ConservePlants

Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) Grant

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What Are STSMs?

The main aim of STSMs is to support collaboration between researchers and exchange visits between institutions from different countries that has joined this COST action. STSMs allow scientist to learn new techniques and gain access to specific equipment and methods not available in their home institution.

Within this call, each STSM must have a minimum duration of 4 days.

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are exchange visits aimed at supporting researchers’ individual mobility, strengthening existing networks and fostering collaboration. STSMs are intended especially, but not solely, for young researchers.

An STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific objectives of the COST Action ConservePlants, while enabling those partaking in the missions to establish new partnerships, learn new techniques, gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions/organisations.

Applicants are encouraged to contact Working Group(s) leader(s) prior to submitting their application to ensure that proposed outcome of their STSM agrees with the objectives of the action. In their application, applicants MUST STATE THE WORKING GROUP THEIR STSM IS CONNECTED TO.

Detailed information on participants’ eligibility, evaluation and selection, financial support, and grant payment procedures can be found on the COST webpage.

Grants Coordinator: Prof. Asoc. Aida Dervishi

 

Who can apply?

Young researchers or innovators or any other applicants that are employed by, or affiliated to, an institution, organisation or legal entity which has within its remit a clear association with performing research. 

 

Important deadlines:

Open call: 01/03/2024

Deadline for application: until funds are available

First possible starting date of the STSM: 10/03/2024

 

How to Apply

Applicants must submit the following information:

  • Applicant details
  • Home institution (the institution/organisation where the STSM applicant holds their primary affiliation)
  • STSM details (project proposal): The proposal needs to include:
    1. duration,
    2. aims and motivation (the benefits to be obtained from the STSM),
    3. a plan of the work to be carried out,
    4. proposed contribution to the Action objectives, mentioning the Working Group that the STSM is connected to, and
    5. what techniques and equipment (s)he may learn to use.
  • Bank details
  • Host details (must be located in a different country than the country of the applicant)
  • Financial construction
  • Supporting documents:
    • STSM application in pdf
    • CV
    • letter of support from the home institution
    • letter of agreement from the host institution
    • letter of support from the WG leader that the STSM is related to

 

Evaluation criteria

Each proposal will be assessed independently by the STSM committee, composed by Aida Dervishi, Maja Lazarević and Hana Pankova, and an evaluation score will be given considering the proposal clarity, relevance for the Action, feasibility, planning and outputs.

  • Very poor: proposal illogical and not understandable. Not clearly linked to any WG.
  • Poor: proposal with limited understanding, planning and no clear objectives. Weakly linked to at least one WG.
  • Fair: proposal with some understanding, planning and objectives. Moderate links to at least one WG.
  • Good: good proposal but needs input to develop feasible STSM. Well linked to at least one WG.
  • Excellent: proposal well designed in terms of planning, feasibility and projected outputs. Strongly linked to at least one WG.

In the case of many proposals, PhD students, Young researchers and applicants from Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC*) will be given priority. 

 

After the STSM

After completing the mission, the successful applicant is required to provide the following documents (must be submitted by 14th April 2024 the latest):

  1. A scientific report
  2. An official letter / email from a senior researcher affiliated to the Host Institution formally accepting the scientific report
  3. promotion material that can be uploaded to the ConservePlants website and/or used for promotion of the COST action ConservePlants (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Website) that can be either:
    1. a short text with the description of the work done with relevant photos;
    2. a short (2-5 min) video presentation or
    3. a poster.

The promotion materials must be sent to Dr. Aida Dervishi (aida.dervishi@fshn.edu.al) as soon as possible or maximum within 30 calendar days from the date of the presentation/end of the grant.

Grants are paid by the Grant Holder after the completion of the activity and approval of all required report/documentation. Failure to submit all the required documents may result in the cancellation of the grant.