European COoperation in Science and Technology COST – an overview Dr. Martin Grabert COST Office, Brussels Prof. Cristina Pronello TUD DC Chair (Transport

European European COCOoperation in operation in SScience and cience and TTechnologyechnology

COST – an overviewCOST – an overview

Dr. Martin GrabertDr. Martin Grabert COST Office, BrusselsCOST Office, Brussels

Prof. Cristina PronelloProf. Cristina Pronello

TUD DC ChairTUD DC Chair

(Transport and Urban Development Domain Committee)(Transport and Urban Development Domain Committee)

COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

European COoperation in Science and Technology

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Strengthen Europe in scientific and technical Strengthen Europe in scientific and technical research for peaceful purposes through the research for peaceful purposes through the

support of cooperation and interaction support of cooperation and interaction between European researchersbetween European researchers

The COST programme is a long-running, economical and The COST programme is a long-running, economical and highly successful way to spread awareness and build highly successful way to spread awareness and build networks between Europe’s researchers. It reflects the networks between Europe’s researchers. It reflects the human dimension of science, helping researchers to human dimension of science, helping researchers to share not only the results of their work but also their share not only the results of their work but also their

aims and methods.aims and methods.

The COST missionThe COST mission


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COST characteristicsCOST characteristics

• Co-ordination through Co-ordination through networkingnetworking

• Pan-EuropeanPan-European

• Multi-disciplinary Multi-disciplinary

“Non-competitive”“Non-competitive” (pre-normative; public utility)(pre-normative; public utility)

• National financing of National financing of researchers and projects researchers and projects – national responsibility– national responsibility

• Bottom-up Bottom-up – no fixed programme– no fixed programme

• Flexible participation – join in Flexible participation – join in if you are interestedif you are interested

• ““Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary Exploratoria”Exploratoria”

• Enabling agent: focus on Enabling agent: focus on younger researchersyounger researchers

• Open to wider cooperationOpen to wider cooperation


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The 25 EU Member StatesThe 25 EU Member States EFTA Member StatesEFTA Member States

IcelandIceland

NorwayNorway

SwitzerlandSwitzerland

Acceding & Candidate Countries Acceding & Candidate Countries BulgariaBulgaria

Croatia Croatia

FYR of Macedonia (FYROM)*FYR of Macedonia (FYROM)*

RomaniaRomania

TurkeyTurkey

Other Countries Other Countries Republic ofRepublic of Serbia Serbia **

COST Co-operating StatesCOST Co-operating States IsraelIsrael

* not associated with FP

COST CountriesCOST Countries


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COST Actions: global participationCOST Actions: global participation

Total number of participations in running Actions: 155 (incl. 6 NGO)

Australia - 8

Argentina - 2

China - 10

Japan - 9

Canada - 25

New-Zealand - 2

South Africa - 3

Albania - 1

Bosnia & Herzegovina - 2 Armenia - 1

Ethiopia - 1

Eritrea - 1

Ukraina - 18 Russia - 38

USA - 21Rep of Korea - 1China (Taiwan) - 1

China (Macao) - 1

Brazil - 2

Algeria - 1

India - 1


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COST governanceCOST governance


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What is a COST Action?What is a COST Action?

MC = Management Committee

COST OFFICE

COMMITTEE OF SENIOR OFFICIALS (CSO) COST National

Coordinators

9 COST Domain

Committees (from 01/06/2006)

COST Actions(~200)

TUD ……….. ……..

WORKING GROUPS (NETWORKS) …… ~30.000 researchers

Scientific Domain

…….

CouncilCOST

Secretariat

Action WGs

MC


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What is funded by COST?What is funded by COST?

• Science management meetingsScience management meetings• Scientific workshops and seminarsScientific workshops and seminars• Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)• Training Schools and Research ConferencesTraining Schools and Research Conferences• DisseminationDissemination

• Average funding about 100.000 € per year per ActionAverage funding about 100.000 € per year per Action

COST ActionsCOST Actions: Nationally funded projects (min. 5 participating : Nationally funded projects (min. 5 participating

countries) with a joint work programme receive finance for:countries) with a joint work programme receive finance for:

Strategic WorkshopsStrategic Workshops: to explore future scientific or societal : to explore future scientific or societal needsneeds


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Objectives of Domain TUD

Fostering international research networking activities of scientists and experts dealing with:

• transport systems and infrastructures,• urban land use and development,• architecture and design, and civil engineering issues.

Focus on multi- and interdisciplinary approaches

Aim to cover both basic and applied research activities including technical and technological developments and their changeovers that are relevant to policy and decision making processes.

A significant concern devoted to activities exploring new research needs and developments.


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Current COST TUD Actions• C18 : Performance assessement of urban infrastructure services: the case of water supply, wastewater and

solid waste

• C19 : Proactive crisis management of urban infrastructure

• C20 : Urban Knowledge Arena – Developing a European Arena for Cross-Boundary Cooperation in Production of Knowledge and Know-how on Complex Urban Problems

• C21 : Towntology – Urban Ontologies for an Improved Communication in Urban Civil Engineering Projects

• C22 : Urban Flood Management

• C23 : Strategies for a Low Carbon Built Environment

• C24 : Analysis and Design of Innovative Systems for Low-EXergy in the Built Environment: COSTeXergy

• C25 : Sustainability of Constructions: Integrated Approach to Life-time Structural Engineering

• C26 : Urban Habitat Constructions under Catastrophic Events

• C27 : Sustainable Development Policies for Minor Deprived Urban Communities

• 352 : Influence of Modern In-vehicle Information Systems on Road Safety Requirements

• 353 : Winter Service Strategies for Increased European Road Safety

• 354 : Performance Indicators for Road Pavements

• 355 : Changing behaviour towards a more sustainable transport system

• 356 : Towards the definition of a measurable environmentally sustainable transport (EST)

• 357 : Accident Prevention Options with Motorcycle Helmets

• 358 : Pedestrians’ Quality Needs (PQN)


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COST transport Actions’ examplesCOST transport Actions’ examples

• COST Action 355: “Changing behaviour towards a more COST Action 355: “Changing behaviour towards a more sustainable transport system”sustainable transport system”

Motorway construction nearby Vienna (© Jan Spousta)

Objective: to analyse the conditions underwich the process of growing unsustaible transport demand could be reversed, by changing travellers, shippers and carriers’s behaviours


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COST transport Actions’ examplesCOST transport Actions’ examples

• COST Action 353: “Winter Service Strategies for Increased COST Action 353: “Winter Service Strategies for Increased European Road Safety”European Road Safety”

Winter service needed for roads in Brussels (© Jan Spousta)

Objective: to maximize road safety through the development of a framework for the management of winter traffic


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MARITIME 5

RAIL 1

ROAD VEHICLES 5

ROAD TRANSPORT 5

INFRASTRUCTURE 17

INFRA PLANNING 10

CONTAINERS 3

ROAD SAFETY 8

ENVIRONMENT 6

COST transport Actions in totalCOST transport Actions in total


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• An An Open CallOpen Call system was introduced. system was introduced.

• COST published the permanent and thematically “Open Call” to COST published the permanent and thematically “Open Call” to improve transparency, ensure quality and introduce competitivity improve transparency, ensure quality and introduce competitivity to the selection of new COST Actionsto the selection of new COST Actions

• Emphasis is given to younger research workers, fostering their Emphasis is given to younger research workers, fostering their joint efforts bringing improved recognitionjoint efforts bringing improved recognition

• The selection criteria are publishedThe selection criteria are published

• Specific collection dates are foreseen (i.e. 31 MarchSpecific collection dates are foreseen (i.e. 31 March 2007)2007)

• 2 stage process / peer reviewed 2 stage process / peer reviewed

• The first COST Actions arising from the “Open Call” will start The first COST Actions arising from the “Open Call” will start working early 2007working early 2007

How COST selects new Actions?How COST selects new Actions?


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COST Open Call, Response by Domains COST Open Call, Response by Domains (May 2006)(May 2006)

Initial response at first collection date (824 proposals)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

BMBS

CMST

ESSEM

Explo

rato

ria FAFPS

ICT

ISCH

MPNS

TUD


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COST Open CallCOST Open Call

AT BE

BG CH

CS

CY

CZ

DE

DK EE

ES FI

FR

GB

GR

HR

HU IE IL IS IT LT LU MK

MT

NL

NO PL

PT

RO SE SI

SK TR0

20

40

60

80

100

120

The assessment process

DCCCM 39

Full Proposals 79

Elidgible Proposals 707

Initial Proposals 824


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• A new A new COST Grant System (CGS)COST Grant System (CGS) will be introduced in will be introduced in March 2007: Actions will manage their money!March 2007: Actions will manage their money!

• This transfer of responsibility to the Actions enables the This transfer of responsibility to the Actions enables the Actions to plan and implement their activities in a flexible Actions to plan and implement their activities in a flexible and independent manner. A web based IT tool will facilitate and independent manner. A web based IT tool will facilitate the management of Actions and reporting. the management of Actions and reporting.

• This will become the standard management tool for all This will become the standard management tool for all COST Actions after April 2008.COST Actions after April 2008.

COST reforms its administrationCOST reforms its administration


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COST Office staffCOST Office staff


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• COST COST Actions foster knowledge creation and exchange Actions foster knowledge creation and exchange within Europe and beyondwithin Europe and beyond

• Networks of outstanding (in particular young) scientists is Networks of outstanding (in particular young) scientists is one main objective of the desired global interactions in one main objective of the desired global interactions in sciencescience

• The "à la carte" cooperation within COST will be further The "à la carte" cooperation within COST will be further developed. On the basis of mutual interest, new reciprocal developed. On the basis of mutual interest, new reciprocal support schemes will facilitate exchanges between COST support schemes will facilitate exchanges between COST and non-COST countriesand non-COST countries

COST ConclusionsCOST Conclusions


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Transport and Urban Development Domain (TUD)Transport and Urban Development Domain (TUD)

COST Office contact pointsCOST Office contact points

Thierry GOGERThierry GOGER

Science OfficerScience Officer

[email protected]@cost.esf.org

Office:Office: +32 (0)2 533 38 32 +32 (0)2 533 38 32

Mobile:Mobile: +32 (0)4 94 52 40 87 +32 (0)4 94 52 40 87

Carmencita MalimbanCarmencita Malimban

Administrative OfficerAdministrative Officer

[email protected]@cost.esf.org

Office:Office: +32 (0)2 533 38 41 +32 (0)2 533 38 41

COST OfficeCOST Office

149 avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels, Belgium149 avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

E-mail:E-mail: [email protected]

Home page: Home page: http://www.cost.esf.org

Fax: Fax: +32 (0)2 533 38 90+32 (0)2 533 38 90

Documents

European COoperation in Science and Technology COST – an overview Dr. Martin Grabert COST Office, Brussels Prof. Cristina Pronello TUD DC Chair (Transport