia and industry.