COST Open Call 2026 initial analysis
On 28 October, COST closed the call for new COST Action proposals (OC-2026-1). Interim analysis shows the following:
- The highest number of proposals ever submitted to a COST Open Call, with a 27% increase compared to OC-2025.
- All 42 COST Member Countries participated in this call as Main Proposers. Italy had the most Main Proposers, followed by the United Kingdom and Spain.
- Over 68,000 Main and Secondary Proposers participated, which is a 33.8% increase compared to the previous call.
- 60% of the proposals cover two or more main fields of science, which is a 5% increase compared to OC-2025. (28% Social Sciences; 24% Natural Sciences; 17% Engineering and Technology; 17% Medical and Health Sciences; 10% Humanities and 5% Agricultural Sciences)
- 33% of Main Proposers are affiliated with institutions in Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs), which is a 2% increase compared to OC-2025.
The highest number of proposals ever with
1,390 proposals
- Gender Balance of main proposers: 49% women and 51% man
Next steps
The proposals will now undergo evaluation. Up to 80 COST Actions will be approved in May 2027.