Second Call for Hosting a Training School
Second Call for Hosting a Training School COST Action Maternal Perinatal Stress and Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: Maximising infants’ development (TREASURE)
Applications for hosting a Training School will be open from February 25 to March 11, 2026.
The selected Training School must take place between May 20 – July 15, 2026.
1. TS AND TREASURE
This is the second call for hosting a Training School (TS) funded by Cost Action CA22114. TS aims to facilitate capacity building on maternal perinatal stress and adverse outcomes in the offspring by allowing COST Actions to train researchers and innovators in such a highly specialized topic essential for the TREASURE COST Action. TS can also be used to achieve specific results (e.g., data collection or analysis, training on methodologies developed by the Action) in support of the objectives of the TREASURE COST Action.
TREASURE is a four-year COST ACTION that started on 09/11/2023. The main goal is to address the effect of maternal stress on infant health in the short and long term. The activities in TREASURE are structured in six Working Groups (WGs). Details on the content and goals of each WG are available in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22114/
WHAT IS TREASURE?
TREASURE is a four-year COST ACTION that started on 09/11/2023. The main goal is to address the effect of maternal stress on infant health in the short and long term. The activities in TREASURE are structured in six Working Groups (WGs). Details on the content and goals of each WG are available in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22114/
2. APPLICATION
When organizing Training Schools, the following conditions shall be respected:
- The Training School shall have COST Action scientific and networking objectives as its main focus. The COST Action also must be one of the primary organizers of the Training School. For co-organized Training Schools, the same conditions should be fulfilled for co-organized events (see Co-location and Co-organization of Action events, p. 78 Ann. rules).
- The Training School program shall incorporate theoretical and practical components.
- The COST Action should be clearly promoted on all dissemination channels, namely the official website of the COST Action and event, brochures, and all training material.
- The Training School is recommended to last a minimum of 3 days.
- A ratio of at least 3 Trainees to 1 Trainer is recommended.
Trainer, Trainee, and Local Organizer(s) must be COST members.
Training Schools should be delivered in presence. However, the host institution may allocate a limited number of seats for virtual participation, subject to approval by the Action MC.
TREASURE COST Action has an available budget for supporting the TS (i.e., travel and daily allowance costs of trainers and trainees).
IMPORTANT. The present TS must be delivered by July 15, 2026.
3. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
COST members who are interested in applying to host the TS must send a letter mentioning the location and explaining the proposed topic of the TS, how it aligns with TREASURE’s aims, the program draft, and the proposed dates, trainers and number of trainees to Dr. Nicola Carone (Training School and Workshop Coordinator; nicola.carone@uniroma2.it) and Dr. Rafael A. Caparros-Gonzalez (Action Chair; rcg477@ugr.es). The application deadline is March 11, 2026.
Applications will be forwarded to the Training School Committee, who will evaluate all submitted applications in the context of their compatibility and relevance with the Action topic.
Applicants will be informed of the Training School Committee’s decision by two weeks from the closure date of the call (March 25). If necessary, adjustments to the program and trainers will be made in coordination with the Committee.
For any other aspect not explicitly mentioned here about Training Schools, please refer to ANNOTATED RULES FOR COST ACTIONS (p. 75).
4. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Each proposal will be rated by the Training School Committee of the Action, and an evaluation score will be assigned based on its relevance to TREASURE, the feasibility of the proposed TS (e.g., dates, duration), and scientific profiles of proposed Trainers and sustainability of the proposed location in relation to TREASURE COST Action focus (see Annex 1).
The selection will follow the COST policies on inclusiveness (gender, age, geography), as indicated in the “ANNOTATED RULES FOR COST ACTIONS” document.
The Action Chair and the Grant Awarding Coordinator will approve the final ranking.
