Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are aimed at strengthening existing networks and fostering collaborations by facilitating Researchers participating in a given COST Action to visit an institution or laboratory in another Participating COST Country / an approved NNC institution or an approved IPC institution. A STSM should specifically contribute to the overall scientific objectives of the COST Action, whilst at the same time enable eligible Researchers to learn new techniques or gain access to specific expertise, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions.
Who is eligible to partake in a STSM?
A STSM applicant must be engaged in a research programme as a PhD Student or postdoctoral fellow or can be employed by, or affiliated to, an Institution or legal entity which has within its remit a clear association with performing scientific research.
Always satisfying the above requirement, whether a Researcher is eligible to receive a STSM grant depends on which country their primary affiliation is held. Once this has been established, eligibility can be determined by adhering to the stipulations in the following 3 categories:
- Researchers holding their primary affiliation at an institution located in a Participating COST Country are eligible to perform a STSM in another Participating COST Country. A list of Participating COST Countries can be found on the respective COST Action Webpage at http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/ES1309?parties.
- For Researchers holding their primary affiliation in a Near Neighbour Country (NNC), the consideration for being eligible to receive a STSM grant is linked to whether their institution has been formally approved onto the Action or not – The eligibility status of Researchers located in NNC is restricted to those affiliated to approved NNC institutions. The complete list of NNC can be found at http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/cost_countries/international_cooperation/nnc.
- For Researchers holding their primary affiliation at a European RTD Organisation, the consideration for being eligible to receive a STSM grant is linked to whether their institution has been formally approved onto the Action or not. The eligibility status of Researchers located in European RTD Organisations is restricted to those affiliated to approved European RTD Organisations. A list of European RTD organisations is detailed in Annex II of the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action (see http://www.cost.eu/participate/guidelines).
STSM – from where to where?
The Home institution is the institution is both where the applicant holds their primary affiliation as registered on their e-COST profile/STSM application/C.V. and where they are currently performing their main strand of research. The Host institution concerns the institution/organisation that will host the successful applicant.
Apply for a Short Term Scientific Mission with the OPTIMISE Action
