The COST Action Open Call 2024 is open for applications

For our Pledgers following the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative we would like to draw your attention to the COST Action Open Call 2024, which is open for applications. The Call is looking for innovative ideas on a specific challenge leading to an science and technological (S&T) breakthrough, and will approve up to 70 new COST Actions, subject to available budget.

The decision of approval and four-year funding for new Actions relies on the COST Committee of Senior Officials. The new COST Actions kick off in the autumn of 2025 with the first meeting of the Management Committee.

All proposals for Actions should:

• Reflect the main characteristics of COST Actions, namely, providing for knowledge sharing, creation and application, being excellence-driven, open and output-oriented while aiming at strengthening the scientific and technological basis of the proposed topic(s).
• Aim to address scientific, technological and societal challenges by promoting and spreading excellence, fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science and empowering and retaining young researchers and innovators.
• Respond to the COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy, which aims to provide collaboration opportunities to all researchers and innovators in countries that are COST Members. Participation among young talents and next generation leaders is encouraged, in particular promoting working opportunities for young researchers and innovators, and ensure gender balance, paving the way towards breakthrough developments and innovations.

Tips for preparing a COST Action proposal

• Propose an innovative idea linked to a challenge in your field
• Demonstrate how networking helps tackle the challenge
• Present a detailed plan on how you will achieve your objectives in four years
• Ensure objectives are SMART
• Promote geographical, age and gender balance in your proposed operations and activities
• Adhere to ethical principles, with emphasis on COST’s criteria of peaceful purpose
• Respect the and page limits outline in the Applicant Guidelines
• Use the template provided in the Technical Annex
• Remain anonymous to comply with the double-blind evaluation process
• Engage a team of proposers from at least 7 COST Member Countries. At least half should be from COST Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITSc)