Virtual Mobility & Networking Activities for COST Actions
With the COST Virtual Mobility & Networking Activities we offer customized
interactive online meetings, workshops and training courses as well as
entertaining networking events to support projects of the EU funding program COST.
We here at VascAgeNet organized several events (e.g., social events, review workshops) with Nicole. Her professional and empathic approach is an inspiration for all our ongoing activities and beyond. We learned a lot through the collaboration with Nicole.
Christopher Mayer, COST Action Chair VascAgeNet CA18216International research networks require personal interaction for creating new ideas. The CoViD-19 pandemic posed a major threat for international collaboration, when everything was shifted to the digital space. Thanks to Nicole, our COST Action gained new impulses and spirits. Her precious work, regarding digital social events and joint design workshops clearly showed us the importance of professional support in holding online meetings and events. Everything looks simple at first glance but turns out to be much more difficult when you really deal with online moderation.
Gregor Götzl, COST Action Chair Geothermal-DHC CA18219We were extremely happy with the services offered by Nicole & Sarah. Everything was very professional, well planned, customized to our needs, and I would without second thoughts go back to them for our next virtual social event, since the whole process was so effortless and successful.
Kareem Elsayad, COST Action Chair BioBrillouin CA16124Nicole’s training was highly valued for the quality, the enthusiasm, and the fact that she opened our eyes for the opportunities in virtual meeting spaces. With an open mind, an ear for the concerns of participants, competence and enthusiasm, Nicole has been an inspiration to us and made us meet the challenges during the preparations for our hybrid conference.
Silke Neunsinger, COST Action member WORCK CA18205The last two years, we’ve all done a great job adapting to a changed work environment and learning new skills to successfully collaborate online.
Still, there are way too many online meetings held via “death by power point” with no real interaction, no activations, and “ZOOM fatigue” as well as the lack of social connection remains a challenge.
Particularly for COST Actions, fundamentally relying on networking and interpersonal connectivity, it is often a struggle to keep up the commitment and connection of their Action partners when mainly collaborating online.
The COST Virtual Mobility (VM) Grants offer a great opportunity to invest into a professional facilitation to sustainably improve virtual collaboration. By integrating interactive teambuilding activities into virtual meetings, we can now ensure a successful continuity of a vital COST networking.
Funded by VM grants or through the Local Organiser Support (LOS) for virtual meetings, together we can create efficient and engaging virtual events, granting rewarding results and satisfied participants.
Join us for interactive, activating and entertaining virtual meetings, workshops, training courses and evening events.
With our customized virtual events, we bring team spirit, creativity and efficient online collaboration to your COST Action network.
Possible virtual activities are:
Further customised events upon request.
Why “The Interactivist”?
I (Nicole) am an experienced & enthusiastic EU project manager myself. I have planned, conducted and actively participated (as facilitator, project manager, and work package leader) in numerous project meetings (mainly of FP6, FP7 and H2020 projects). I know the requirements of EU projects, the challenges, as well as the expectations of the European Commission, or other respective agencies like the COST Association.
I have also worked as COST National Coordinator (CNC) for Austria and represented Austria in the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) for many years. I supported COST applicants with their proposals, and organised networking events for Action Chairs and Grant Managers.
Above all, I know how important social interaction is in an EU project. How much better we collaborate when we know each other personally, when we spend an evening together sharing stories, laughing about intercultural differences and stereotypes. Developing a team culture, sharing common team values, and last but not least having fun together are essential parts of a successful collaborative project.
My cooperation partner Sarah and I have both worked for many years in the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) in program-, project- and event management and thus bring with us many years of experience on the “EU stage” in addition to our enthusiasm for digital tools, virtual events and social interaction.
Ultimately, as our clients can confirm, Sarah and I are really just fun working with, we are open-minded young professionals and we genuinely enjoy supporting our clients the best way we can.
