General Information and Application Process

ITC Conference grants aim to help PhD students and early-career investigators (ECI) from participating Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) to attend international science and technology related conferences that are not specifically organised by MINDDS. Potential applicants must bear in mind the following restrictions before considering their own application:

  • Applicants must be registered participants of MINDDS
    Only participants from institutions situated in ITC countries are eligible for this grant: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia and Turkey;
  • Applicants must either be PhD student or Early Career Investigator (ECI). The applicant must be engaged in an official research programme as a PhD Student or postdoctoral fellow;
  • The application must be submitted at least 45 days before the conference start date;
  • The conference needs to finish up to 30th April 2020 (end of the current Grant Period);
  • The application process must include an acceptance letter from the conference organisers (confirming either a speaking slot or a poster presentation). The applicant’s contribution must be related to the objectives of MINDDS, and must be listed in the official event/conference programme.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

A ITC Conference Grant is a fixed financial contribution which takes into consideration the budget request of the applicant and the outcome of the evaluation of the application by the delegated person(s).

Conference Grants do not necessarily cover all of the expenses related to participating in a given conference. A Conference Grant is a contribution to the overall travel, accommodation and meal expenses of the selected Grantee.

The calculation of the financial contribution for each Conference Grant must respect the following criteria:

  • Up to a maximum of EUR 2 500 in total can be afforded to each successful applicant;
  • Up to a maximum of EUR 160 per day can be afforded for accommodation and meal expenses;
  • Up to a maximum of EUR 500 can be claimed for the conference fees to be incurred by the selected Grantee.

In addition, when meal and accommodation expenses are provided as part of the conference package, the amount for subsistence afforded to each eligible participant must be deducted from the Grant. Documentary evidence of the conference fee amount must be provided by the applicant and will be archived by the Grant Holder along with the relevant administrative documents.

APPLICATION, APPROVAL AND PAYMENT PROCEDURE

Initial applications should be made to the ITC Grant Coordinator (jorgpaula@gmail.com) providing conference details and requested costs, an abstract of the presentation to be given and a personal CV.

Application, approval and payment procedures are managed through the e-COST platform, and are explained in detail in the user guide, http://www.cost.eu/media/cost_stories/conference-grants-new-vademecum-2017, Detailed information on participants’ eligibility, evaluation and selection, financial support, and grant payment procedures can be found in Section 8 of the COST Vademecum.

MINDDS AT THE WORLD CONGRESS OF PSYCHIATRIC GENETICS WCPG 2018

MINDDS at the World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics WCPG 2018

Dr Marina Mihaljevic, an early career investigator (ECI) and MC member for Serbia received a Inclusiveness Target Country ITC Conference grant to attend the World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, October 11-15 in Glasgow, UK.

Here is what she say about this great opportunity:

“It is my greatest pleasure to share experience with my ECI colleagues about ITC Conference Grant that supported my participation at the WCPG 2108. I presented a poster presentation entitled “Autistic traits and cognitive dysfunctions in children with pathogenic copy number variants: a pilot study from Serbia”. It was a privilege to present for the first time our work regarding MINDDS and established CNV research in Serbia. I discussed about our work and learned a lot from the eminent scientists in this filed. ITC Conference Grant gave me an extraordinary opportunity to improve and to learn about a broad range of different approaches in psychiatric genetic research which could be potentially implemented in our MINDDS network.

I am very grateful that COST action provides Conference Grant for ECI, especially for the one who are coming from ITC. I would like to support my ECI colleagues to submit their work related to MINDDS and to present our network in the best way at upcoming international conferences.”

ITC Conference grant, WCPG 2018

During our second grant period we have provided ITC Conference grant to our early career investigator dr Marina Mihaljevic, who is also a MC member from inclusiveness target country Serbia. Here is what she say about this great opportunity:

It is my greatest pleasure to share experience with my ECI colleagues about ITC Conference Grant. This grant supported my participation at the World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, which was organized October 11-15 in Glasgow. I had a poster presentation entitled “Autistic traits and cognitive dysfunctions in children with pathogenic copy number variants: a pilot study from Serbia”. Accordingly, I was privileged to present for the first time our work regarding MINDDS and established CNV research in Serbia. I discussed about our work and learned a lot from the eminent scientists in this filed. ITC Conference Grant gave me an extraordinary opportunity to improve and to educate myself in the best way towards broad range of different approaches in psychiatric genetic research which could be potentially implemented in our MINDDS network.

I am very grateful that COST action provides Conference Grant for ECI, especially for the one who are coming from ITC. I would like to support my ECI colleagues to submit their work related to MINDDS and to present our network in the best way at upcoming international conferences.