ADDITIONAL STSM CALL: for exchange visits in Mar 2020 only.
For this call: Proposals from those who have attended a MW-Gaia Workshop or School are especially welcome.
Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) support individual mobility, consolidation of existing networks, and fostering new collaborations. They allow scientists to visit institutions or laboratories in other Participating COST Countries, as well as institutions in approved Near-Neighbour Countries (NNCs), European RTD Organisations (e.g. ESO) or approved International Partner Countries (IPCs).
STSMs need to contribute to the scientific objectives of the COST Action, simultaneously allowing scientists to learn new techniques or gain access to specific instruments or methods not available at their home institutions. All Action participants, particularly Early-Career Investigators (ECIs, less than 8 years from the PhD degree) may apply for STSM funding.
MW-Gaia has allocated a total budget of 15,000 EUR to support STSM's in the Action's first grant period (May 2019 to Apr 2020). The applications can be submitted continuously, although they will only be assessed at fixed collection points. The deadlines will be announced by e-mail and on the Action website. Within each grant period, the STSMs need to be completed by the end of February (or exceptionally by the end of March).
The STSM cannot take place before its formal approval.
Please contact the STSM coordinator Karri Muinonen, if you have questions (see contact us).
STSMs need to take place according to the following rules:
Please check your eligibility in Section 8.1 of the COST Vademecum at http://www.cost.eu/download/COSTVademecum
After verifying your eligibility, apply by following this two stage application procedure:
After the STSM coordinator receives the application, the procedure is as follows:
After the mission is completed, the grantee is required to submit a short scientific report to the host institution and to the STSM coordinator for approval within 30 days after the end date of the mission. For the specific content of the report, please see the COST Vademecum. The failure to submit the report within 30 days will effectively cancel the grant.
Payment of the Grant is subject to a STSM scientific report being approved on behalf of the Action’s MC by the STSM coordinator and by a senior researcher affiliated to the host Institution.
Please note that the reimbursement for the grantees will be carried out after the mission is over and after the final report is submitted by the grantee.
The grantee is requested to provide a brief summary of the report (maximum 300 words) together with the grantee’s photograph to be published on the Action website.
Specific provisions have been introduced to enable researchers from the ITCs participating in the respective COST Action to receive 50% of their STSM Grant when they complete the first day of their STSM (a confirmation by the host institution is needed). The remaining 50% of the Grant is payable once the administrative requirements have been satisfied (see above). The person in charge of the mission at the host institution will need to send a written confirmation to the STSM coordinator to enable the payment of the first 50% of the grant.
See Vademecum, section 8. Requested resources need to be justified in your application (e.g., hotel expenses), see point 7 of the application.
For all the other rules, regulations, and procedures, applicants should refer to the COST Vademecum:
http://www.cost.eu/download/COSTVademecum
Page last pdated: 20200204
The 3rd STSM open call opened on Tuesday 4 February 2020