[topicmapmail] Topic Maps COST Action (European Research Funding)

Tue Mar 6 11:32:45 EST 2007

Hi there,

this email might be especially interesting for you, if the institution 
or company you are affiliated to is situated in one of the 35 European 
countries listed below [1]. Otherwise, you are invited to read this 
email, too.

The European Commission provides a very interesting funding scheme for 
highly specialised research networks within Europe which are called COST 
Actions. The COST website is available at [2].

The following citation from the current call [3] summarises the scope of 
COST:
“COST brings together researchers and experts in different countries 
working on specific topics. It finances networking of nationally funded 
activities in supporting meetings, conferences, short term scientific 
exchange and outreach activities. COST therefore doe not fund research 
itself. Currently more than 200 scientific networks (Actions) are 
supported.”

Instruments of COST Actions are:
* Travel and subsistence – reimbursements for scientists for their 
attendance of meetings, workshops, conferences. (2 scientists per 
signatory country)
* Support for Meetings/Workshops/Conferences up to EUR 10k per event
* Short-term scientific missions (STSM) from 1 to 3 weeks up to EUR 2.5k
* Training Schools – teaching new technologies less than 5 days, up to 
30 persons
* Action General Support Grant – operational costs for website etc.
* Dissemination and Publications – funding of proceedings, website 
content etc.
* High Level Research Conferences
* “Near Neighbours” – funding travel for scientists from Balkan, 
Mediterranean Countries and Far Eastern Europe

Each COST Action will have a budget of around EUR 100k p.a. over 4 years 
for these instruments. Full information about COST is available at [4].

Furthermore, I’d like to highlight the following citation: “COST Actions 
are frequently the precursors for successful projects in the EU 
Framework Programme, expecially the larger networking tools such 
Networks of Excellence (NoE)” (or STREPs / IPs / etc.).

At the moment EU launches the FP7 (2007-2013) [5] with a substantial 
increase in funding budget. In FP6 Topic Maps was not visible at all! 
For the success of Topic Maps it is inevitable that this will change in 
FP7. We need Topic Maps in STREPs and IPs! I assume, that a Topic Maps 
COST-Action would be a very important piece in this puzzle. A Topic Maps 
NoE graduating from a COST Action would be a great thing for topic mapping …

Besides this importance for further proposals in FP7 or in national 
funding schemes, a Topic Maps COST-Action would provide important budget 
to strengthen the industrial and scientific research in Topic Maps (at 
least in Europe) – see the instruments of COST actions above. If there 
is a COST-Action, EUR 100k p.a. are available for building the community.

Therefore we want to apply for a Topic Maps COST Action and we cordially 
invite all interested researchers (in companies or at universities) 
situated in COST countries [1] to join this proposal. In a first step, a 
preliminary proposal of 1500 words (=3 pages!) have to be submitted 
until 2007-03-30. In the proposal the following issues have to be described:
* Background and Problems
* Benefits
* Objectives, Deliverables and Expected Scientific Impact
* Scientific Programme and Innovation
* Organisation

For an eligible proposal we need participants from at least 5 different 
COST countries [1]. But the more different countries we have, the 
merrier for the proposal. Furthermore, institutions from Non-COST 
countries (like US, South Korea, Australia, Japan) can join the COST action.

If you are interested in participating in the COST proposal, please send 
an email to me (Maicher at informatik.uni-leipzig.de). We will discuss the 
proposal internally via email with all interested parties within the 
next two weeks. I foresee a goal driven and efficient setup for the 
proposal, please do not hesitate to join.

In May 2006, out of 600 preliminary proposals around 40 have been 
accepted. There is a chance, the effort for a preliminary proposal is 
endurable and we can reuse it for other European funding schemes within 
FP7-People (aka Marie Curie)!

I’m looking forward to hear from you,
Lutz Maicher

[1] Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, 
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, 
Ireland, Isreal, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The 
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, 
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, The Republic of 
Serbia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

[2] http://www.cost.esf.org/
[3] http://www.cost.esf.org/fileadmin/cost_documents/general/Open_call.pdf
[4] http://www.cost.esf.org/fileadmin/publications/07-02.pdf
[5] http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html