Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SGA3 (COST - Maximising impact)
Reporting period: 2020-05-01 to 2021-10-31
As defined in the COST Mission statement, COST provides networking opportunities for researchers and innovators in order to strengthen Europe’s capacity to address scientific, technological and societal challenges. To do so, COST funds bottom-up, excellence-driven, open and inclusive networks for peaceful purposes in all areas of science and technology. According to COST Vision statement, COST is aiming at becoming the leading open networking tool in the ERA.
In order to continue to pursue its Mission and Vision, the COST Strategic Plan defines three strategic priorities for the remaining part of Horizon 2020 and in Horizon Europe:
Promoting and Spreading Excellence
Fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science
Empowering and retaining young researchers and innovators
To implement those strategic priorities, COST focuses its efforts on strengthening its core business and implementing a range of complementary activities.
The COST Association is the beneficiary of a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) following the H2020 2019-20 Work Programme. The COST Association is an AISBL under the Belgian law with an integrated governance, management and implementation functions, creating the base for a responsible and accountable organisation where the COST Full Members have direct control.
The legal and financial frame for the COST Association operations is provided via a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) and subsequent Specific Grant Agreements (SGAs). An overall budget of EUR 300 million was foreseen for the duration of the FPA covering the total Horizon 2020 period.
The proposal covers the first reporting period of SGA3 for a duration of 12 months, 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2020.
In order to continue to pursue its Mission and Vision, the COST Strategic Plan defines three strategic priorities for the remaining part of Horizon 2020 and in Horizon Europe:
Promoting and Spreading Excellence
Fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science
Empowering and retaining young researchers and innovators
To implement those strategic priorities, COST focuses its efforts on strengthening its core business and implementing a range of complementary activities.
The COST Association is the beneficiary of a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) following the H2020 2019-20 Work Programme. The COST Association is an AISBL under the Belgian law with an integrated governance, management and implementation functions, creating the base for a responsible and accountable organisation where the COST Full Members have direct control.
The legal and financial frame for the COST Association operations is provided via a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) and subsequent Specific Grant Agreements (SGAs). An overall budget of EUR 300 million was foreseen for the duration of the FPA covering the total Horizon 2020 period.
The proposal covers the first reporting period of SGA3 for a duration of 12 months, 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2020.
The COST Association ensured that CSO decisions were fully implemented and that the CSO was provided with reliable and timely inputs and background documents. The COST Association published its Strategic Plan on 12/12/17. To fulfil all its obligations, the COST Association has implemented the Annual Activity Plan (AAP) for the period of 2019-20 and adopted the AAP 2020-2021, in line with the tasks and commitments laid down in the SGA3. The AAP is essential to anticipate and plan work and tasks, while ensuring for timely delivery of mandatory duties with the available resources.
There were 249 COST Actions (including one Targeted Network) running, networking around 45 000 researchers, engineers and scholars. There were two collection dates of the Open Call during the reporting period on 5/09/19 and 29/04/20. The necessary information system development, testing and implementation were also seamlessly realised within the reporting period.
There were 249 COST Actions (including one Targeted Network) running, networking around 45 000 researchers, engineers and scholars. There were two collection dates of the Open Call during the reporting period on 5/09/19 and 29/04/20. The necessary information system development, testing and implementation were also seamlessly realised within the reporting period.
The COST Association has three different sources for the assessment of performance and progress:
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), assessed on a quarterly basis.
- COST Actions are required to monitor their own performance, through the Monitoring and Final Assessment (MFA) system, validated by an external and independent rapporteur.
- General impact studies, as foreseen by the FPA, assessing the impact of COST-funded activities. These studies follow the COST impact analysis model, as approved by the CSO during its meeting on 25-26 April 2018.
The expected impacts of COST are clustered into three priorities
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), assessed on a quarterly basis.
- COST Actions are required to monitor their own performance, through the Monitoring and Final Assessment (MFA) system, validated by an external and independent rapporteur.
- General impact studies, as foreseen by the FPA, assessing the impact of COST-funded activities. These studies follow the COST impact analysis model, as approved by the CSO during its meeting on 25-26 April 2018.
The expected impacts of COST are clustered into three priorities