An ITC Conference involves the presentation of original research by a Young Researcher or Innovator from an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbour Country (NNC) at a high-level conference fully organized by a third party, i.e., not organized or co-organized by the COST Action.

Key Objectives of ITC Conferences:

• To support COST’s Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy.
• To help Young Researchers and Innovators from ITC/NNC institutions build strong networks, increase their visibility in the research community, share their work, and acquire new knowledge.
• To enhance the visibility and impact of the COST Action.

For further details, please refer to the Annotated Rules for COST Actions available at: https://www.cost.eu/uploads/2023/11/COST-094-21-Annotated-Rules-for-COST-Actions-Level-C-V1.4-Final-.pdf.

Who Can Apply?

Young Researchers and Innovators (under the age of 40) who are affiliated with a legal entity in Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) or Near Neighbour Countries (NNC).

Amount of Grants​

The financial support provided is a contribution towards the overall expenses and may not cover all associated costs. It is specifically intended to cover travel and subsistence expenses and is awarded as a grant.

Grants are processed after the ITC Conference has taken place, provided all reporting requirements are met and approved by the Grant Awarding Coordinator.

Please note the following funding conditions:

• All activities must be completed by the deadline specified in this call.
• For the current budget period, the Management Committee of the a-STEP COST Action has allocated a total budget of EUR 1500 for ITC Conferences.
• The exact amount awarded to each applicant will be determined during the evaluation process.

HOW TO APPLY?

Applications must be submitted online through e-COST using the dedicated forms provided. These applications will be accessible to Action leadership and evaluation committees for review.

Applicants are required to upload their CV to their e-COST profile. This information will be visible to leadership and evaluation committees for evaluation purposes.

The following information must be completed in e-COST:

• Title of the presentation
• Conference title, dates (within the active Grant Period, ensuring no overlap across consecutive Grant Periods), and country
• Requested budget
• Type of attendance (face-to-face or virtual)

The following documents must also be uploaded to e-COST:

• Application form (template available on e-COST) detailing:
  • The relevance of the conference topic to the Action
  • Motivation, describing the potential impact on the applicant’s career
• A copy of the abstract of the accepted oral or poster presentation
• Acceptance letter from the conference organizers

Selection criteria for applicants:

1. The alignment between the Action and the scientific scope of the ITC conference application. The proposal should clearly support the overall objectives of the Action (as outlined in the Action’s MoU, available here: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA19104/).
2. The conference should be of a high academic level.
3. Priority will be given to applicants who actively contribute to a Work Group within the COST Action.

When to Apply?

The current call is open until 31st of August 2023. Conferences may take place within the period: 1st November 2023 and 31st August 2024. 

After The Conference 

Upon completion of the ITC Conference, the grantee is required to submit the necessary reports and documentation via e-COST and to the Grant Awarding Coordinator, Dr. Özge Mısırlı within 15 days of the activity’s end date.

To claim the ITC Conference Grant, the following documentation must be submitted:

• A report to the Action Management Committee (MC) detailing the outcomes of the presentation and how it contributed to the grantee’s visibility, including any new contacts made for potential future collaborations.
• Certificate of attendance.
• The conference programme or book of abstracts/proceedings indicating the grantee’s oral or poster presentation.
• A copy of the presentation (oral or poster). It is important that the presentation references the COST Action to increase its visibility.

Please note that failure to submit the required scientific report within 15 days of the ITC Conference’s end date will result in the cancellation of the grant.

Notice of Completion:

The Grand Awarding coordinator will approve the final report and send the completion notice to the Grant Holder. The Grant Holder will then execute the payment of the grant directly to the grantee. 

Contact:

For more general information on conference grants, please contact Grant Awarding Coordinator Özge Mısırlı, ozgeekarakus@gmail.com