COST ACTION CA20116

11th Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions & 2nd Senior Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions are open for submission

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11th Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions & 2nd Senior Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions are open for submission

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to inform you that both the 11th Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) and the 2nd Senior Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions, funded by the COST action European Network for Innovative and Advanced Epitaxy (CA20116 – OPERA), are open for submissions. These calls will fund Short-Term Scientific Missions taking place from 1 April to 15 June 2025. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 1 February 2025 and the decision will be communicated to applicants on 1 March by e-mail.

Detailed information about the STSM programs can be found in the attached document “OPERA-CA20116_STSM Rules_Fourth Grant Period”. We kindly recommend all applicants to carefully read this document, which explains the different calls, the STSM objectives, who is eligible, the organizational and financial aspects, and the evaluation procedure of these competitive calls.

How to apply: The applications must be exclusively submitted through the e-cost platform (https://e-services.cost.eu/). Besides filling the information requested online, you will have to submit (upload) the 5 mandatory documents described in the “OPERA-CA20116_STSM Rules_Fourth Grant Period” document. These 5 documents are:

  1. STSM application form. You must use the downloadable template available at the e-cost platform.
  2. Confirmation letter of the host on the agreement from the host institution in receiving the applicant. This letter, issued by the host institution, should confirm the acceptance of the applicant by the host institution to carry out the proposed STSM. The letter must also indicate who the senior researcher in charge of the applicant at the host institution will be. Such a senior researcher will be appointed as tutor of the applicant for reporting purposes. This letter can also indicate the mutual benefit of the STSM from the point of view of the host institution. We encourage applicants to use the template above.
  3. A letter of support from the home Institution. This letter can also explain the mutual benefit of the STSM from the point of view of the home institution. There is no template for this document.
  4. A full C.V. limited to 2 pages using the Europass template including: date of birth; current position: e.g. PhD student, Post Doc (specify date of PhD award), Assistant Professor, Employee, Research fellow…, the number of years since obtaining PhD Degree, where applicable, a list of academic publications.
  5. Extended STSM application form. This document is similar to the STSM application form described above, but it contains further information necessary for the reviewing process. Besides providing here detailed budget and travel plans, you are also asked to provide an extended scientific work plan (max 2 pages, including motivation) to properly describe the state of the art, the methods and the objectives. The work plan should highlight the expected added value (including training benefits and know-how transfer) of the STSM for you as well as for the host and home institutions. The STSM duration has to be justified within the work plan section too. (You must use the template above).

Importantly, after the STSM, all STSM grantees will have to submit a scientific report using the template “STSM-report” (also available at the e-COST platform) on the given time for the respective call (see “OPERA-CA20116_STSM Rules_Fourth Grant Period” document).

We are looking forward for receiving your application.

Sincerely,

OPERA STSM team