Third Call for Virtual Mobility (VM) Grant
Third Call for a Virtual Mobility Grant (VM) COST Action Maternal Perinatal Stress and Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: Maximising infants’ development (TREASURE)
The call for Applicants will be open from the 14th of July until the 27th of July 2026 for a Virtual Mobility (VM) grant. VM Grants must be carried out and completed between September 15th and October 15th, 2026. Applicants will be informed of the selection results during September 2026.
1. VM AND TREASURE
This is the third call for VM funded by Cost Action CA22114. VM enables collaboration in an online setting among researchers within the COST Action, facilitating knowledge exchange, supporting the harmonisation and standardisation of methods and procedures, enhancing data analysis and data management of the Action, and fostering skills development in areas of interest for the TREASURE COST Action.
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
TREASURE offers at least one VM grant, the final number of grants awarded will depend on the final available budget. The grant contributes to the overall effort of the grantee but does not necessarily cover all expenses related to undertaking the VM activity. The maximum amount per Grant is 1,500 EUR.
The VM Grant Applicant(s) are Action participants, i.e., Management Committee members, Management Committee Observers, Working Group members, ad-hoc contributors to a COST Action, with a primary affiliation to a legal entity located in a COST Full or Cooperating Member country, a COST Near Neighbour country or a European RTD Organisation.
VM Grant Applicants shall be enrolled in an official research programme as a PhD student or postdoctoral fellow or employed by or affiliated with an institution, organisation or legal entity that has a clear association with performing research.
IMPORTANT. VM Grants must be carried out and completed between September 15th and October 15th, 2026.
3. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Applications for VM are managed through the e-COST management tool. The applicants will complete the information on the website and upload the following documents:
- To be filled in e-COST:
- Title of the VM Grant
- Start and end date
- Budget requested by the applicant
- To be uploaded to e-COST:
- APPLICATION FORM, including a work plan detailing the proposed activities. The work plan should describe goals, the work to be carried out by the applicant, plan for participation, expected outcomes and how it contributes to the Action objectives. Template available on e-COST and Annex II.
- CV, including a list of academic publications if applicable.
- Contribution to the COST Action Strategy: How will the VM contribute to the COST Excellence with a focus on data analysis and data management.
For further details, the applicant may visit the Annotated Rules. For additional information on the submission via the e-COST system, applicants may visit the Grant Awarding User Guide.
4. GRANT AWARDING CRITERIA
Each proposal will be ranked by the Grant Awarding Committee of the Action, and an evaluation score will be assigned based on its relevance to TREASURE, with a focus on secondary data analysis, which is currenty a priority for the Treasure Cost Action. The quality of the work plan, and the applicant’s CV will also be evaluated (annex I).
The selection will follow the COST policies on inclusiveness:
- Geographical spread, applicants from ITC countries will receive 10 points (annex I). ITC counties: https://www.cost.eu/about/strategy/excellence-and-inclusiveness/.
- Career stage: young researchers will receive 10 points (annex I).
- Gender balance (if there is a tie in the selection process, we will prioritise gender balance).
The final ranking will be approved by the Action Chair and the Grant Awarding Coordinator.
5. REPORTING AND CLAIM FOR PAYMENT OF THE GRANT
After the VM activity concludes, the Grantee must submit the requiered reports and relevant documentation in e-COST within 30 days of the activity’s end date. Payment is claimed by submitting the report through e-COST. It is noted that if the applicant does not submit the required report on time, the grant is cancelled.
The required report / documentation for claiming a VM Grant is:
- Report to the Action on the work developed, main outcomes and achieved outputs of the VM (including any specific MoU deliverables, or publications resulting from the VM), and description of future follow-up collaborations.
