COST Action Insect-IMP was prominently represented at the national COST information event “COST in Practice: From Idea to a Successful Proposal”, held on 20 January 2026 at the National Museum of Slovenia and organised by the Institute for Ethnic Studies, ARIS, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

The event brought together researchers from across Slovenia to learn how COST supports international collaboration, career development, and high-impact research. Among the key highlights was the final roundtable of successful COST Action leaders, where Dr Jana Obšteter (Agricultural Institute of Slovenia) presented her experience of coordinating and developing COST Action Insect-IMP.

During the discussion, Dr Obšteter explained how Insect-IMP developed from an initial idea into a strong European network, highlighting the strategic preparation of the proposal, the importance of partner selection, and the practical challenges of running a four-year COST Action. She also reflected on how COST provides an ideal framework for bringing together experts across disciplines and countries to address complex challenges related to insects and sustainable agricultural and environmental systems.

The roundtable, moderated by Blanka Mekinda Vidmar (ARIS), showcased Insect-IMP alongside other successful Slovenian-led COST Actions, reinforcing Slovenia’s role as an active and competitive participant in the COST programme.

By being featured at this national event, COST Action Insect-IMP demonstrated its visibility, scientific relevance, and strong integration within the European COST community, further strengthening its position as a key platform for international cooperation in insect-related research.