Examples of activities that can be performed by the VM grantee are:

• Virtual mentoring scheme, with special focus on activities and exchanges that can generate capacity building and new skills, particularly for Young Researchers and Innovators (e.g. managerial skills, methodological skills, communication skills, etc);
• To support the harmonization and standardization of methods and procedures within the Action networking activities, e.g. setting up a survey amongst all Action members to collect different results and outcomes from experiments done in their respective labs and research groups; coordinating the discussions to create common protocols to be used by the network afterwards; preparing questionnaires and response scales to be used by the Action members as part of virtual networking activities.
• To support the implementation of research coordination related activities that do not necessarily require in-person presence, e.g. computational or modelling activities; data analysis of the Action for a specific report or activity.

To be determined.

Five VM grants (each €1000) are available for this grant period.

Applications will be assessed based on eligibility, scientific merit, alignment with LILY objectives, impact, contribution to COST excellence and inclusiveness policies (e.g., support for young researchers and gender balance), and the potential for fostering interdisciplinary collaborations based on the following criteria:

Scientific quality of the proposal:

• Relevance: Alignment with the scientific scope of COST Action LILY.
• Innovation: Contribution to interdisciplinary research, international collaboration, and new knowledge within LILY’s objectives.
• Feasibility: The likelihood of achieving the proposed objectives within the VM timeframe.
• Career Impact: How the VM will enhance the applicant’s professional development.
• Access to resources: Utilization of unique facilities, expertise, or equipment unavailable at the applicant’s home institution.

Applicant qualifications:

• CV and research background: The applicant’s qualifications, experience, and research contributions.
• Publication record: Preference will be given to applicants with publications related to the LILY Action themes.

Prioritization Criteria:

• Young Researchers and Innovators (YRI): Preference will be given to applicants under the age of 40 and PhD students.
• Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC): Priority will be given to applicants affiliated with institutions in ITC countries, though applications from non-ITC institutions are also welcome.
• Gender balance: LILY is committed to promoting gender equality in all activities.

Applications should be submitted via e-COST platform.

To be filled in e-COST:

• Title of the activity
• Start and end date (must fall within the active Grant Period, i.e., no overlap across two consecutive Grant Periods)
• Budget requested
• Information about the host institution and contact person (the host institution must be in a different country than the applicant’s affiliation)

To be uploaded to e-COST:

• Application form (template available on e-COST) including:
  • The main objective of the activity
  • Description of the work to be carried out
  • Plan for participation
  • Expected outcomes
  • Contribution to the Action’s MoU objectives
• Any additional documents required by the Action (e.g., recommendation letter)

For more information, please see the Application Guide.

VM Reporting (e-COST template)

Reporting

Within 30 days after the VM’s completion, the grantee must submit a scientific report to both the host institution and the Action Management Committee (MC).

The report must include:

• The purpose of the VM
• Work carried out
• Main achievements
• Future follow-up activities
• The report must follow the official scientific report template, available in the Grant Awarding user guide and on the e-COST Supporting Documents page.

Apart from the report, selected participants are required to record a short video (up to 3 minutes) at the end of their VM activities. In this video, participants should briefly present their work, key achievements, and highlights from the experience. The video, along with other communication materials, will be shared on LILY’s social media channels.

Host institution approval

After submitting the scientific report, the grantee must obtain an official acceptance confirmation from a researcher affiliated with the host institution.

The host institution’s approval can be a formal email confirming that:

• The VM took place.
• The goals outlined in the work plan were achieved.

Document submission and grant completion

• The grantee must upload both the scientific report and the host institution’s acceptance confirmation (both in PDF format) to the e-COST system for the completion of the VM.
• Failure to submit these documents will result in the cancellation of the Grant.
• Late submission may also lead to Grant cancellation and may require reimbursement of pre-paid funds.

Grant compliance

If any conditions or obligations are not met, the grant report will be rejected, and the grant will be canceled.

For further details on COST rules and Short-Term Scientific Missions, please refer to the COST Grant Awarding User Guide and COST Annotated Rules.