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ABG joins COST Cross Cutting Activity Career development for young researchers

ABG was invited as a core member to a working group of the COST Cross-Cutting Activity on Career Development for Young Researchers, reflecting our commitment to advancing early-career researcher development on an international level. The inaugural event for this two-year program was held in Brussels, on December 3rd. Read further to learn more about COST actions, and this specific program.

Introduction to COST

CCA objectives

ABG's role in CCA

Upcoming events and opportunities within COST community

Introduction to COST

COST stands for "European Cooperation in Science and Technology". It is a funding organization created in 1971 by 19 countries to establish research networks called COST Actions. These networks offer a space for collaboration across Europe (and beyond), driving advancements and innovation by connecting individuals from diverse scientific fields and sectors. Currently, COST includes 41 member countries, along with 1 Cooperating Member and 1 Partner Member. COST Actions fund projects across all scientific domains, bringing together researchers and innovators at every career stage to explore chosen topics for four years.

A key requirement for obtaining the COST funding is the involvement of experts from at least seven COST member countries, with at least half originating from inclusiveness target countries (where research activity is less intensive). A unique feature of this funding is the possibility for new members to join the network at any point during its duration.

Among the activities that can be covered by the funding are:

organisation of conferences,
workshops,
training schools
short term scientific missions
communication and dissemination activities.

Since its creation, COST has consistently worked to improve and develop new opportunities for the European research community. In 2019, the Innovators Grant was introduced, offering 12-month support and access to the same networking activities as COST Actions. This grant has now become an integral part of COST under Horizon Europe. Furthermore, COST Academy provides valuable training, workshops, and webinars on topics highly relevant for the effective operation of research networks within COST Actions. Recognizing the vital role of young researchers in the Research and Innovation, COST has created a Young Researchers module in COST Academy as well as Young Researcher Conference Grants (to read more see).

CCA objectives

In response to global trends, COST acknowledges the importance of attracting and retaining top young minds in Europe. Thus, a new 2-year Cross-Cutting Activity (CCA) was launched in December 2024 to look for improvement of career development conditions for young researchers. Judith Litjens, a Policy Adviser at COST Association, reach out to and created a network consisting of young researchers, career advisory experts from 18 countries, and key stakeholder organizations such as European Commission's Joint Research Centre, European University Association (EUA) Council for Doctoral Education, Marie Curie Alumni Association, Science Europe. The network's goal is to identify and develop recommendations for policymakers, along with guidelines and good practices for countries where career development activities for researchers are still in their early stages. This COST CCA is co-chaired by two young researchers: Nicola Dengo and Joanna Rutkowska, representatives of eurodoc (European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers). They help coordinate the common efforts of four working groups established to achieve the network's objectives:

Young Researchers,
Career Advisory and Support Services;
Building a Young Researchers' Community in COST Actions;
Gender Equality and Fostering Inclusiveness.

The network aims to enhance career development opportunities for researchers across Europe by focusing on these key areas. Over the years, multiple actions have been taken to strategically address the careers of researchers in Europe. Starting with the Framework programs established in 1984 to support research funding, these efforts have evolved, including initiatives specifically focused on young researchers such as the Marie Sklodowska-C urie Actions established in 1996 for doctoral and postdoctoral training. More recently, the SECURE – Sustainable Careers for Researcher Empowerment project (2023-2024) aimed to improve the attractiveness and reduce the precarity of research careers. COST CCA will take all the previous learnings and follow up to bring impactful solutions, that could be applied on the institutional/systemic level (e.g., specific policies) and the local level through creation of community of practice based on successfully implemented solutions, across different countries, related to career advisory and support services and propose strategies for promoting equality and inclusiveness.The program will develop and propose the most effective tools and strategies to achieve its goals.

The COST headquarters and the team present during the the launch meeting and the working group of career advisors
(photo credits COST).

ABGs' role in CCA

ABG has a long-standing history as a career advisor in France, with over 40 years of experience. We support researchers by group workshops but also individual career guidance. Our international activities and the multinational team of PhDs, with diverse backgrounds and passed career stages, provide us with a unique perspective on this complex subject. Especially by regular training of internatioal doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from the MSCA Doctoral Network and Cofund programs led in France and abroad (for details read here) we gained a wide overwiev on the career of young researchers, that we will use during work in the COST CCA, to make a meaningful difference for future generations of researchers in Europe.