COST programme is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars across Europe. COST funds pan-European, bottom-up networks of scientists and researchers across all science and technology fields. These networks, called 'COST Actions', promote international coordination of nationally-funded research with a duration of four years. The International Network to Encourage the Use of Monitoring and Forecasting Dust Products (inDust) is the COST Action CA16202.
Through bottom-up, open and excellence-driven COST Actions and activities, the policy nurtures talent and creativity. It is developed around three main elements :
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geographical spread: encouraging the involvement of researchers from countries outside Europe
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career stage: involving early career investigators
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gender balance
The COST Actions are active through a range of networking tools, such as workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions (STSMs), and dissemination activities. COST does not fund research itself.