European Cooperation in Science and Technology

      Logo

      COST is a European intergovernmental framework to foster cooperation in science and technology.[1] COST was founded in 1971.

      Objectives

      COST is one of many European financial instruments to contribute to the build-up of the European Research Area. COST now involves 36 countries (35 Member States and one cooperating state). COST helps co-operation in common research projects that themselves are funded by national means. COST's projects (called "COST Actions") cover basic and pre-competitive research as well as activities of public utility. The support will cover the costs of networking activities such as meetings (e.g. travel, subsistence, local organiser support), conferences, workshops, short-term scientific exchanges, training schools, publications and dissemination activities. COST does not fund the research itself. In essence COST funds researchers' mobility. In this role COST complements European Commission's Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Finance

      The Seventh Framework Programme funded and funds COST during the years 2007-2013 by 250 million euro.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Scientific domains and projects

      COST has around 200 running "COST Actions" in nine scientific domains:

      • Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences
      • Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies
      • Earth System Science and Environmental Management
      • Food and Agriculture
      • Forests, their Products and Services
      • Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health
      • Information and Communication Technologies
      • Materials, Physics and Nanosciences
      • Transport and Urban Development

      In the Trans-Domain Proposals there is opportunity to make proposals across the scientific domains.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Management

      COST is governed by the COST Member States.

      Its highest decision-making body is the "Committee of Senior Officials" (CSO) which consists of two representatives per country, one of them being the COST National Coordinator (CNC). It is responsible for the strategic development of COST and decides, amongst other things, on the proposed new Actions following the Open Call.

      COST Domain Committees are composed of scientists of the European scientific community.

      The European Science Foundation implements the COST Office through a contract with the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The COST Office is based in Brussels, Belgium. It supports the scientific activities and implements CSO decisions.

      ↑Jump back a section

      See also

      ↑Jump back a section

      References

      1. ^ The official COST site
      ↑Jump back a section

      External links

      ↑Jump back a section

      Read in another language

      This page is available in 5 languages

      Last modified on 19 June 2013, at 13:27