Undertake a Visiting Fellowship “STSMs”

Since Intrepid COST Action is closed, we are not offering STSM fellowships

INTREPID Short Term Scientific Missions

Are you interested in the Future of the Universities (FoU) with a particular focus on the role of interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity?

Is there any HEI (higher education instituion) embedding Interdisciplinarity and Transdiciplinarity (or planning to do so)  in their strategy to meet the challenge of  sustainability which you would like to visit  as a fellow (for at least a week)?

If YES INTREPID can support your fellowship mission (‘Short Term Scientific Missions’ STSMs) These fellowships aim to ENABLE CHANGE: To develop solutions that enable interdisciplinarity: beyond structural, institutional and cultural barriers (with a particular focus on urban-related practice.) (Challenge 3, see: http://intrepid-cost.ics.ulisboa.pt/about-intrepid/)

The STSM should contribute to the scientific objectives of INTREPID, whilst at the same time allowing those partaking in the missions to learn new techniques, gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions.

INTREPID encourages STSM Fellows to use the guidelines proposed

  • should be submitted to the INTREPID Network Manager, Rafa Rodrigo (cost.manager@gmail.com).
  • Application instructions and eligibility criteria are below.

Eligibility criteria and funding conditions

  • STSMs should have a duration between 5 days and 90 days (and up to 180 days if the applicant is an ECI).
  • Financial support is a contribution to the overall expenses incurred during the STSM and may not necessarily cover all of the associated expenses.
  • Financial support is limited to cover travel, accommodation and meal expenses, it is paid in the form of a Grant at the end of the visit and no receipts are required by COST.
  • If you are you are from an ITC country (link with info on ITC’s) special conditions apply: you can request the pre-payment of 50% of your STSM Grant after completion of the STSM’s 1st day (confirmed by the Host though an email to the Grant Holder). The remaining 50% of the Grant is payable once the administrative requirements have been satisfied after the STSM.
  • The amounts granted for each individual STSM will be determined during the evaluation process.
  • Failure to submit the scientific report within 30 days from the end date of the STSM will effectively cancel the Grant.
  • Up to a maximum of EUR 160 per day can be afforded for accommodation and meal expenses.
  • Up to a maximum of EUR 2500 in total can be afforded to each successful STSM applicant.
  • A maximum amount of EUR 3500 can be afforded to ECIs in the case of STSMs with a duration between 91 and 180 days (the limit of EUR 2500 must be respected for STSMs with a duration between 5 and 90 days).

How to apply to an STSM

  • All applicants must register for an e-COST profile at https://e-services.cost.eu/, adding their bank account details to their profile.
  • All applicants must complete, submit and download their STSM application online at: eu/STSM.
  • Prior to submitting an application, all applicants must obtain a letter of invitation from the Host Institution confirming that they can undertake the STSM on the given dates.
  • All applicants must send the following documentation for evaluation to the INTREPID Network Manager, Rafa Rodrigo (cost.manager@gmail.com):
    • Letter of invitation/acceptance to the applicant from a senior researcher affiliated to the Host Institution (stating name of applicant, time period of the STSM, and acceptance of the work plan).
    • The submitted STSM application form (downloadable when the online application is submitted).
    • A motivation letter (2 pages maximum) including: name of applicant and contact details; a concise project title; proposed start and end dates of the STSM; contribution to the objectives of INTREPID; and clear justification for choosing the hosting institution/researcher.
    • A work plan (2/3 pages), indicating strategic links to INTREPID and expected outputs from the STSM (e.g. an academic paper or ideas towards it, funding application or ideas towards it, etc.).
    • A CV (2 pages), including publications and previous visiting fellowships and their outputs.
    • A letter of support from the Home Institution.
  • Please note that the COST Association can request additional information to substantiate the information contained within the documents submitted by STSM applicants.

For further information applicants are invited to read the STSM rules detailed in Section 7 of the COST Vademecum, available at http://www.cost.eu/download/COSTVademecum.

Application evaluation

  • The selection of applicants is based on the scientific scope of the STSM application, considering the perceived contribution that the proposed visit will make and that must clearly compliment the overall objectives of INTREPID – scientific objectives outlined in the Action’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
  • The candidate should have a track record of work on the core issues of INTREPID and, or, closely related themes of interdisciplinarity in science (as student, researcher, practitioner or professor).
  • Applications from Early Career Investigators (ECIs: researchers within a time span of up to 8 years from the date they obtained their PhD/doctorate) are encouraged.
  • PhD students are also eligible to partake in STSMs.
  • Applications of candidates belonging to an inclusiveness country are encouraged.
  • Gender balance of applicants will be promoted.
  • The applicant will be formally notified of the outcome of their STSM application by the STSM Coordinator.

To do after STSM completion

  • Within 30 days from the end date of the STSM, the successful applicant must submit a 5 pages scientific report to the Host Institution and to the INTREPID Network Manager, Rafa Rodrigo (cost.manager@gmail.com). The report should include the following:
    • Aims and objectives of the STSM; description of the host institution; description of work undertaken; main results; future collaboration possibilities with the host institution; and future plans, including potential future publications.
    • The outputs produced (e.g. an academic paper or ideas towards it, funding application or ideas towards it, etc.).
  • In addition, the successful applicant must submit to the INTREPID network Manager, Rafa Rodrigo (cost.manager@gmail.com):
    • A completed version of the Final Report Template provided.
    • Short blog type report for the INTREPID website/newsletter.
  • The final report must be completed and approved within 30 days from the end date of the STSM for the money transfer to take place – failure to accomplish it will effectively cancel the Grant. No travel/accommodation/meal receipts are required.
  • The applicant is also responsible for acquiring an official acceptance letter/e-mail confirmation of acceptance from a senior Researcher affiliated to the Host Institution formally accepting the scientific report. This formal acceptance of the scientific report has to be sent to the Grant Holder and to the INTREPID Network Manager, Rafa Rodrigo (cost.manager@gmail.comfor archiving purposes.

The applicant is expected to acknowledge the financial support from INTREPID in all outputs arising from the STSM, by including the following text: “This [study] is an outcome of INTREPID (COST Action TD1408) – Interdisciplinarity in research programming and funding cycles”.

Transdisciplinarity: Different academic disciplines working jointly with practitioners (i.e., non-academic actors) to solve a real-world problem. Klein et al., 2001

Download STSM Guideline