Virtual Mobility (VM)

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Virtual Mobility (VM)

Virtual Mobility (VM) consists of a collaboration in a virtual setting among researchers within the COST Action, to exchange knowledge, learn new techniques, etc.

Examples of activities that can be performed by the VM Grantee are:

  • Virtual mentoring scheme, with special focus on activities and exchanges that can generate capacity building and new skills, particularly for Young Researchers (e.g. managerial skills, methodological skills, communication skills, etc);
  • To support the harmonisation and standardisation of methods and procedures within the Action networking activities, e.g.
    • Setting up a survey amongst all Action members to collect different results and outcomes from experiments done in their respective labs and research groups;
    • Coordinating the discussions to create common protocols to be used by the network afterwards;
    • Preparing questionnaires and response scales to be used by the Action members as part of virtual networking activities.
  • To support the implementation of research coordination-related activities that do not necessarily require in-person presence, e.g.
  • Computational or modelling activities;
  • Data analysis of the Action for a specific report or activity.

The Call for VM applications is open throught the running Grant Period. The second Grant Period runs until 31/10/2024.

Who can apply

The VM Grant Applicant(s) are Action participants, i.e., Management Committee members, Management Committee Observers, Working Group members, ad-hoc contributors to a COST Action, with a primary affiliation to a legal entity located in a COST Full or Cooperating Member country, a COST Near Neighbour country or a European RTD Organisation (for details see Annex I – Level A: Country and Organisations table and https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA21105/).

VM Grant Applicants shall be engaged in an official research programme as a PhD Student or postdoctoral fellow or employed by, or affiliated to, an institution, organisation or legal entity which has within its remit a clear association with performing research.

Criteria for awarding VM Grants

The selection of successful VM Grant Applicants will be based on contributions to the overall objectives of the Action, the approved strategy on the virtual networking for the Action and the implementation of the COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy. In addition, VM applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Coherence of the main objectives of the VM with the Action implementation Strategy;
  • Clarity, concreteness, timeliness and implementability of the Work plan;
  • Coherence of the main outputs of the VM with the MoU objectives and deliverables;
  • Promoting participation of researchers from COST Near Neighbour countries (NNC) and COST Global Networking.

How to apply

Applicants must carefully read the Annotated Rules for COST Actions Annex 2. Application shall be submitted online in e-COST using the dedicated forms available (for details see Grant Awarding User Guide) at least 21 days before the anticipated start of the VM. Applicants must upload their CV in their e-COST profile.

e-COST Profile

The content of the application shall include:

To be filled in e-COST:

  • Title;
  • Start and end date (within the active Grant Period, i.e., no overlap across two consecutive Grant Periods);
  • Budget requested by the Applicant.

To be uploaded to e-COST:

  • Application form (template available on e-COST) describing: Main Objective, description of the work to be carried out by the Applicant (description of the collaborative initiative to be implemented), plan for participation (list of participants in the collaborative initiative with short description of their expertise and contribution), expected outcomes and description of the contribution to the Action MoU objectives;
  • Contribution to the COST Action Strategy: How will the VM contribute to the COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy and plans for stakeholder engagement and promoting participation of researchers from NNC and COST Global Networking;
  • CV of the Applicant with list of publications;
  • Motivation letter.

Upon approval of the application, the Grantee receives a Grant Letter from the Grant Holder stating the approved amount and the conditions for receiving the Grant.

Reporting and claim for payment of the Grant

Once the VM activity has ended, the Grantee submits the required reports and relevant documentation in e-COST within 30 days after the end date of the activity or 15 days after the end of the Grant Period, whichever date comes first, and claims the payment by submitting the report via e-COST.

The required report / documentation for claiming a VM Grant is:

  • Report to the Action MC on the work developed, main outcomes and achieved outputs of the VM (including any specific MoU deliverables, or publications resulting from the VM), and description of future follow-up collaborations;
  • Description of the benefits to the COST Action Strategy (what and how);
  • Description of the virtual collaboration (including constructive reflection on activities undertaken, identified successful practices and lessons learned).

The report shall consider only virtual activities carried out in their entirety within a single Grant Period.

The MC must be informed at the end of the respective activity of the main results of each VM Grant. Also, the Grantee will have the obligation to actively contribute to the activities of the Action WG relevant to those findings.

VM financial support

A VM Grant is a contribution for the overall effort of the Grantee, not necessarily covered by an employer or by a Grant Holder institution. The maximum amount is 1500 EUR per Grant. The Grant does not necessarily cover all expenses related to undertaking the VM activity.

Grants are paid by the Grant Holder Institution after the completion of the activity and approval of all required report / documentation.

The COST Association and the Grant Holder of the Action cannot be considered as being the Grantee’s employer.  Grantees shall make their own arrangements for all provisions related to personal security, health, taxation, social security, and pension matters. The Grantee must also ensure they have the required technical material / equipment and infrastructure to carry out the activities proposed in their application for the Grant.

Acknowledgements

Successful VM Grantees must properly acknowledge their COST financial support, received through the Blastocystis under One Health COST Action CA21105, in their published work (paper, proceeding) as well as on the presentation slides for any work resulting from the VM. To acknowledge COST please follow the available guidelines. To acknowledge the Blastocystis under One Health COST Action, the logo has to be put on each presentation slide / poster.

Please add the following acknowledgement “Part of this work was supported by the COST Action CA21105 Blastocystis under One health”. Send a copy of the article, abstract or other to blastocystis.cost@gmail.com.