© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  1 Dr. Katja Wirth Bürgel  National Contact Point European Research Council Euresearch Head Office   phone Dr. Katja Wirth Bürgel  National Contact Point European Research Council Euresearch Head Office   phone The European Research Council - ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  2 Presentation Outline 1.Introduction to the ERC 2.Starting Grant 3.Advanced Grant 4.View Back

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Position within FP7 1. Introduction to the ERC € 7.5 billion 15% of FP7 budget

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Principle of the ERC  Support for individual researchers or teams, led by a Principal Investigator  Young researchers: ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant  Established researchers: ERC Advanced Investigator Grant  All fields of science  Bottom-up  Strong focus on interdisciplinary  Excellence is the only criterion 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Principle of the ERC  Investment in research talent  Flexible grants, under the control of the Principal Investigator  100% reimbursement of costs  Investment for Europe: Host organisation to be located in the EU (or AS)  3Rs: Recruit, Retain, Repatriate 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Who can Apply?  Principal Investigator (PI) – no consortium  Needs an excellent scientific track record and proven potential and a ground breaking research idea  Nationality, age and current place of research not relevant  His / her host institution must be located in a EU member or associated state  His / her team members can have any nationality / be located in any country 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Application  Important documents to read:  Work Programme  Guide for Applicants  The PI submits a proposal in conjunction with a Host Institution  One-stage application, but two-stage evaluation  Electronical submission, via EPSS 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  9 Involves 3 components (see Guide for Applicants):  Administrative forms (to fill in in EPSS)  Research proposal (ca. 28 pages, to submit as pdf)  Section 1: Info on the PI (CV, track record etc.)  Section 2: Research Project  Section 3: Research Environment  Supporting documents 1.4 Application 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Evaluation  Eligibility check  Evaluation: 25 thematic peer review evaluation panels evaluate the proposals.  Every panel consists of one panel chair and panel members.  Evaluation also via remote experts  2 Evaluation stages:  Stage 1: only one part of the proposal will be assessed  Stage 2: whole proposal will be evaluated Starting Grant: Stage 2 evaluation includes an interview in Brussels. 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  11 Evaluation Criteria: 1.Potential of applicant 2.Quality of project 3.Research environment Forget about Brussels jargon and political blabla! 1.5 Evaluation 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Call Timetable  Every summer one call for Starting Grants, with deadlines in autumn, winter.  Every autumn one call for Advanced Grants, with deadlines early in the following year  3rd Starting Grant Call open now  3rd Advanced Grant Call open now 1. Introduction to the ERC

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  ERC Starting Grant

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  ERC Starting Grant 2.1 Objectives  Keep excellent young researchers in Europe  Support researchers at the establishment of their first research team  Make excellent researchers visible: “Little Nobel Prize”

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Figures  ~ € 528 million for the actual call  Increasing budget over FP7  Up to € 2 million per grant, for up to 5 years 2. ERC Starting Grant

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Who can Apply?  Applicant needs an excellent scientific track record and proven potential and a ground breaking research idea  A research team to be established or consolidated (may be only 1 member)  Between 2 and 10 years after PhD (exceptions, such as maternity leave) -> this criterion can change for the next calls! 2. ERC Starting Grant

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  Advanced Grant

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  ERC Advanced Grant 3.1 Objectives  Opportunity to established top research leaders to pursue frontier research of their choice  Promote substantial advances in the frontiers of knowledge, encourage new lines of enquiry, new methods, new techniques, including unconventional approaches and highly risky research  Make excellent researchers visible: “Little Nobel Prize”  Reverse brain drain into brain gain

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  ERC Advanced Grant 3.2 Figures  max € 2.5 million per grant, in special cases € 3.5 million  Increasing budget over FP7

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  ERC Advanced Grant 3.3 Who Can Apply?  Established team leader – in special cases Co-Investigator  Needs an excellent scientific track record over past 10 years and a ground breaking research idea  Can be of any nationality and age - no restrictions concerning research age

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back 1st Starting Grant Call, 2007  Heavy oversubscription: < proposals  299 grants awarded  14 awardees based in Swiss Host Institutions  Researchers based in Switzerland were especially successful. Success rate twice as high compared to EU average.  For statistics see  Grantees and their projects:

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back 2nd Starting Grant Call, 2009  2503 proposals submitted  Submissions in CH: 61  237 grants will be awarded  Grantees in Switzerland: 17 (8 LS, 8 PE, 1 SH)  Overall success rate: 10%; success rate in CH: 28%  Names of grantees and indicative statistics:

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back 1st Advanced Grant Call, 07/08  2’167 proposals submitted  288 proposals successful  Overall success rate ca. 11%; Success rate in CH almost 30%  CH has 27 grantees  Average age of PI: 51 years, on average 23 years after PhD  Statistics: 2nd Advanced Grant Call, 08/09  1’583 proposals submitted  Evaluation being finished

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  25 ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls 2007, 2008 & 2009 Submitted proposals StG 07AdG 08 StG 09AdG MEAL

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back Successful proposals by country of host institution & domain (StG 2007)

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  27 Successful proposals by country of host institution & domain (StG 2009; top 237 proposals) 4. View Back

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back Successful proposals by country of host institution & domain (AdG 2008)

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  View Back Success rate by country of host institution (i.e. ratio submitted – selected proposals) ERC Advanced Grant 2008 ERC Starting Grant 2007 CH

© Euresearch  Katja Wirth Bürgel  4 November 2009  European Research Council  30 Questions? Katja Wirth Bürgel, NCP ERC, Euresearch Head Office Thank you for your attention!