Open Calls
The short-term scientific mission grants aim to support capacity building and transfer of knowledge through bilateral/multilateral collaborations.
STSMs
Short-term scientific missions (STSMs).
List of completed STSMs missions
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Reeli Sirotkina (Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia) visited Jūratė Charenkova (Vilnius University Vilnius, LT)
Dates: 23/10/2024 to 31/10/2024
Title: Topics related to aging in Lithuanian and Estonian social work research and curricula
The scientific mission fostered valuable collaborations on aging-in-place and long-term care through meetings organized by Vilnius University. Key outcomes included plans to build a Baltic network for social work gerontology research, collaboration with the SHARE database, and joining efforts on the upcoming COST Action focused on healthy housing for older adults. This collaboration enhances regional research efforts and supports the development of aging knowledge across Baltic countries.
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Elma Berisha (Ibn Haldun University, Istanbul, Türkiye) visited Vjollca Ahmedi (University of Prishtina Prishtina , XK)
Dates: 22/10/2024 to 31/10/2024
Title: Age-sensitivity for workplace/career related psychometrics
This STSM highlighted significant gaps in career-related psychometric measures for the aging workforce, as much of the current research remains focused on psychiatric assessments. Helpful psychometric tools relevant to aging well, such as the Subjective Age Identity Scale and the Active Aging Scale, were identified as promising but underrepresented in workplace settings. Future work should explore these tools further, while expanding on ethical implications and technological applications, to develop a comprehensive framework for active aging in career contexts.
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Lara Bellotti (Alma Mater Studiorum - Universita Di Bologna, Cesena, Italy) visited Hannes Zacher (Leipzig University, Leipzig, DE)
Dates: 21/10/2024 to 31/10/2024
Title: Older Workers’ Psychological Processes for Extended Careers: The Role of Subjective Age and Future Time Perspectives
The STSM successfully met its objectives, providing valuable insights into subjective age and retirement planning by validating a new measure across Italian and Spanish samples and testing its psychometric properties. This work has enriched their understanding of how subjective age influences retirement expectations, preparation, and related anxieties, contributing to LeverAge’s mission on multilevel retirement and career outcomes. Furthermore, this collaboration strengthened ties among COST WG5 members and laid the groundwork for an upcoming empirical article and a proposed symposium presentation at EAWOP 2025, furthering the initiative’s academic and practical impact.
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Luca Fazi (University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy) visited Mo Wang (Warrington College of Business Gainesville, US)
Dates: 15/10/2024 to 31/10/2024
Title: DE&I impact of working technology
The STSM successfully advanced our research model by refining key measures; including adopting the Bruning et al. (2018) measure for Job Crafting and re-positioning Future Time Perspective as an independent variable with Age as a moderator. Additionally, they integrated a new measure of AI use in the workplace, informed by a focus group and interviews, with content validation planned for the next phase. With commitments from two Italian public organizations to begin data collection by December 2024, this project is well positioned for continued progress and impactful findings.
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Alireza Khoshghadam (Jonkoping University, Jönköping, Sweden) visited Konrad Turek (Tilburg University, Tilburg , NL)
Dates: 07/10/2024 to 31/10/2024
Title: Extending Research on Partial Retirement in Sweden to the Netherland: Collaboration with Dr. Konrad Turek
The STSM at Tilburg University was highly productive, allowing Khoshghadam to strengthen his research through valuable feedback from the Human Resource Department and establish connections with experts in his field. Engaging with Professor Arthur van Soest provided fresh insights into retirement economics, broadening his research perspective and paving the way for potential collaborations. This experience has enhanced the academic impact of his work and expanded his professional network in meaningful ways.
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Behice Pehlivan (Koç University, Istanbul, Türkiye) visited Michael S. North, (Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, US)
Dates: 01/08/2024 to 31/10/2024
Title: Age Diversity in Academia: Crafting an Intersectional Approach to Inclusion
The STSM successfully advanced research on age diversity in academia by narrowing its focus to explore how higher education can support skill development and lifelong learning for older adults. Collaborative work with Professor Michael North’s team at NYU enabled a transdisciplinary approach that generated innovative ideas on inclusive classroom dynamics, multigenerational enrollment models, and career support for aging societies. The outcomes directly support the LeverAge COST Action goals, positioning the research for further impact through continued collaboration, publications, and potential policy influence.
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Libby Drury (Birkbeck College - University Of London, London, United Kingdom) visited Ulrike Fasbende (University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, DE)
Dates: 22/09/2024 to 28/09/2024
Title: A Social Network Paradigm to examine Age Diverse Friendships at Work
The STSM effectively met its goals and provided valuable theoretical insights that will guide future data collection and a theoretical manuscript on age-diverse friendships in the workplace. The preliminary data analysis confirmed the reliability of measured constructs and the expected relationships, setting a foundation for further model testing. Additionally, discussions on Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Dyadic Designs enriched our approach to examining age-diverse friendships and laid the groundwork for methodological advances in upcoming studies, including a theoretical development paper scheduled for early 2025.
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Hila Axelrad (Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel) and Slavka Silberg (Univerzita Palackeho V Olomouci, Olomouc, Czechia) visited Sara Zaniboni (University of Bologna, Bologna, IT)
Dates: 15/09/2024 to 21/09/2024
Title: Organizational factors and HRM practices influencing intergenerational learning, job satisfaction and knowledge sharing in work teams (LEarnToknOw)
The recent STSM was highly productive, strengthening international coordination and advancing their project’s objectives. Hila Axelrad, Slavka Silberg and additional collaborators, they successfully analyzed the current dataset, which includes 1,650 observations, and laid the groundwork for three joint research publications on organizational climate, knowledge sharing, and job satisfaction across age groups. These efforts, combined with new partnerships and plans for future symposia and publications, set a promising path toward deepening insights into the motivational dynamics and cross-cultural factors affecting aging workers in diverse organizational contexts.
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Rostyslav Chayka (Ukraine State Drahomanov University, Kyiv, Ukraine) visited Antje Schmitt (University of Groningen, Groningen, NL)
Dates: 02/09/2024 to 16/09/2024
Title: Career reinvention among aging IT professionals in times of war
The STSM at the University of Groningen yielded valuable insights into the complex interplay between age, technology, and work dynamics, particularly within the IT sector. Despite some logistical challenges, the mission’s adaptability led to enriched research methods, enhancing the study’s depth and relevance. The strong collaborative foundation established here sets the stage for impactful future projects that will advance both academic and practical understanding of aging within the workforce.
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Mariia Balytska and Nataliia Versal (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine) visited Professor Justin Marcus (Koç University, Istanbul, The Republic of Türkiye)
Dates: 28/07/2024 to 04/08/2024
Title: Remote working and AI in the context of work and aging: Evidence from Ukraine
The aim of the STSM was to develop a conceptual model that explores the intersection of aging and remote work, focusing on factors like work design, perceived worker-job match, and outcomes for remote workers. Additionally, they outlined a data collection plan to validate this model, contributing to COST Action CA22120’s objectives of advancing knowledge on work and aging and promoting age-inclusive organizational strategies.
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Gemma McCarthy (University of Limerick, Ireland) visited Professor Dorien Kooij (Tilburg University, Netherlands)
Dates: 06/05/2024 to 15/05/2024
Title: A longitudinal Study of the Fluctuations in Perceived Work Ability over Time
The STSM at the University of Groningen yielded valuable insights into the complex interplay between age, technology, and work dynamics, particularly within the IT sector. Despite some logistical challenges, the mission’s adaptability led to enriched research methods, enhancing the study’s depth and relevance. The strong collaborative foundation established here sets the stage for impactful future projects that will advance both academic and practical understanding of aging within the workforce.