Transcript Introduction to FP7

Successes of the COST
programme
30th January 2013
Nadine Castillo
Director, Policy and Strategy Unit
Malta Council for Science and Technology
•
Bringing researchers together to promote transnational coordination of nationally-funded research
•
COST contributes to reducing and opening the
European Research Area to cooperation worldwide
•
Funded through the EU’s Framework programme
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COST Countries
36 COST Countries
The 27 EU Member States
u EFTA Member States
Iceland
Norway
Switzerland
Acceding & Candidate
Countries
Croatia
FYR of Macedonia (FYROM)*
Turkey
Other Countries
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Republic of Serbia *
COST Co-operating States
Israel
* not associated with FP
A bottom-up approach to Research
• COST operates through Actions, grouped under 9 domains
depending on the area of research they cover.
• Each Action lasts for 4 years
• Requires a minimum participation of 5 COST Member
countries.
• Proposals for Actions submitted through a bi-annual open
call for proposals.
• Researchers from different countries, who were not involved
in the original consortium can also apply to join the COST
Action
Importance of COST in Research
1. Capacity
a) COST acts to connect high-quality scientific minds across Europe
and internationally
b) Enables the creation of communities of research in various fields
2. Networking
a) Building consortia that can lead to the submission of transnational
project proposals for the EU’s Framework Programme.
b) Interdisciplinary, facilitating the participation from researchers
outside the academic community, such as SMEs, public entities and
NGOs.
3. Impact
a)
Formulation of publications and dissemination of information increasing
impact on policy-makers and decision-making bodies.
What is funded by COST?
Science management meetings (MC + WG)
§ Scientific workshops
§ Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)
§ Training Schools
§ Dissemination
§
No funds for research as such but researchers get reimbursed for expenses in
conjunction with flights and accommodation to COST meetings
Malta’s Representatives
Dr. Janet Mifsud is the COST National Contact (CNC) and represents
Malta in the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO)
1.
Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences (BMBS) - Prof Giuseppe deGiovanni
2.
Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies (CMST) – Prof Joe Grima
3.
Earth System Science and Environmental Management (ESSEM) – Prof Ray Ellul
4.
Food and Agriculture (FA) - Dr Anna McElhatton
5.
Forests, their Products and Services (FPS) – Larry Shoemake
6.
Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH) - Dr Helen Grech
7.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) – Eng Saviour Zammit
8.
Materials, Physical and Nanosciences (MPNS) – Prof Luciano Mule Stagno
9.
Transport and Urban Development (TUD) - Dr Maria Attard
10.
Transdomain Proposals Standing Assessment Body (TDP-SAB) - Dr Vincent Buhagiar
COST in Malta
Since 2010, Malta’s participation in COST continued to
increase several times fold, compared to other EU
countries, across all the domains
Year
No of new COST
actions Malta
participated in
Number of new
researchers from
Malta taking part in
COST actions
2008
1
1
2009
0
0
2010
6
12
2011
36
42
2012
38
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COST Events in Malta in 2012
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April 2012:
– “Quantum Malta 2012: Fundamental Problems in Quantum Physics” Joint
Conference
• MP 1006 - Fundamental Problems in Quantum Physics and MP0905 - Black Holes
in a Violent Universe
– Fire Engineering Conference and PhD Training School
• TU 0904 International Fire Engineering and Response
•
November 2012:
– Training School in Underwater Site Recording & Conservation
• TD 0902 Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology and Landscapes of the Continental
Shelf (SPLASHCOS)
Four COST Meetings being planned in Malta for 2013
Contact:
Janet Mifsud
Nadine Castillo
http://www.cost.eu/
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