How to apply for a STSM:
Interested Researchers are advised to follow the directions provided below and submit their application and supporting documents to the OPTIMISE Secretariat (optimise@aber.ac.uk).
Application Process
- All applicants must carefully read the funding rules detailed in section 6 of the COST Vademecum: COST Action Part 1 – Short Term Scientific Mission (pages 35-36). This document is available at: http://www.cost.eu/participate/guidelines.
- All applicants must obtain a letter of acceptance from the Host institution confirming that they can undertake the STSM on the given dates prior to submitting an application.
- All applicants must register for an e-COST profile at https://e-services.cost.eu/ – adding their bank account details to their profile.
- All applicants must complete, submit and download their STSM application online at: https://e-services.cost.eu/stsm.
- All applicants must send their submitted STSM application form and the relevant supporting documents to the OPTIMISE Secretariat (optimise@aber.ac.uk) for evaluation before the application submission deadline expires.
The list of supporting documents to be submitted for the evaluation are:
1. Letter of acceptance to the applicant from a senior Researcher affiliated to the Host institution
2. The submitted STSM application form (downloadable when the online application is submitted)
3. A detailed working plan including an explanation on how the proposed STSM can contribute to the scientific objectives of the respective COST Action (max 1000 words);
4. an explanation of the budget request (table);
5. A Full C.V. (including a list of academic publications – if applicable).
- The application will then be assessed by the OPTIMISE training team (Tea Thum, Luis Alonso, Radoslaw Juszczak). The following criteria will be used to assess applications:
Relevance to OPTIMISE’s objectives (Action Memorandum of Understanding)
Clarity and quality of proposed visit and work plan
Applicant’s CV
Anticipated outputs and outcomes
Detailed budget plan
- The applicant will be formally notified of the outcome of their STSM application by the training team within 10 days after the submission deadline.
- Within 30 days from the end date of the STSM, the successful applicant must submit a scientific report to the Host institution and to the OPTIMISE Secretariat (optimise@aber.ac.uk). The applicant is also responsible for acquiring an official acceptance letter / Email confirmation of acceptance from a senior Researcher affiliated to the Host institution formally accepting the scientific report. This formal acceptance of the scientific report has to be sent to the Grant Holder (Dr. Mark Neal) and the training coordinator (Dr. Radoslaw Juszczak) for archiving purposes.
STSMs are mainly intended for early stage scientists.
What can be funded?
The calculation of this contribution for a STSM must be based on the following rules:
- The reimbursement rate per day is EUR 160 maximum;
- Up to EUR 500 may be attributed for the travel expenses;
- A maximum EUR 2 500 in total can be afforded to the grantee.
After a STSM
submit a short scientific report
- To host
- To training coordinator
containing
- Purpose of the STSM;
- Description of the work carried out during the STSM;
- Description of the main results obtained;
- Future collaboration with the host institution (if applicable);
- Foreseen publications/articles resulting from the STSM (if applicable)
Download a template for the report here: Short Term Scientific Mission Report template
Failure to submit the scientific report within 30 days from the end date of the STSM will effectively cancel the grant.
