SHORT-TERM SCIENTIFIC MISSION (STSM)
Short-term scientific missions (STSM) are exchange visits between researchers involved in a COST Action, allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST country. They are aimed at fostering collaboration, scientific production, sharing new techniques and infrastructure that may not be available in other participants’ institutions or laboratories.
Candidates: The STSM applicant can be, in a large sense, any person with an e-COST profile. An STSM applicant must specifically contribute to the research coordination and capacity building objectives of the COST Action for which they are submitting a STSM application. The STSM are intended especially for early career investigators (ECI). ECIs are researchers within a time span of up to 8 years from the date they obtained the PhD/doctorate or a young investigator employed by, or affiliated to, an institution, organisation or legal entity which has within its remit a clear association with performing research. Specific provisions have been made to encourage the application submission by researchers from ITC countries. STSM applicants with an affiliation in an institution in an ITC country can request a prepayment of 50% of grant.
Period and length of the mission: the minimum duration for an STSM is 5 days, maximum duration is 180 days (if you are an ECI), or 90 days (if you are not an ECI). The period considered for the STSM must be spent in the period 1st Oct – 30th March.
Approved Institutions:
Any Institution in the following countries:
- Albania
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Any of the following Approved International Institutions:
- University of Prishtina – Kosovo
- Partners for Health NGO – Georgia
- Monash University – Australia
- University of Sydney – Australia
- University of Adelaide – Australia
- Federal University od Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
- McMaster University – Canada
- Tianjin Mental Health Center – China
- Hyogo College of Medicine – Japan
- University of Tokyo Hospital – Japan
- University of Cape Town – South Africa
- Medical Research Council – South Africa
- Albert Einstein Collage of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center – USA
- Chicargo University – USA
- Stanford University – USA
- Yale University – USA
Grant Amount: up to€2500 (Maximum of €160 per day for sustenance) for non-ECI, or up to €3500 (Maximum of €160 per day for sustenance) fore ECI.
Evaluation procedure and scoring:The evaluation of the candidates will be based on two parameters, the specific proposal (A) and the CV (B). The STSM coordinator will lead the evaluation process and liaise with the External Advisory Board (EAB).
A) Proposal:Motivation and Workplan summary(Maximum 250 words for each of the sections).
- Aim & motivation: Please explain the scientific and/or other motivation for the STSM and what scientific and/or other outcomes you aim to accomplish with the STSM. Please describe how you will share or disseminate the knowledge gained during the STSM. Also include information on how you plan to acknowledge COST action funding for this visit.
- Proposed contribution to the scientific objectives of the Cost Action.
- Techniques: Please provide detail, including on the techniques or equipment you may learn to use, if applicable.
- Planning: Please detail the steps you will take to achieve your proposed aim. This section should include a preliminary time line of your plans (including preparation before, during and also after the STSM).
B) Curriculum Vitae
Please also indicate quartile (ranking / index) if this applies. Specific investigation (including publications and scientific projects) in the scientific area of the COST action (Problematic use of Internet) will be also considered.
Specific dates:
July 1st call for STSM applications open
Aug 30th Call for STSM applications closes
1st Sept Applications sent for approval by EAB
30th Sept Approved candidates contacted.
1st Oct – 30th March All STSM’s must be completed by the 30th of March with the scientific report submitted 30 days after the STSM return.
To Apply for a STSM please send the completed Application form to Dr Giovanni Martinotti: giovanni.martinotti@gmail.com