Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)

STSM Coordinators: Clara Almagro Vidal (Madrid, Spain), Matthias van Rossum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Contact: stsm@worck.eu

There is currently an open call for STSMs carried out between 1 April and 15 October 2023. The deadline for application is 24 March.

Find the call here: WORCK_STSM-Grant_GP4 Call

The WORCK Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are Mobility and Collaboration Grants aimed at supporting individual mobility, strengthening existing networks and fostering collaboration between researchers within the COST Action. A STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific goals of WORCK, whilst at the same time allowing those partaking in the missions to learn new techniques, gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions or organisations.

These Individual Mobility and Collaboration Grants are central to WORCK’s aim of promoting innovative and interdisciplinary research on the history and persistence of coerced labour in relation to violence, expropriation and marginalisation. We particularly welcome applications from early career scholars, both from within and outside the network, that explore and explain how their participation can contribute to the WORCK programme and strengthen the development of both their own work as well as that of the WORCK network.

STSM Mobility and Collaboration Grants

There are two types of STSMs within the COST Action WORCK:

• Mobility Grant: This grant is reserved for PhD students and early career researchers (max. 8 years after PhD) and fosters academic mobility, exchange and mutual learning by contributing to the objectives of the COST Action WORCK and its Working Groups. Priority will be given to scholars without institutional funding and duration will be established in the term of weeks to visit relevant institutions.
• Collaboration Grant: This grant is open to all active WORCK members and is dedicated to the development of collaborative projects, leading e.g. to (preparing) joint publications or other output or deliverables.

There is no difference in the application process between both types of grants.

Who can apply?

STSM applicants must be must be a person affiliated to an institution located in a participating COST Full Member/COST Cooperating Member, an Action MC Observer from NNC, or located in an Approved European RTD Organisation (for an up to date list of countries, see https://www.cost.eu/uploads/2022/11/Annex-I-level-A-Country-and-Organisations-Table-Version-1.4.pdf). Researchers affiliated to institutions from outside the scope of this list (such as International Partners of this action: https://www.worck.eu/people/cooperation/) may host STSM researchers from European COST countries, but may not apply for STSMs themselves.

The institutions/organisations where applicants pursue their main strand of research are considered as home institutions. The host institution is the institution/organisation that will host the successful applicant. . Both Applicant and Host must be members of the Action or join at the time of the application.

• STSMs need to be carried out in their entirety within a single grant period, and end at least 15 days before the end of the running grant period) and always within the action’s duration (The Action’s 4GP will finish on 31 October 2023).
• It is recommended that they have a minimum duration of 5 calendar days (including travel) and a maximum duration of 90 days.

Awards throughout the annual grant period will be made to support scientific excellence, and to support a variety of researchers in terms of gender, career stage, affiliation and nationality. Particular consideration will also be given to candidates moving from/to COST Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs). Applicants cannot submit more than one application per grant period, and more than two applications in the whole action’s life.

What kind of expenses are covered by STSM funding?

The STSM Mobility and Collaboration Grants do not necessarily cover all expenses related to performing a given mission. The grant is a contribution to the overall travel, accommodation and meal expenses of the grantee.

The STSM will be a fixed grant to cover part of the travel expenses and a living allowance. The cost of research materials is not eligible for consideration as part of the grant.

 The calculation of the financial contribution for each STSM must respect the following criteria:

• Up to a maximum of EUR 2,500 in total can be awarded to each successful STSM applicant; of which up to a maximum of EUR 180 per day can be awarded for accommodation and meal expenses;
• up to a maximum of EUR 300 can be awarded for travel costs.

Applicants must provide in their application an argued estimation (budget) of the costs to be covered. The amount requested may be granted only in part. In that case, the applicant will be allowed to adapt the length of their STSM accordingly if they wish to do so.

Please note that, as a rule, the awarded grant will be paid only after the STSM has been completed and the report of the work carried out has been approved. Upon request, reimbursement of 50 % of the grant can be reimbursed upon arrival to the host institution for YRI scholars (under 40 years of age) and early career researchers (up to 6 years after granting of PhD). Applicants from ITCs that fall under these categories are encouraged to apply. Applicants requesting it should explicitly state in their application the need for early reimbursement and the how they meet the criteria. Each case will be evaluated individually, also taking into consideration the duration of the STSM and the overall amount of the grant.

STSM awards may be combined with other funding sources, but these must be acknowledged in the application and will be taken into account when calculating the amount granted.

How to apply?

STSMs are to be applied to individually. Applicants and hosts are required to register on the WORCK website by filling out the form (https://www.worck.eu/contact/) and on the e-COST webpage (https://e-services.cost.eu/user/registration/email).

Application procedure:

Applications should be submitted via e-cost.

The following documents must be uploaded:

• Application form (To be downloaded here: https://www.cost.eu/STSM_GrantApplication). It should describe: goals for the STSM, description of the work to be carried out by the applicant, expected outcomes, and description of How the awarded grant will address one (or several) associated Grant Goals(s) related to the achievement of MoU objective(s) and/or contributing to the Science Communication Plan adopted by the Action.
• Confirmation of the host on the agreement from the host institution in receiving the applicant
• CV of the applicant

Incomplete applications will not be accepted. The committee can request additional information if it is considered necessary.

 Proposals will be evaluated by a STSM Committee consisting of representatives of each working group. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. The STSM committee can request additional information, if considered necessary.

For detailed rules regarding eligibility and financial support, please see the relevant sections of the COST Annotated Rules.

Please note that priority is given to applications proactively addressing the agenda of the COST Action and the individual working groups. Therefore, successful applications balance emphasis on the candidate’s personal research project with consideration of the way in which it could contribute to the work of the action. They address specific tasks included in one or more working group agendas in a very concrete and focused way: A focussed contribution to a very specific agenda or working group is thus likely to be more useful to the project than an attempt to address multiple agendas simultaneously.

Potential applicants are invited to contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator and the relevant working group leaders. Before making contact, they should study the working group agendas carefully and consider which ones relate most closely to the research they propose to undertake. Potential applicants should then draft a brief account of their intentions before making contact and requesting feedback on it. This process will help to ensure that the outcomes and deliverables of the STSMs are devoted to benefitting the action as a whole.

Potential applicants from ITCs and early career researchers with no previous contact with the COST Action are explicitly encouraged to make use of this opportunity.

After Completion of the STSM

Within 30 days of completion of the STSM (or 15 days before the end of the Grant Period whichever is earlier), the STSM grantee must upload a final report (max. 1-2 pages) of the research outcomes together with the agreement of the STSM host. This report must include: a description of the work carried out; a description of the main results/outputs; a plan of future collaborations with the host (if applicable); planned publications resulting from the STSM (if applicable); a confirmation regarding the successful completion of the STSM by the host.

A template for the final report can be found here: http://www.cost.eu/STSM_report_template

The grant will be paid after the approval of the final report.

In case of non-fulfilment of the Grant, Cost Derogation Procedures will be followed.

Past STSMs