1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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

4. Significantly different success rates
Success Rates by Country of HI

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

6. Number of ERC grants proportional to research investment
ERC calls

7. Science funding in Slovenia

9. Relatively low number of applications from EU13 countries

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

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

12. 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

13. 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!
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14. 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

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

16. 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.
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17. 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)

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. The European Research Council
Secretariat of the WG: Boris Kragelj
More information: erc.europa.eu
National Contact Point: erc.europa.eu/national-contact-points
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