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Trans-Domain (TD)

Do you work in a research area which is interdisciplinary, yet does not find an outlet for development? Is your research agenda constrained by grant and funding opportunities that are too narrowly defined for your scientific networking purposes? Is an international network a potential solution?

TDP icon

Trans-Domain (TD) COST Actions offer researchers fertile ground for future networks across many science and technology disciplines, by allowing unusually broad, interdisciplinary proposals to cover several scientific Domains.

Submission of Trans-Domain Proposal (TDP)

Trans-domain Proposals cover two or more COST Domains.

A Pilot evaluation and selection procedure for the submission to the Open Call of Trans-Domain Proposals (TDP Pilot) was introduced in early 2013 (Open Call 2013-1). The TDP Pilot follows the Calendar and the Guidelines listed on the right-hand side of this page.

There are two key deadlines in the submission of a TDP Pilot Proposal, both requiring, as a pre-requisite, an up-to-date e-COST user profile:

Proposal Registration

The Proposals will first have to be registered via e-COST during a time window of six weeks. Proposal Registration consists of the title and acronym you wish to assign to the perspective COST Action, a short abstract (up to 250 words) and the proposal’s areas of expertise needed for its evaluation. This information will not be evaluated; it merely allows COST to pre-identify independent external experts to evaluate your proposal in a timely manner.

Proposal Submission

After registering your proposal, there will be a proposal submission deadline, also known as ‘Collection Date’.

For the first 2013 Open Call (Open Call 2013-1), dates are as follows:

More information can be found in the TDP Pilot Guidelines for Proposers and Evaluators, which is available for download.

TDP Pilot Evaluation Process

The ‘TDP Pilot’ procedure introduces several new features with the goal of being lighter, faster and simpler than in its current set-up. Instead of the two-stage submission of a Preliminary and Full Proposal currently in place for submissions within one single COST Domain, the TDP Pilot requires one single proposal submission.

Proposals will be remotely evaluated in two steps, preceding TDP Panel hearings:

  1. The first step will involve independent external experts. They evaluate the first two sections of the proposal describing the scientific and technological challenge the proposal addresses and the added value of networking to tackle this challenge. The objective of this first step is to guarantee the excellence and the trans-disciplinary quality of the proposal.
  2. The highest ranked proposals from step one will then be evaluated, as a second step, by the TDP Panel and Domain Committee (DC) Members. DC Members will evaluate the proposed milestones and deliverables and suggested Action structure and participation. The objective of this second step is to guarantee that the proposal has a coherent and feasible implementation plan, which matches the COST mission and criteria.

The best-ranked proposals will then be invited to present at the TDP Panel Hearings where the final selection will be made.

As part of the TDP Pilot evaluation procedure, a new proposal template, revised evaluation criteria and a reviewed scoring system have been developed. Also, proposers will receive informative feedback after each step in the evaluation process. The expected time gain from proposal submission to Action approval is of two months.

Approved TD COST Actions and examples

Once a Trans-domain Proposal is approved, it is assigned to one of the nine COST domains for further management and implementation. The complete list of Trans-Domain COST Actions (approved under the former selection procedure) can be viewed on the right-hand side of this page.


News

15 May 2013
Social Robots Entering our Future

Social Robotics event icon

On 10 to 13 June COST will organise a trans-disciplinary workshop in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss challenges, perception and applications of Social Robotics, as well as its role in current and future society. The event will be an opportunity to discuss the latest updates and network with the field’s top experts and… meet the robots themselves!

read more


13 May 2013
COST Action Grant Holders, check the new features of the 'Participate' section of the COST website!

We would like to inform all COST Action Grant Holders that the 'Participate' section of the COST website will be reorganised as of Tuesday 14 May at 12:00. These changes will also have an impact on the former 'Guidelines' page and the documents available herewith.

read more


25 March 2013
The latest issue of the COST Newsletter is now online

Stay up-to-date with COST's latest news and opportunities!

read more


Register Your Proposal

Contact Information

Dr Giuseppe Lugano
Science Officer Trans-Domain Proposals Contact Person for TDP
COST Office
Belgium
Tel. +32 (0)2 533 38 22
tdp@cost.eu

Dr Mafalda Quintas
Science Officer
COST Office
Belgium
Tel. +32 (0) 2 533 3834
tdp@cost.eu

TDP Pilot Calendar

15 February 2013

Registration of TDP Pilot Proposals opens

29 March 2013 at 17:00

Registration of TDP Pilot Proposals closes

14 June 2013 at 17:00 - Collection Date TDP Pilot Proposals

Step 1 - Challenge selection

9 August 2013 - Feedback by External Experts made available to proposers

Step 2 - Implementation Plan

13 September 2013 – Evaluation Feedback made available to proposers

Step 3 - TDP Panel Hearings

30 September 2013

2 October 2013 - Shortlist communicated to JAF

14 November 2013 - TDP Pilot Actions approved by CSO

15 November 2013 - Feedback by TDP Panel made available to proposers

Download the calendar (PDF, 33 kB)

Trans-Domain COST Actions


Last updated: 25 April 2013 top of page