European Cooperation in Science and Technology
About COST
COST is funded by contributions from COST Member States and Horizon Europe. There are 38 member countries of which the UK is a founding member and a full participating member. As such, UK-based researchers are fully eligible to apply as a main or secondary proposer in COST Open Call for new Actions, participate in all COST activities and receive funding, as well as act as expert evaluators.
COST provides networking opportunities for researchers and innovators in order to strengthen Europe’s capacity to address scientific, technological and societal challenges. COST does not provide funding for research. Instead, it focuses on connecting communities of researchers and innovators from universities, as well as from public and private institutions, NGOs, industry and SMEs. The activities help connect research initiatives across Europe and beyond and enable researchers and innovators to grow their ideas in any science and technology field by sharing them with their peers.
COST mission is: ‘to provide networking opportunities for researchers and innovators in order to strengthen Europe’s capacity to address scientific, technological and societal challenges’.
Priorities
COST’s interdisciplinary research networks or ‘COST Actions’ run for four years and bring together researchers, innovators and other professionals including industry specialists from Europe and beyond. Researchers can either choose to create a new COST Action, or join an existing network.
The main strategic priorities of COST are:
- Promoting and spreading excellence
- Fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science
- Empowering and retaining young researchers.
Why join a COST Action?
This video gives more information about the COST programme and the benefits for researchers to join COST Actions.
Funding
COST does not provide funding for research, but covers the expenses related to undertaking networking activities in all research and innovation disciples, including:
- Meetings, workshops, conferences
- Short term scientific missions
- Training Schools
- Communication and dissemination activities
- Virtual networks.
Benefits of participating
Connect with leading European and global peers
Connect with peers in all sectors to expand your career opportunities and access additional funding, training and networking opportunities.
Join recognised research networks
Open to all subject areas, COST Actions can help to increase the visibility of your research and act as a pre-portal to other funding instruments.
Develop new or existing collaborations and networks
COST Actions members can participate in COST Academy Training Schools, Connect stakeholder meetings and Innovator Grants.
Identify key knowledge gaps to inform future research policies
Increase your success rate in accessing follow-up funding with special emphasis on EU research funding including MSCA proposals.
Next Steps
Sign up for the UKRI Horizon Europe Newsletter to find out about EU News, Events and Funding Opportunities and sign up to the Global Alliance Newsletter to learn more about Innovate UK Business Connect’s European and International Projects and Programmes and for News, Events and Funding in Horizon Europe and much more.