CALL FOR GRANTS (GP1)
The COST Action CA24160, COS-MICs ‘Comics and Sciences through Multidisciplinary Investigation and Collaboration’ offers two main types of funding through grants: 1) Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) and 2) Conference Grants, which include Dissemination Conference Grants, ITC Conference Grants, YRI Conference Grants. These grants provide financial support to eligible applicants for research mobility and conference participation that contribute to the scientific objectives of the Action.
Please click the links at the bottom of this page to learn more about each grant and find out if you are eligible for grants.
There is no fixed deadline: applications are accepted on a rolling basis. However, all funded activities must be completed within a single Grant Period of the Action (GP1 → to 1 Oct 2026). For this reason, COS-MICs strongly encourages early applications.
COS-MICs is organised into seven Working Groups, each focusing on a different way comics and science intersect: 1. Language of science through comics; 2. Science Fiction and Non-Fiction Narratives; 3. Comics and Science in Social Contexts; 4. Drawing Insights: Comic-Based Practice and Research; 5. Comics in Science Education; 6. Exploring Gender Through Science and Comics; 7. Communication, Dissemination and Training. You can find more details about each Working Group in the “Working Groups” tab on the COS-MICs website and on the Memoradum of Understanding. When applying, please consider which Working Group (or Groups) your project best fits and mention this in the relevant sections of the application form.
CONTACT: If you have any questions, please contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator, Ana Matilde Sousa: asousa@campus.ul.pt
Grants are awarded in line with COST’s core principles of excellence, inclusiveness, and balance:
– Applications are assessed holistically based on the overall quality and clarity of the written proposal, as well as how well the activity fits the aims of the COS-MICs Action. The evaluation also takes into account gender, institutional, and geographical balance, and aims to ensure a fair distribution of grants across the different Working Groups.
– Applicants affiliated with institutions in Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs) and Near Neighbour Countries (NNCs) are particularly encouraged to apply.
ITCs include: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. NNCs include: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Jordan, Kosovo, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
– Overall, applications are reviewed through a structured but holistic process, considering the quality, relevance, and feasibility of the proposal together with the applicant’s profile, to ensure alignment with the scientific objectives and values of the COS-MICs Action.
Applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:
– Relevance to the Action: How well the proposed activity aligns with the scientific aims, scope, objectives and priorities of COS-MICs, including its Working Groups. A clear and well-structured plan with realistic objectives and timing is essential.
– Quality and clarity of the proposal: The overall strength, coherence, and clarity of the application, including how well it explains the purpose, relevance, and timeliness of the proposed activity.
– Appropriateness of the host institution, conference, or context: The scientific or strategic rationale for the chosen host institution, conference, or activity, and how it supports the proposed research, dissemination, or networking objectives.
– Home institution context and network balance: Consideration of the applicant’s home institution in order to support a balanced and inclusive distribution of grants across the COS-MICs network, with particular attention to participation from Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs) and Young Researchers and Innovators (YRIs).
– Applicant profile: The applicant’s ability to successfully carry out the proposed activity, assessed in relation to their experience, expertise, and career stage.
– Expected outcomes and impact: The potential of the proposed activity to lead to meaningful outcomes, such as research outputs, collaborations, knowledge exchange, or other forms of dissemination, as outlined in the application.