Information

Among the instruments of a COST Action are the Conference Grants. This is a new instrument started in 2017.
According to the COST H2020 Vademecum, Conference Grants are "aimed at supporting PhD students and ECI researchers from Participating ITC to attend international science and technology related conferences not specifically organised by the COST Action".

A Conference Grant is a fixed financial contribution which takes into consideration the budget request of the applicant and the outcome of the evaluation of the STSM application as determined by the IPEMA Conference Grant Committee (Chair, Vice Chair, Conference Grant Coordinator and leader of the most relevant Work Group). Conference Grants do not necessarily cover all expenses related to attending a conference. The Grant is a contribution to the overall travel, accommodation and meal expenses of the Grantee. The Grant may also cover registration fees.

This year (1st May 2019 -  30th April 2020) IPEMA will support 7 Conference Grants. The calculation of the contribution for a Conference Grant is based on the following rules:  

• Up to a maximum of EUR 1 500 in total can be afforded to each successful applicant for participation in a conference held in a European country; in justified individual cases, the maximum grant can be increased up to 2500 EUR.
• Up to a maximum of EUR 2 500 in total can be afforded to each successful applicant for participation in a conference help in a non-European country.
• Up to a maximum of EUR 160 per day can be afforded for accommodation and meal expenses;
• Up to a maximum of EUR 500 can be claimed for the conference fees to be incurred by the selected Grantee.

In addition when meal and accommodation expenses are supported by the conference organisers as part of the provisions offered in their conference package, the amount for subsistence afforded to each eligible participant must be deducted from the Grant.

Participants must pay all costs up front and are reimbursed after the conference.
Reimbursement is subjected to the production of a report thet must be sent within 2 weeks after the end of the conference.

Who can Apply?

The following eligibility criteria apply:

• Conference Grants are exclusively reserved for PhD students and ECI’s⁽¹⁾ with a primary affiliation in an institution participating in IPEMA and located in an ITC⁽²⁾.
• The applicant must make an oral/poster presentation at the conference in question and must be listed in the official event/conference programme. The main subject of the oral presentation / poster presentation / speech at the approved conference must be on the topic of the Action and must acknowledge COST.
• The participation of each applicant must be pre-approved by the Conference Grant Committee (Chair, Vice Chair, Conference Grant coordinator, leader of the most relevant Work Group).
• Attendance at European conferences is preferred. However, conferences held elsewhere can also be considered.

⁽¹⁾ ECI = Early Career Investigator (within 8 years of PhD defense)

⁽²⁾ ITC = Inclusiveness Target Country:  Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Serbia and Turkey.

How to Apply

Did you check whether you may apply?

You must use the on-line application form to register your request for a Conference Grant.

Application deadlines

For conferences taking place before 28th February 2019, applications can be made anytime until 1st September 2018.
Applicants will hear the outcome of their decision within one month after the application.
The conference must be completed by 28^th February 2019.

Who decides which applications will be supported?

The IPEMA Management Committee has delegated responsibility for the review of Conference Grants to the following group of people

• The Conference Grants coordinator
• The chair of IPEMA
• The Vice Chair of IPEMA
• The leader of the Working Group most concerned by the application

After the deadline, the above mentioned-group will review the applications and rank them if necessary, according to the specified criteria:

• accordance to the COST rules as described in the information section
• contribution of the presentation to IPEMA's objectives

Within one month of application, successful applicants will receive a Grant letter, confirming approval and indicating the level of the financial grant given.

Payment is made after due reporting

Within 2 weeks after the end of the conference, the Grantee must submit a scientific report to the appointed Conference Grant Coordinator
The report must include

• proof of all expenses incurred
• proof that the grantee is listed in the official conference programme.
• a copy of the abstract and/or any other document supporting the presentation. The financial support of COST must be acknowledged in all documents.

Please be aware that the report must be approved before the end of March following the end of the conference, in order that the payment can be made before the end of the Grant Period when the conference occured (30^th April)

Conference Grants that have been provided

No conference grant has so far been provided.

How to acknowledge the COST action IPEMA?

Please use the following text to acknowledge support form IPEMA

This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA15215 IPEMA (www.ca-ipema.eu), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology; www.cost.eu)