European Cooperation in Science and Technology

European Cooperation in Science and Technology
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COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology.[1] It was founded in 1971.

Contents

Objectives

COST contributes towards the realisation of the European Research Area and is presently used by the scientific communities of 36 European countries to cooperate in common research projects supported by national funds. Projects (called "COST Actions") cover basic and pre-competitive research as well as activities of public utility.

COST anticipates and complements the activities of the Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, works with the scientific communities of emerging countries, increases the mobility of researchers across Europe and fosters the establishment of "Networks of Excellence".

Finance

The Seventh Framework Programme foresees EUR 210 million in support for COST (2007–2013) with the possibility of another EUR 40 million depending on a positive mid-term evaluation in 2010. The panel that conducted the mid-term evaluation in 2010 "recommend that the appropriate process be put in place to allocate the additional €40 million reserved in FP7 for COST".[2]

Structure

COST has around 200 running "COST Actions" in nine scientific domains:

  • Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences
  • Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies
  • Earth System Science and Environmental Management
  • Food and Agriculture
  • Forests, their Products and Services
  • Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • Materials, Physics and Nanosciences
  • Transport and Urban Development

In addition, "Trans-Domain Proposals" give the opportunity to strike across the scientific domains. COST Domain Committees are composed of scientists of the European scientific community. Its highest decision-making body is the "Committee of Senior Officials" which consists of COST country representatives. The European Science Foundation implements the COST Office through a contract with the Directorate-General for Research.

See also

  • COST Action IC0905 TERRA - Techno-economic policy for Cognitive radio
  • COST Action 231 - Radio Propagation models such as Hata Model
  • COST Action MP0902 - Composites of Inorganic nanotubes and Polymers

References

  1. ^ The official COST site
  2. ^ FP7 mid-term evaluation of COST

External links