erc grants in 2013: evaluation of proposals

ERC Grants in 2013: Evaluation of Proposals

Dr. Frank KuhnSocial Sciences & Humanities

Scientific Management DepartmentB.2 Starting Grant Unit

30 August, 2012 Research Funding Symposium (cancelled)

APSA, New Orleans

• Part 1 – Funding Schemes 2013• focus on:

• Starting Grant• Consolidator Grant

• Part 2 – Data from previous calls

OutlineOutline

European Research Council

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ERC profileERC profile

• ERC grants aim to support 'Frontier Research', in other words the pursuit of questions at or beyond the frontiers of knowledge, without regard for established disciplinary boundaries.

• Proposals of a multi- or interdisciplinary nature which cross the boundaries between different fields of research, pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions are encouraged, as long as the expected impact on science, scholarship or engineering is significant.

• The research proposed should has a high-gain/high-risk profile, i.e. if successful the payoffs will be very significant, but there is a higher-than-normal risk that the research project does not entirely fulfil its aims.


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ERC Funding SchemesERC Funding SchemesFreedom of the individual grantee Freedom of the individual grantee

ERC offers independence, recognition & visibility

• to work on a research topic of own choice, with a team of own choice

• to gain true financial autonomy for 5 years

• to negotiate with the host institution the best conditions of work

• to attract top team members (EU and non-EU) and collaborators

• to move with the grant to any place in Europe if necessary (portability of grants)

• to attract additional funding and gain recognition; ERC is a quality label

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ERC grant schemes - Strategic principlesERC grant schemes - Strategic principles

• All fields of science and scholarship are eligible• Investigator-driven, bottom-up

• Excellence is the only valid criterion• Individual team + research project• Irrespective of nationality, gender or age of researchers

• Investment in research talent• Attractive, flexible grants, up to five years• Under control of the Principal Investigator

• Independent individual teams in Europe• All nationalities can apply• Host organisation to be located in EU or Associated Country


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ERC Grant schemesERC Grant schemes

Four types of grants:

ERC Starting Grant (StG):Starting own independent research team or programme – € 1.5 M (up to € 2.0 M)/5 y

ERC Consolidator Grant (CoG):Consolidating own independent research team or programme – € 2.0 (up to € 2.75 M)/5 y

ERC Advanced Grant (AdG):Attract & reward established independent research leaders – € 2.5 (up to €3.5 M) /5 y

ERC Synergy Grants:Small groups of Principal Investigators – up to € 15 M/6 y

+ Proof of Concept funding


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ERC GrantsERC GrantsApplicants from outside EuropeApplicants from outside Europe

• Yes, you can. Candidates from outside Europe only need to find a EU-based host institution (HI) willing to host them for the duration of the project.• ERC Grants by now a household name in European academia• Likely to find a HI• cp. ERC website for succesful HIs ("funded projects")

Additional incentives for Non-EuropeansAdditional incentives for Non-Europeans

• can apply for substantial additional funding

• in general: European universities offer additional incentives to ERC Grantees (e.g. professorships, additional team positions)

““Can I apply as a Non-European?”Can I apply as a Non-European?”


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ERC Funding schemesERC Funding schemesPlanned budget 2012 & 2013Planned budget 2012 & 2013


StG and CoG 2013: StG and CoG 2013: Two separate callsTwo separate calls

The two streams of previous Starting Grant will be separated into two separate calls:

Starting Grant: 2 – 7 years after PhD Consolidator Grant: 7 – 12 years after PhD

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"ERC Starting Grants boost the independent careers of excellent researchers by providing adequate support at the critical stage where they are starting their own independent research team or programme."

ERC Starting Grants ObjectiveERC Starting Grants Objective

"ERC Consolidator Grants boost the independent careers of excellent researchers by providing adequate support at the critical stage where they are consolidating their own independent research team or programme."

ERC Consolidator Grants ObjectiveERC Consolidator Grants Objective


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ERC Starting and Consolidator GrantsERC Starting and Consolidator GrantsThe applicant’s profileThe applicant’s profile

• Potential for research independence• Evidence of scientific maturity• At least one (StG) /several (CoG) publications without participation of PhD supervisor

Promising track-record of early achievementsPromising track-record of early achievements

• Significant publications

• Invited presentations in conferences

• Funding, patents, awards, prizes

““Am I competitive enough?”Am I competitive enough?”


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Submission of proposalsSubmission of proposals

Single submission ► one deadline per Call (new 2012 -13)

► to a targeted panel

► electronically only

► proposals have two parts:

Part A: administrative forms

Part B: scientific proposal itself

Complete information: Guides for Applicants


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PART APART A – online forms – online forms

A1A1 Proposal and PI infoProposal and PI infoA2A2 Host Institution infoHost Institution info

A3A3 BudgetBudget

PART B1PART B1 – submitted as .pdf – submitted as .pdf

CV CV 2 p.2 p.Track Record Track Record 2 p.2 p.Extended Synopsis Extended Synopsis 5 p.5 p.

AnnexesAnnexes – submitted as .pdf – submitted as .pdf

• Statement of support of HIStatement of support of HI• If applicable: explanatory If applicable: explanatory

information on ethical issues;information on ethical issues;copy of PhD (StG & CoG); documentcopy of PhD (StG & CoG); document

for extension of eligibilityfor extension of eligibilitywindow (StG & CoG)window (StG & CoG)

PART B2PART B2 – submitted as .pdf – submitted as .pdf

Scientific Proposal Scientific Proposal 15 p.15 p.(incl. budget table)(incl. budget table)

Submission of proposalsSubmission of proposalsProposal structureProposal structure


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ERC calls Call Publication Submission Deadline

Starting GrantsERC-2013-StG 10 July 2012 17 Oct. 2012

Advanced GrantsERC-2013-AdG

10 July 2012 22 Nov. 2012

Synergy GrantsERC-2013-SyG 10 October 2012 10 Jan. 2013

Consolidator GrantERC-2013-CoG

7 November 2012 21 Feb. 2013

Timetable of 2013 ERC callsTimetable of 2013 ERC calls


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Eligibility check

Step 1 (remote) evaluation on the basis of section 1 of

proposal* by panel members

Proposals passing to step 2

Individual assessment of full proposal by panel members &

referees

AdG :2nd Panel meeting

Submission of full proposals

Proposals selected for funding

Review Process: two stepsReview Process: two steps

1st Panel meeting

StG: 2nd Panel meeting incl. interviews of applicants

ERC StG and CoG SchemesERC StG and CoG SchemesEvaluation of Excellence: Criterion 1: Evaluation of Excellence: Criterion 1: Research Project

• Ground-breaking nature and potential impact of the research: To what extent does the proposed research address important

challenges? To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of

the art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development across disciplines)?

How much is the proposed research high risk/high gain?

ERC StG and CoG SchemesERC StG and CoG SchemesEvaluation of Excellence: Criterion 1: Evaluation of Excellence: Criterion 1: Research Project

• Scientific Approach: To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible (based on

Extended Synopsis)? To what extent is the proposed research methodology appropriate to

achieve the goals of the project (based on Scientific Proposal)? To what extent does the proposal involve the development of novel

methodology (based on Scientific Proposal)? To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary

and properly justified (based on Scientific Proposal)?

ERC StG and CoG SchemesERC StG and CoG SchemesEvaluation of Excellence: Criterion 2: Evaluation of Excellence: Criterion 2: Principal Investigator(s)

• Intellectual capacity, creativity and commitment: The PI has demonstrated the ability to propose and conduct ground-

breaking research and his/her achievements have typically gone beyond the state-of-the-art.

The PI provides abundant evidence of creative independent thinking. The ERC Grant would contribute significantly to the establishment and/or

further consolidation of the PI's independence. The PI is strongly committed to the project and demonstrates the

willingness to devote a significant amount of time to the project (min 50% of the total working time on it and min 50% in an EU Member State or Associated Country) (based on Scientific Proposal).

• fully agree, agree partially, disagree partially, strongly disagree


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Feedback to ApplicantsNew scoring system (2012 – 2013)

• A, B, C system replaces numerical Scoring

• Scoring system during remote evaluation and panel meeting is the same as in the previous year

European Research Council Feedback to ApplicantsNew scoring system (2012 – 2013)

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End of Step 1:

A. Proposal is of sufficient quality to pass to Step 2 of the evaluation;

B. Proposal is of high quality but not sufficient to pass to Step 2 of the evaluation;

C. Proposal is not of sufficient quality to pass to Step 2 of the evaluation. The applicant may also be subject to resubmission limitations in the next call


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Feedback to ApplicantsNew scoring system (2012 – 2013)

End of Step 2:

A. Proposal fully meets the ERC's excellence criterion and is recommended for funding if sufficient funds are available;

B. Proposal meets some but not all elements of the ERC's excellence criterion and will not be funded.


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Feedback to ApplicantsRanking range – Step 1

• “A” proposal do not receive an Evaluation Report

• “B” proposal will receive 10% ranking slices starting from the cut-off point between A and B e.g. Ranking range 36% - 45% Last tranche will be rounded up (larger)

• “C” proposal will receive simply the top and the bottom percentage positions E.g. From 68% to 100%


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• “A” proposals within panel budget at meeting (funding for sure) will simply receive the top and bottom percentage of group E.g. Top 45%

• “A” proposal outside panel budget (i.e. not sure if budget available) will receive their individual ranking position with a 2% ranking range E.g. 52 - 54%

• “B” proposal will simply get top and bottom of group e.g. between 58% and 100%

Feedback to ApplicantsRanking range – Step 2


Possibility to exclude reviewers (new Possibility to exclude reviewers (new since AdG 2012)since AdG 2012)

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• Applicants can nominate up to three persons to be excluded from the evaluation of their proposal, specifying the reason for exclusion:• Direct scientific rivalry• Professional Hostility• Similar situation which would impair or put in doubt the objectivity of the

potential evaluator• Exclusion may concern any independent expert, including the panel

chair, panel members as well as remote referees• The concerned persons will be excluded from the evaluation of the

proposal assuming that the ERCEA is still in a position to evaluate the proposal properly

Scientific domainsScientific domains

For operational reasons : 25 panels in 3 main domains

PE: Physical Sciences, Engineering (10 panels)

LS: Life Sciences (9 panels)

SH: Social Sciences and Humanities (6 panels)

Allocation of call budget per domain as follows:

PE domain: 44%

LS domain: 39%

SH domain : 17%

Within domains, budgets are allocated to the panels in proportion to the number of submissions

FP7 budget € 50.5 billion ERC budget € 7.5 billion; Increase by € 250 M/year

Co-operation (65 %)

Ideas (15 %)

People (9 %)

Capacities (8 %)JRC non-

nuclear (3 %)

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ERC Panel Structure: 3 Domains, 25 PanelsERC Panel Structure: 3 Domains, 25 Panels

Each panel :Panel Chair and 10-15 Panel Members

Life Sciences (LS)Life Sciences (LS) 99

LS1 Molecular & Structural Biology & LS1 Molecular & Structural Biology & BiochemistryBiochemistry

LS2 Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics & LS2 Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics & Systems BiologySystems Biology

LS3 Cellular and Developmental BiologyLS3 Cellular and Developmental Biology

LS4 Physiology, Pathophysiology & LS4 Physiology, Pathophysiology & EndocrinologyEndocrinology

LS5 Neurosciences & neural disordersLS5 Neurosciences & neural disorders

LS6 Immunity & infectionLS6 Immunity & infection

LS7 Diagnostic tools, therapies & public healthLS7 Diagnostic tools, therapies & public health

LS8 Evolutionary, population & environmental LS8 Evolutionary, population & environmental biologybiology

LS9 Applied life sciences & biotechnologyLS9 Applied life sciences & biotechnology

Social Sciences and Humanities (SH) Social Sciences and Humanities (SH) 6 6

SH1 Individuals, institutions & markets

SH2 Institutions, values, beliefs and behaviour

SH3 Environment & society

SH4 The Human Mind and its complexity

SH5 Cultures & cultural production

SH6 The study of the human past

Physical Sciences & Engineering (PE) Physical Sciences & Engineering (PE) 10 10

PE1 Mathematical foundations

PE2 Fundamental constituents of matter

PE3 Condensed matter physics

PE4 Physical & Analytical Chemical sciences

PE5 Materials & Synthesis

PE6 Computer science & informatics

PE7 Systems & communication engineering

PE8 Products & process engineering

PE9 Universe sciences

PE10 Earth system science

For the Starting Grant the Principal Investigator shall have been awarded his/her first PhD at least 2 and up to 7 years prior to the publication date of the call for proposals of the ERC Starting Grant.

For the Consolidator Grant the Principal Investigator shall have been awarded his/her first PhD over 7 and up to 12 years prior to the publication date of the call for proposals of the ERC Consolidator Grant.

The effective elapsed time since the award of the first PhD can be reduced in the following properly documented circumstances.

Extension may be requested - must be supported by official documents:

- maternity /paternity leave

- long-term illness, clinical training or national service

EligibilityEligibility

Eligibility & Re-SubmissionsEligibility & Re-Submissions

Ineligibility submission after the deadline incomplete proposals including annexes no commitment letter from HI HI outside EU MS or AC PhD award date (>12 or <2) Missing supporting official document

Re-application only one active ERC grant at any time only one application per PI under the same WP if 2012 ► 2013: only if > evaluated at least as A or B in

step 1

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Host InstitutionHost Institution

Applicant legal entity: institution that engages and hosts the PI

for the duration of the project

Any type of legal entity: universities, research centres, business

research units … as long as it is in MS or AC

Commitment of HI: to ensure that the PI may

- apply for funding independently

- manage research and funding for the project

- publish independently as senior author

- have access to reasonable space and facilities


ERC Structure

The European Commission• Provides financing through the EU framework programmes• Guarantees autonomy of the ERC• Assures the integrity and accountability of the ERC• Adopts annual work programmes as established by

the Scientific Council

The ERC Agency• Executes annual work programme as established by the Scientific Council• Implements calls for proposals and provides information and support to applicants• Organises peer review evaluation• Establishes and manages grant agreements• Administers scientific and financial aspects and follow-up of grant agreements• Carries out communications activities and ensures information dissemination

to ERC stakeholders

The Scientific Council• 22 prominent researchers proposed by an independent

identification committee• Appointed by the Commission (4 years, renewable once)• Establishes overall scientific strategy; annual work programmes

(incl. calls for proposals, evaluation criteria); peer review methodology; selection and accreditation of experts

• Controls quality of operations and management• Ensures communication with the scientific community


The ERC Scientific Council Members(re-newed 1 February 2011)

• Prof. Claudio BORDIGNON (IT – Medicine)• Prof. Nicholas CANNY, (IE – History)• Prof. Sierd A.P.L. CLOETINGH (NL – Earth Sciences)• Prof. Mathias DEWATRIPONT (BE – Economics) • Prof. Tomasz DIETL (PL – Physics)• Prof. Daniel DOLEV (IL – Computer Sciences) • Prof. Carlos M. DUARTE (ES – Biology)• Prof. Daniel ESTEVE (FR – Physics)• Prof. Pavel EXNER (CZ – Applied Mathematics & Mathematical Physics) • Prof. Hans-Joachim FREUND (DE- Physics & Physical Chemistry)• Prof. Carl-Henrik HELDIN (SE – Molecular Cell Biology), ERC Vice President• Prof. Timothy HUNT (UK - Biology)• Prof. Norbert KROO (HU – Physics)• Prof. Maria Teresa LAGO (PT – Astrophysics)• Prof. Henrietta L. MOORE (UK – Social Anthropology) • Prof. Helga NOWOTNY (AT – Social Studies of Science), ERC President• Prof. Christiane NÜSSLEIN-VOLHARD (DE – Genetics)• Prof. Alain PEYRAUBE (FR – Linguistics) • Dr. Jens ROSTRUP-NIELSEN (DK – Chemistry)• Prof. Mart SAARMA (EE – Biology)• Prof. Anna TRAMONTANO (IT- Biochemistry)• Prof. Isabelle VERNOS (ES – Molecular Biology)

Prof. Helga NowotnyVienna Science and

Technology Fund (WWTF)


ERC Website

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European Research Council Essential documentsEssential documents

• Call published on Participants Portal: https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/ideas?callIdentifier=ERC-2013-StG

• Work Programme 2013 - Ideas Guide for Applicants (ERC Starting Grant 2013) Step by step submission via EPSS

• ERC website: ERC Guide for Grant Holders ERC Guide for Peer Reviewers


Results of completed calls

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Panel Members and Chairs

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• Part 1 – Funding Schemes• Starting Independent Researcher Grant

• Part 2 – Data from previous calls

OutlineOutline


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Data from previous callsData from previous callsERC Starting grant calls 2007 - 2012ERC Starting grant calls 2007 - 2012Submitted proposals by domain

Starting Grant

2058

1653

1030

4406

11121205

1690

3399

9271030

14401362

464638

950

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Starting Grant 2007 Starting Grant 2009 Starting Grant 2010 Starting Grant 2011 Starting Grant 2012

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Life Sciences

Social Sciences and Humanities

ERC 2011

9,167

2,5037

2,8737

4,080

-73%

+15%

+42%

4,741

+16%


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Data from previous callsData from previous callsERC Advanced grant calls 2008 - 2011ERC Advanced grant calls 2008 - 2011Submitted proposals by domain

Advanced Grant

902 917

621

789

486

578

997

736766

512

404

335

-100

100

300

500

700

900

1100

1300

1500

Advanced Grant 2008 Advanced Grant 2009 Advanced Grant 2010 Advanced Grant 2011

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Life Sciences

Social Sciences and Humanities

ERC 2011

2,167

1,583

2,009-27%

+27% 2,284

+14%


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Evaluated* Funded success rates**

Starting Grant 2007 9.167 8.794 299 3,4

Starting Grant 2009 2.503 2.392 245 10,2

Starting Grant 2010 2.873 2.767 436 15,8

Starting Grant 2011 4.080 4.005 478 11,9

Starting Grant 18.623 17.958 1.458 10,3

Advanced Grant 2008 2.167 2.034 282 13,9

Advanced Grant 2009 1.583 1.526 245 16,1

Advanced Grant 2010 2.009 1.967 271 13,8

Advanced Grant 2011*** 2.284 2.245 293 13,1

Advanced Grant 8.043 7.772 1.091 14,6

* withdrawn and ineligible proposals not taken into account;

** percentage of funded proposals in relation to evaluated proposals

*** main-list proposals in column "funded"

Total number of applications

received

of which

Data from previous callsData from previous callsERC Competitions 2007 - 2011ERC Competitions 2007 - 2011Success rates


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Success rates per country of HI

15 14 14 1312

109 9

88

7 6 6 65 4

3 3 32

1

22

16

8

4

1

0

5

10

15

20

25

Fra

nce

Aus

tria

The

Net

herla

nds

UK

Ger

man

y

Bel

gium

Den

mar

k

Sw

eden

Spa

in

Hun

gary

Est

onia

Fin

land

Irel

and

Cyp

rus

Por

tuga

l

Italy

Cze

ch R

epub

lic

Gre

ece

Bul

garia

Pol

and

Slo

veni

a

Sw

itzer

land

Isra

el

Nor

way

Icel

and

Tur

key

aw

ard

ed

/ev

alu

ate

d p

rop

os

als

(%

)

Success rates by country of Host Institution

Data from previous callsData from previous callsERC Competitions 2007 - 2011ERC Competitions 2007 - 2011Success rates by country of Host Institution


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

UK DE FR NL CH IT ES IL SE BE AT DK FI HU NO EL IE PT PL CZ CY BG EE TR IS

Country of host institution

Nu

mb

er o

f G

ran

tees

Grantees moving to the country ("ERA" & "non-ERA" nationals)

Grantees staying in the country: "Non-ERA" nationals

Grantees staying in the country: other "ERA" nationals

Grantees staying in the country: nationals of that country

StG&AdG 2007-2011

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Origin of GranteesOrigin of Grantees ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls 2007 – 2011ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls 2007 – 2011

*) Host institution refers to the organisation with which the first grant agreement was signed


-160

-110

-60

-10

40

90

140

190

240

UK CH DE FR NL AT ES SE IT DK BE NO FI IE IL PT HU CZ CY BG SI EL RO PL TR HR EE LU LT MT RS SK

nu

mb

er

ER

C g

ran

tee

s

Nationals abroad

Non-nationals in the country

International exchange of researchersInternational exchange of researchersERC Starting & Advanced grant calls 2007 - 2011ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls 2007 - 2011


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ERC Starting grant 2007-2011ERC Advanced grant 2008-2010 Over 2000 ERC granteesOver 2000 ERC grantees

486

303 301

174161 150

132 125

9274

5642 37

24 22 20 20 16 9 8 4 3 2 1 1 10

100

200

300

400

500

UK

DE

FR

NL

CH IT ES IL SE

BE

AT FI

DK

HU

NO EL IE PT

PL

CZ

CY

BG EE IS SI

TR

Country of HI

Fu

nd

ed

Pro

po

sals AdG StG


Age of StG and AdG grantees

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73

Age of the grantees

Nu

mb

er o

f g

ran

tees


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Thank you!

ERC: http://erc.europa.eu/

Euraxess: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess

E-Mail: [email protected]

erc grants in 2013: evaluation of proposals

Documents

recognition erc

erc grantees

erc website

erc grantsapplicants

erc funding schemesfreedom

independent research

erc profileerc grants

research talentattractive