STSM
Short Term Scientific Missions
STSM & ITC or Dissemination Conference occurring within 01.08.2023 to 30.09.2023
Second call for Grant Applications 20th June 2023 – 20th July 2023
- STSM consists of a visit to a host organization located in a different country than the country of affiliation by a researcher/innovator for specific work to be carried out and for a determined period.
- ITC Conference consists in a presentation of the own work at a high-level conference fully organized by a third party (i.e., not organized nor co-organized by the COST Action) by a Young Researcher affiliated to an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbour Country (NNC).
- Dissemination Conference consists in an oral presentation by an Action Participant of the work of the Action at a high-level conference fully organized by a third party.
The process for all grant types is similar and activities must be fully implemented by the end of September 2023.
Specific information concerning STSM
The STSM can have a duration between 5 days and 90 days. Any action member can apply for an STSM; however Young Researchers and Innovators will be prioritized. The STSM can take place in any host institution within the COST countries, including NNC or ITC countries (see the list here) if the institution within that country is approved.
The financial support is a contribution to the overall expenses incurred during the STSM and may not necessarily cover all the associated costs. Participants are required to provide a report on the STSM to the Action after completing the mission.
The following funding conditions apply and must be respected:
- Travel expenses cannot exceed EUR 500.
- For accommodation and meal expenses, a maximum amount of EUR 160 per day can be considered.
- A grantee can be afforded up to EUR 4000, with the above limits in mind.
- STSM activities must occur in their entirety within the dates specified in this call, i.e., from 01.08.2023 to 30.09.2023.
- Financial support is limited to cover travel and subsistence expenses and is paid as a grant. No receipts are needed.
- The STSM scientific report, a non-technical summary of the visit for dissemination, and an approval letter from the STSM host of the report and mission accomplishment serve as justifications. The grant money is transferred to a grantee only after these three documents are received by the RenewPV Management Committee.
How to apply for RenewPV STSM
Interested researchers are advised to follow the directions provided below and submit their application and supporting documents via https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants by 20.07.2023.
The application process is as follows:
- All applicants must carefully read the funding rules detailed in Annex 2 of the Annotated Rules for COST Actions(p. 96-102).
- All applicants must register for an e-COST profile at https://e-services.cost.eu/user/login.
- Prior to the online application, all the applicants must obtain an invitation letter from the host institution confirming that they can undertake the STSM on the given dates.
- All applicants must submit their STSM application form and the relevant supporting documents via https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants before the call deadline. Guidelines for online applications are available here.
The list of supporting documents to be submitted for the evaluation are:
- Application form (template available on e-COST) describing: Goals, description of the work to be carried out by the applicant, expected outcomes and description of the contribution to the RenewPV MoU objectives.
- Confirmation agreement from the host confirming the institution is prepared to receive the applicant for the agreed period, i.e., the invitation letter.
- Other documents required by the Action (e.g., recommendation letter, flight tickets and their payment confirmation)
The application will then be evaluated, and the applicant will be informed within 10 working days by the Grant Awarding Coordinator, Dr. N. Maticiuc and the RenewPV core group.
Within 14 days from the end date of the STSM, the grantee must submit a scientific report on the e-COST platform as well as send a non-technical summary of the visit for dissemination on the RenewPV media platforms. The summary can be written or audio-visual. The applicant is also responsible for acquiring an official letter / email from a senior researcher affiliated to the host institution formally accepting the scientific report. Failure to submit the report within 14 days from the end date of the STSM will cancel the grant. Once the report is approved by the RenewPV Management Committee, the grant can be paid.
After completing the STSM, grantees will be asked to present the outcome of their STSM at the nearest RenewPV working group meeting or workshop.
Submission for ITC Conference and Dissemination Conference follows the same procedure. Please check the same rules and guidelines and submit your application on https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants.
Please note that COST can request additional information to substantiate the information contained within the documents submitted by Grant applicants.
Deadline for STSM applications: 20.07.2023
Notification of application outcome: no later than 30.07.2023
Period of STSM implementation: 01.08.2023 – 30.09.2023
For additional support and help, please contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator at natalia.maticiuc.work@gmail.com (with “CA21148” text in the subject line).
