ERC’s quest to support excellent researchers all over Europe The European Research Council ERC’s quest to support excellent researchers all over Europe Prof Eva Kondorosi, Chair of the ERC Scientific Council Working Group on Widening European Participation Working Group Mission: To capitalise on the full European potential for frontier research without departing from the ERC's principle of excellence.

ERC Main Grant Schemes: Creative Freedom to Individual Grantees Quality Label for Hosting Institutions Starting Grants starters (2-7 years after PhD) up to € 1.5 Mio for 5 years Consolidator Grants consolidators (7-12 years after PhD) up to € 2 Mio for 5 years Advanced Grants track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years up to € 2.5 Mio for 5 years Support for the individual scientist – no networks! No predetermined subjects (bottom-up) Global peer-review Excellence as the only evaluation criterion

Concentration of ERC grants in research intensive countries and top institutions ERC grants at over 670 different host institutions in 33 countries 90% of ERC grants in top 11 countries 50% of ERC grants in top 50 institutions

Significantly different success rates Success Rates by Country of HI

As talents are everywhere why are certain countries more successful than others?

Number of ERC grants proportional to research investment ERC calls 2007-2013

Science funding in Slovenia

Relatively low number of applications from EU13 countries

Too many weak applications from EU13 Compared to 26% evaluated step 2 and 32% C for EU15

Lower number of reapplications average over calls 2009-2015 Success rate of returning applicants is higher!

Many grantees from EU13 countries are abroad (brain drain) 117 ERC grants in EU13 countries 137 EU13 nationals with the grant abroad 91% of them resident abroad at the time of application

Results from the ERC Widening participation survey Identified bottlenecks of stronger participation in ERC calls common to EU13 countries ERC widening participation survey 2014; All ERA countries with below average success rate in ERC calls [n=788] Low international profile of research: lack of international dynamics and mobility Unattractiveness of research environment: scientific isolation, missing culture of scientific excellence, lack of open and merit based reward system Poor career prospective: lack of science career building programmes and long- term research career prospective, non-merit based recruitment practices Low levels of research investment: low salaries for top scientists, lack of additional and sustainable funding: ERC top-up, ERC runners-up, ERC exit programmes Inadequate research funding systems: not appropriate for pursuing ambitious projects Lack of institutional support to ERC applicants and grantees provided locally: administration of HI, NCPs, colleagues and peers, personal coaching National, institutional conditions matter! │ 13 13

Slovenia: Opinion of ERC grant candidates Critical issues from the widening participation survey Science/research career building programmes missing Missing enthusiasm for basic research Insufficient respect for novel, ambitious research ideas System of research funding not adequate for support of ambitious/frontier research Mentoring/coaching programme for potential ERC applicants missing Unattractive salaries for researchers, grant no effect on salary, no additional top-up funds

What can be done to improve the success rate? At national level At ERC level

Approaches towards widening European participation in ERC calls at national level Increase of the research investment for research capacity building Reforms of national/local research systems along best practices for nurturing scientific excellence: competition based research funding, performance based salaries,... Internationalisation of research: fostering international mobility and cross-border scientific exchange, raising attractiveness of research environment Bring back the most talented scientists from abroad with attractive research funding and salaries (for 5 years) that are prospective candidates for ERC grants Strengthening local support to ERC applicants and grantees: training days, workshops, seminars, and coaching for ERC candidates, but also their supporting services Encourage talented scientists to apply with strong, well prepared proposals National support for unfunded Step2 A (and B) ERC applicants until the next possible call. │ 16 16

Widening Participation Actions ERC EVALUATION PROCEDURE Awareness raising of ERC panel chairs to unequal conditions of applicants allowing to pass more excellent/promising projects for detailed Step 2 evaluation INTERNATIONAL TRAINING Promotion of visiting research fellowships to ERC grantees Investigation of opportunities for strengthening applications to ERC with support from EEA and Norway Grants RECOMMENDATIONS Organisation of regional ERC widening participation events: open forum with all relevant national stakeholders to identify actions/strategies for higher success rate in ERC calls. Zagreb (2014), Tallinn (2015), Budapest (2015), Krakow (2016), Ljubljana (Sept. 9, 2016), Wroczlaw (Nov. 2016)

Fellowship to visit ERC grantee – ERC guidelines Scheme: Short term research visit (minimum of three months) in an ERC team: international exposure, grant application coaching Funding: by a national research-funding organization of a country in the European Research Area, no additional funding is provided by ERC.   Eligibility: Open to all excellent researchers working in ERA, through public, open competitions through evaluation panels composed by researchers of high repute and based on excellence and potential for an ERC grant application. Condition: A letter of support signed by an ERC grantee and his/her Host Institution stating that in case the applicant is selected he/she will be hosted as member of the research team of the PI Successful applicants must sign a letter of commitment to apply for an ERC grant no later than one/two year(s) after the end of the visit.

Fellowship to visit ERC grantee – national schemes Notification letter with call documentation must be received by the ERCEA by the end of June if the call is intended for 2016

Science for Sustainable Development   Policy Brief by the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General   5th meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General 24 May 2016, Trieste

Recognize science as a universal public good Recommendations to Policy-makers, scientists and those responsible for priority-setting for research and research funding Recognize science as a universal public good Acknowledge basic science as a principal requirement for innovation Strengthen science education and raise investments in science Promote interdisciplinary scientific cooperation and integrated scientific approaches

The European Research Council Secretariat of the WG: Boris Kragelj boris.kragelj@ec.europa.eu More information: erc.europa.eu National Contact Point: erc.europa.eu/national-contact-points Sign up for news alerts: erc.europa.eu/keep-updated-erc www.facebook.com/EuropeanResearchCouncil twitter.com/ERC_Research www.linkedin.com/company/european-research-council