COST Academy Young Researcher Training

The programme featured presentations from inspiring speakers who highlighted how COST enables researchers to develop their ideas, expand networks, and build initiatives that reflect COST’s central values: supporting young scholars, advancing gender equality, and including participants from across Europe, with particular attention to less-represented regions. A notable example came from Dr. Adna Ašić, who once attended the same training and now leads her own COST Action. Her trajectory illustrated how aligning research with COST’s principles can help translate individual projects into broader collaborations with lasting impact. Other contributions, including those of Daniel Patauner and Amil Orahovac, underscored the added value of active participation in COST Actions. They emphasised that beyond research outputs, COST strengthens transferable skills, fosters intercultural dialogue, and provides opportunities to help shape future directions in science and society. The second day’s Personal Mastery Lab encouraged reflection on professional values, skills, and motivations. This component complemented the more technical aspects of the training by fostering a sense of awareness about how individual researchers can contribute meaningfully to collective efforts within COST. It was also an opportunity to reflect more deeply on the kind of researchers and individuals we aspire to be, and how research aligns with our personal values. The setting of Brussels, often described as the heart of Europe, provided a fitting backdrop. The city’s multilingual and multicultural character echoed COST’s ethos of crossing borders, breaking silos, and building bridges. Just as Brussels functions as a crossroads for ideas and institutions, COST Actions create inclusive spaces where diverse perspectives can come together in pursuit of common goals. For K-Peritia, which is dedicated to advancing the framework of cultural expertise, the training was particularly relevant. It reinforced how COST’s structures and support mechanisms can enhance engagement, ensure inclusivity, and extend the Action’s impact beyond its immediate network. I left the training with a clearer understanding of COST’s mission, renewed motivation to contribute within K-Peritia, and a stronger sense of how this work connects to broader European collaborations. More than a training event, it was a step towards more effective engagement within the Action itself and across the COST community.