ITC Conference Grants (ITC CG) are aimed at supporting young researchers – Early Career Investigators (ECI) and PhD students – from Participating Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) or Near Neighbour Countries (NNC) to attend international science and technology-related conferences anywhere in the world. Participation in these conferences helps young CA22116 GREATLEAP members establish a strong network, increase their visibility in the research community by presenting their own work (poster/oral presentation), and further develop their scientific knowledge. ITC CG is not limited to conferences organised by the COST Action.

Source: https://www.cost.eu/about/strategy/excellence-and-inclusiveness/

COST Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Türkiye.

COST Near Neighbour Countries (NNC): Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

ITC Conference benefits to ITC Conference Grantee: he/she receives support for attending and presenting their work (poster/oral presentation) at a conference and can establish new contacts for future collaborations.

GREATLEAP ITC Conference Grants are addressed to young researchers from participating ITC and NNC countries to attend international science and technology conferences for capacity building and networking objectives.

Dissemination Conference Grants (DCG) consist of an oral presentation by an Action Participant of the work of the Action in high-level conferences fully organized by a third party, i.e., not organized nor co-organized by the COST Action.

Dissemination Conference:

• Significantly increase visibility of the Action in the research community and can contribute to increasing the visibility of the presenter;
• Attract additional participants and stakeholders and disseminate Action results to relevant end-users at high-profile conferences in the field on a topic relevant to the Action.

Dissemination Conference benefits to:

• Dissemination Conference Grantee: receives support for attending and delivering an oral presentation of the Action, their activities, and results at a conference and for developing new contacts and potential future collaborations;
• COST Action: receives increased visibility and awareness, new contacts with potential stakeholders.

GREATLEAP Dissemination Conference Grants are addressed to:

• members of CA22116 participating in conferences highly relevant to the Memorandum of Understanding of GREATLEAP.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for one of the proposed topics that are related to the specific objectives of the first three Working Group (WG).

The ITC CG applicant can be a Young Researcher and Innovator, <40 years old, affiliated with a legal entity strictly in ITC and NNC presenting a poster/oral presentation.

The DCG applicant can be any COST Action participant presenting the project and results via an oral presentation.

See section 6.4 “Eligibility to receive financial support” in the Annotated Rules for COST Actions for further details.

The ITC CG applicant can be a Young Researcher and Innovator, <40 years old, affiliated with a legal entity strictly in ITC and NNC presenting a poster/oral presentation.

The DCG applicant can be any COST Action participant presenting the project and results via an oral presentation.

See section 6.4 “Eligibility to receive financial support” in the Annotated Rules for COST Actions for further details.

Applications will be assessed by the Assessment Committee, which consists of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Grant Awarding Coordinator, and the WG4 Leader and Co-Leaders. The criteria for selection of candidates are as follows:

1. Excellence of the application promoting the direct contribution to GREATLEAP WGs, as assessed by the Assessment Committee
2. Active participation of the applicant in the GREATLEAP WGs, as assessed by the WG leader.

The requested budget must be based on the estimated real costs related to participation in the conference.

The Applicant will receive an official confirmation of the application with a link to the official grant letter.

COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy

The COST Excellence and Inclusiveness policy is developed around three main elements:

• Geographical diversity,
• Career stage: involving Young Researchers and Innovators,
• Gender balance.

The COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy shall contribute to the objectives of the ‘Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area’ Work Programme under Horizon Europe.

• ITC CG and DC grants contribute to traveling, accommodation, subsistence expenses, registration fees, the printing of scientific posters, and overall effort. They do not necessarily cover all the expenses.

The maximum amount for ITC CG/DCG grants is 750 €. The amounts may change taking into consideration the specific conditions of the applicant and the available budget of the Action, and should reflect the duration and location of the Conference and the actual conference fee.

• The Grantee must start and complete the mobility within the approved period and carry out the activities in accordance with the approved programme described in the Application.
• In line with the visual identity of the Action, the Grantee must use the logos of the COST Action CA21149, the COST programme, and the European Union as well as templates for i) PowerPoint presentations, ii) templates for word documents, and iii) template for posters and include the acknowledgment to the abstract/oral presentation/poster presentation.

Posters/ presentations of the results from STSM have to be presented using project templates with the logo of GREATLEAP. Contact: Dr. Tim Riswick, Radboud University, tim.riswick@ru.nl

One of the following sentences, which are in line with COST instructions on acknowledgments, should be used:

1. i) In the case of a publication from the research group dealing with GREATLEAP objectives, but that was not based on activities performed within the framework of COST Action CA22116: “This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA22116 (The Great Leap. Multidisciplinary approaches to health inequalities, 1800-2022; greatleap.eu), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology; www.cost.eu).”
2. ii) In the case of a publication that was based on activities performed within the framework of COST Action CA22116 but for which the author did not receive money from COST to cover the publication fee: “This study was performed within the framework of COST Action CA22116 (The Great Leap. Multidisciplinary approaches to health inequalities, 1800-2022; greatleap.eu), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology; www.cost.eu).”

iii) In the case of a publication that was based on activities performed within the framework of COST Action CA22116 and for which the author did not receive money from COST to cover the publication fee: “The authors would like to acknowledge the support by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology; www.cost.eu), in the framework of COST Action CA22116 (The Great Leap. Multidisciplinary approaches to health inequalities, 1800-2022; www.greatleap.eu).”

iv) In the case of a publication in which one of the authors has been directly financed by one of the CA22116 open calls (e.g. STSM, CG): “[Name Surname] would like to acknowledge the direct support by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology; www.cost.eu), in the framework of COST Action CA22116 (The Great Leap. Multidisciplinary approaches to health inequalities, 1800-2022; www.greatleap.eu).”

• The Grantee must collect a certificate of attendance and prepare a scientific report.
• Scientific report templates are available in the Grant Awarding User Guide or through the following links: ITCCG_Report_Template; DCG_Report_Template
• The required report should describe conference details in terms of the grantee’s visibility, including the establishment of new contacts for future collaborations.

Reporting and claim for payment of the grant:

• When the activity has ended, the Grantee must upload in e-COST within 30 days after the end date of the activity or 15 days after the end of the Grand Period, whichever comes first, the required documentation:
  • scientific report,
  • certificate of attendance,
  • programme of the conference or book of abstracts/proceedings indicating the oral/poster presentation,
  • copy of the given presentation (oral or poster for ITC CG; oral for DCG).
• The scientific report must be approved by GREATLEAP Assessment Committee.
• If the report is approved, the Grant Holder financial and accounting department will process the Grant transfer.
• Failure to submit the scientific report within the requested period will effectively cancel the grant.

Dissemination and visibility of a grantee:

The report and the given presentation will be uploaded to GREATLEAP webpage www.greatleap.eu and social media accounts. It is recommended to produce photos and videos about the mobility which can be placed on the CA website, the on-line newsletter and other communication media.

For more general information on ITC CGs/DCGs please contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator:
Dr. Tim Riswick, Radboud University, tim.riswick@ru.nl