Short-Term Scientific Missions and ITC Conference Grants
EuroProofNet can provide two kinds of grants:
-
Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) – see past STSMs
-
Inclusiveness Target Country Conference Grants (ITCG) – see past ITCGs
Upcoming deadlines
- 24 November 2024: submission deadline for STSM and ITCG proposals between December 2024 and May 2025
Application web sites
Excel sheet to compute your grant estimation
- STSM [template] [website]
- ITCG [template] [website]
What is an ITCG?
ITC Conference Grants are given researchers affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country or Near Neighbour Country to present a work related to EuroProofNet in a high-level conference fully organized by a third party, i.e. not organized nor co-organized by EuroProofNet. Reimbursement rules are the same as for STSMs.
What is an STSM?
A Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) is a research visit of an individual researcher from a country participating in the Action in a different country also participating in the Action. We encourage STSMs as they are an effective way of starting and maintaining collaborations.
The procedure for proposing an STSM is described in Annex 2 of the Annotated Rules.
The main points about STSMs are:
- Proposals should be submitted by the deadlines.
- An STSM must be between two different countries which are participating in the Action.
- The typical duration is one or two weeks. We favor short missions so that more people can get funded.
- A beneficiary of an STSM is reimbursed after his/her mission if the conditions below are satisfied.
- The total cost of the mission cannot exceed EUR 4000 (this is a hard limit).
Eligibility
Check the eligibility rules to know whether you can get an STSM.
Reimbursement rules for STSMs
Beneficiaries of an STSM must pay their travel by themselves. They receive the grant after their STSM if they provide within 2 weeks after the end of their STSM a report following this template, signed by their host and approved by the core group. The amount of the grant is fixed before the STSM, based on an estimation of their travel expenses. Note that, since this is a grant and not a reimbursement, it may not cover all the final expenses. On the other hand, STSM beneficiaries do not have to provide tickets or bills.
Reimbursement rules for ITCGs
Beneficiaries of an ITCG are reimbursed of their travel expenses and registration fees, plus a daily allowance depending on the host country for each day of his/her stay, in the limit of 2000 euros, if after their ITCG they provide within 2 weeks after the end of their ITCG a report following this template, approved by the core group. See reimbursement rules for more details. Note that the amount initially awarded to a beneficiary of an ITCG is only indicative and the final amount will be based on the provided receipts. Candidate can use this Excel sheet to estimate the amount of your grant.
Documents to provide for STSMs
Proposals must be made through the e-COST system (you need to add a bank account on your profile first). The following documents must be uploaded:
- The application template which requires:
- Details of the STSM (title, dates and cost)
- Goals of the STSM (max 200 words)
- Working plan (max 500 words)
- Expected outputs and contribution to the Action MoU objectives and deliverables (max 500 words). Clearly indicate the main WG it contributes to.
- A letter from the host confirming that he or she will receive the applicant at the desired dates.
- A quote for the travel in euros (screen capture).
- A quote for the hotel in euros (screen capture).
Be careful to check flight/train tickets that you can modify or cancel for free or at little cost (possibly by taking some insurance).
Documents to provide for ITCGs
Proposals must be made through the e-COST system (you need to add a bank account on your profile first). The following documents must be uploaded:
- The application template which requires:
- Details of the conference (title and dates)
- Details of the presentation (title, abstract)
- Relevance wrt EuroProofNet objectives (max 500 words)
- Expected impact (max 500 words)
- Acceptance letter/mail from the conference organizers.
- A quote for the travel in euros (screen capture).
- The cost of the conference registration fees.
Be careful to check flight/train tickets that you can modify or cancel for free or at little cost (possibly by taking some insurance).
Selection criteria
The criteria according to which funding will be decided are in order:
- importance with regard to the research coordination objectives
- inclusiveness target countries
- age
- gender
- team with low resources
- balance over the action life time between people, teams, countries and working groups.
Preparing your mission
If your STSM or ITCG proposal is accepted, you are responsible to buy the necessary flight/train tickets and accommodation by yourself, at your own name and address, as soon as possible to get the best price. Be careful to take flight/train tickets and accommodations that you can modify or cancel for free or at little cost (possibly by taking some insurance).
Advance on mission costs
This facility is not available at the moment.
During your mission
In case of an ITCG, keep your tickets and bills for your transports and hotels. They are mandatory to be reimbursed.
Date changes and cancelation
In case you need to change the dates of an accepted STSM, you have to inform the STSM coordinators as soon as possible and provide new dates so that the STSM ends before the end of September.
In case you need to cancel an accepted STSM or ITCG, you need to inform the chair and the STSM coordinators as soon as possible.
Acknowledgements in publications
In publications partly elaborated thanks to the STSM, you have to acknowledge EuroProofNet and COST as follows: “This publication is based upon work from COST Action EuroProofNet, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, www.cost.eu)”.
More questions?
For any question, please contact the two coordinators for STSMs: Simona Prokić (University of Belgrade, Serbia) AND Ambrus Kaposi (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary). Please, contact them both in case one is not available.
If you have questions concerning grants and reimbursements, please contact the Grant Holder.
Attributed grants