The COST Strategic Plan introduces the Cross-Cutting Activity (CCA) as a tool to better connect policy makers and R&I players to share best practices. The primary beneficiaries of the outcomes will be COST Action participants and the wider R&I (policy) community in Europe.
Cross-Cutting Activity on career development for young researchers
Launching in December 2024 this new Cross-Cutting Activity dives into the need to improve career development conditions to attract and retain the best researchers in Europe. It will run until November 2026.
A unique network, consisting of (young) researchers, career advisory experts and key stakeholder organisations, will work together towards achieving a more balanced brain circulation and improved career development of young researchers. This CCA will be guided by the Council Recommendation on a European Framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe (2023) and European Charter for Researchers (2023).
Cross-Cutting Activity on science communication
In 2019, COST introduced a pilot CCA on science communication. This CCA used COST’s networking instruments to achieve several deliverables in the context of the following specific objectives:
- Create learning tools to enhance the value and impact of public engagement with science;
- Explore ways of achieving high-quality, evidence-based, interdisciplinary science communication, targeting diverse audiences;
- Address the gap between the scientific community, policy makers, journalists and citizens/stakeholders; and
- Develop high-quality training in science communication.
“Europe needs a new ambitious research agenda for the science of science communication that will ensure robust, and socially sustainable relations between science, policy and society for the next decade. The CCA represents the European science communication community’s commitment to contributing to a better and stronger voice of science in Europe.”
Professor David Budtz Pedersen, Chair of the COST CCA on science communication.
