1. © Art & Build Architect / Montois Partners / credits: S. Brison HORIZON 2020 The European Research Council The European Research Council and Slovak participation Pavel Exner ERC Vicepresiden t

2. │ 2 ERC Basics

3.  Support for the individual scientist – no networks!  Global peer-review  No predetermined topics  Support in all fields of science and the humanities The ERC supports excellence in frontier research through a bottom-up, individual-based, pan-European competition │ 3 What is ERC? Legislation Strategy  Scientific governance: independent Scientific Council with 22 members including the ERC President; full authority over funding strategy  Support by the ERC Executive Agency (autonomous)  Quality as the only criterion

4. The European Commission Provides financing Guarantees autonomy of the ERC Assures ERC’s integrity and accountability Adopts annual work programmes The ERC Executive Agency (ERCEA) Executes annual work programme Implements calls for proposals Organises peer review evaluation Establishes and manages grant agreements with Host Institution Administers scientific and financial aspects Carries out communications activities The ERC Scientific Council 22 members who are active researchers in their communities Appointed by the Commission Establishes overall scientific strategy Controls quality of operations and management Ensures communication with the scientific community What is ERC?

5. ERC in Horizon 2020 H2020 budget € 77 billion ERC budget € 13 billion ERC annual budget

6. ERC in the H2020 structure  The HORIZON 2020 main components:  Excellent Science  World class science is foundation of technologies, jobs, well-being  Europe needs to develop, attract, retain research talent  Researchers need access to the best infrastructures  Industrial leadership  Societal challenges  Excellent Science:  European Research Council  Future and Emerging Technologies  Marie Sklodoswka Curie Actions  Research Infrastructures │ 6

7. Starting Grants starters (2-7 years after PhD) up to € 2.0 Mio for 5 years Advanced Grants track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years up to € 3.5 Mio for 5 years Proof-of-Concept bridging gap between research - earliest stage of marketable innovation up to €150,000 for ERC grant holders ERC Grant Schemes Consolidator Grants consolidators (7-12 years after PhD) up to € 2.75 Mio for 5 years

8. 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 │ 8 Creative freedom of the individual grantee

9. Evaluation of excellence at two levels: Excellence of the Research Project Ground breaking nature Potential impact Scientific Approach Added-value of the Group (only SyG) Excellence of the Principal Investigator Intellectual capacity Creativity Commitment Referees and panels evaluate and score each criterion, which results in a ranking of the proposals. Excellence is the sole evaluation criterion

10. 25 Panels for All Areas of Science Physical Mathematics Sciences Fundamental Constituents of Matter & Condensed Matter Physics Engineering Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences Synthetic Chemistry and Materials 10 panels Computer Science and Informatics Systems and Communication Engineering Products and Processes Engineering Universe Sciences Earth System Science LifeMolecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry SciencesGenetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Cellular and Developmental Biology 9 panelsPhysiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology Neurosciences and Neural Disorders Immunity and Infection Diagnostic Tools, Therapies and Public Health Evolutionary, Population and Environmental Biology Applied Life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology Social Sciences & Humanities 6 panels Markets, Individuals and Institutions The Social World, Diversity, Institutions and Values Environment, Space and Population The Human Mind and Its Complexity Cultures and Cultural Production The Study of the Human Past

11. │ 11 * Number of instances that experts of a certain country of origin are contributing to the ERC peer review ERC Panel Members by Country of HI and Gender ERC calls 2007 - 2013 Averaged over the first 13 ERC calls 26% of the ERC panel members were women

12. │ 12 ERC Achievements

13. After 7 Years of Existence… A Success Story  Highly recognised by the research community  Over 4 300 top researchers funded (60% are at an early-career stage); 63 nationalities represented  Highly competitive (average success rate 12%)  Working in almost 600 different institutions in 30 countries  50% of grantees in 50 institutions : “Excellence attracts excellence”  Benchmarking effect: impact on national programmes and agencies; national funding for best "runners-up"  Efficient and fast grant management

14. │ 14 ERC Delivers  30 000 publications acknowledging ERC support by September 2014  7% of these publications were in the top 1% most cited in their scientific field and year of publication  20% of completed LS and PE projects reported at least one patent (on average 2 patents reported per project)

15. │ 15 May-Britt Moser ERC Grantee AdG 2010 The Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine 2014 was awarded to May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser, together with John O'Keefe, "for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain”. The research leading to these discoveries* was supported by FP5. "Spatial Representation in the Entorhinal Cortex” Edvard Moser ERC Grantee AdG 2013 ERC Grantee AdG 2008 2014 Distinctions to ERC Grantees The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2014 was awarded to Jean Tirole "for his analysis of market power and regulation". Jean Tirole ERC Grantee AdG 2009 Two of the Fields Medals 2014 awarded to researchers based in Europe: Artur Avila "for his work in dynamical systems” and to Martin Hairer “for his work on stochastic singularities”. Artur Avila ERC Grantee StG 2010 Martin Hairer ERC Grantee CoG 2014

16. │ 16 Priority to Young Scientists Two-thirds of ERC grants to early-stage Principal Investigators

17. │ 17 Developing a New Generation of Excellent Scientists Analysis of 995 ERC projects 2/3 of staff are people in the training phase of their career

18. ERC Grantees with a non-ERA Nationality* ERC calls 2007-2013 *) nationality as last declared by the principal investigator Data as of 21/08/2014 TOTAL number of grantees with non-ERA nationality : 209 StG/CoG and 102 AdG

19. │ 19 Attracting Excellent Researchers Composition of ERC teams (PIs not included) Analysis of 995 Starting and Advanced Grants EU: 67% Assoc. Countries: 12% non-ERA: 18% unknown: 3% 53% of non-ERA team members ''attracted'' to Europe with the ERC grant (10% of all team members) Most non-ERA from China, US, India, and Russia

20. │ 20 Slovakia at ERC

21. │ 21 Evaluated Proposals from Host institutions in Slovakia Ineligible and withdrawn proposals not taken into account

22. │ 22 Total AdG proposals: 23 Total StG/CoG proposals: 43 Results of evaluated projects - Slovakia

23. │ 23 ERC Grant in Slovakia * current host institution; data as of 21/08/2014 The project focuses on glycans, sugar molecules produced by the cell that are rich in information related to its physiology. Some pathogens - for example bacteria or viruses - produce glycans that mimic those of the host cell in order to avoid detection. Due to the complex nature of glycans, their global study (glycomics) has been slower to develop than the genomics and proteomics fields. Dr. Tkáč aims to develop nanotechnology to measure glycans in natural conditions, via biochips. This technology will be used to search for novel glycan biomarkers of diseases and to develop new, potent and nature-based vaccines and drugs. Dr Ján TKÁČ ERC Starting Grant 2012 - M€ 1.2 Institute of Chemistry - Slovak Academy of Sciences Electrochemical LEctin and glycan biochips integrated with NAnostructures

24. │ 24 Mobility of Researchers ERC Starting and Consolidator Grant calls 2007-2013 ERC Advanced Grant calls 2008-2013 Current host institutions; data as of 21/08/2014 45 Slovak researchers applied with a HI abroad (in 13 different countries) 1 Slovak researcher holds an ERC grant abroad in Austria

25. Success Rates per Country of Host Institution ERC calls 2007-2013 *) First legal signatories of the first grant agreement taken into account

26. │ 26 Success Rates versus Applications

27. │ 27 ERC Grant Distribution to Countries of HI ERC calls 2007-2013 *) Host institution refers to the organisation with which the first grant agreement was signed

28. │ 28 ERC Grants versus Global R&D Effort

29. │ 29 EU13 Countries at ERC

30. │ 30 ERC Grants Based in EU13 Countries 88% of grantees in EU13 countries are nationals of the host country (70% for EU15) 85% of grantees in EU13 countries were resident in the host country at the time of application (90% for EU15)

31. │ 31 Success Rates by Area of HI Share of EU13 public researchers in EU&AC = 16% Share of EU13 research investment (GERD) in EU&AC = 3%

32. │ 32 Evaluation Outcome Success rate step1 EU13: 7% Success rate step1 EU15: 22% Success rate step2 EU13: 43% Success rate step2 EU15: 47%

33. │ 33 Current host institutions; data as of 21/08/2014 Top HIs in EU13 Countries

34. │ 34 Participation of EU13 Nationals in ERC Calls Current host institutions; data as of 21/08/2014 55% of EU13 nationals are based with the grant abroad

35. │ 35 Success Rate of EU13 Nationals in ERC Calls

36. │ 36 Composition of ERC Teams Over 6600 team members in the sample EU nationals: 67% Assoc. Countries: 12% non-ERA: 18% unknown: 3% 9% of the team members from EU countries are EU13 nationals 28% of EU13 staff = PhD Students 40% of EU13 staff = post-docs

37. ERC Scientific Council Working Groups & Standing Committees Internationalisation Open Access Widening Participation Innovation and relations with industry Key Performance Indicators CoIME (Conflict of Interest & Research integrity) Committee on Panels Gender balance

38. │ 38 ERC Scientific Council Standing Committee on Conflict of interest & Research integrity (CoIME)

39. │ 39 Formulate guidelines on conflict of interest, fraud and ethical matters related to any facet of the ERC's competences, clarifying criteria and considering any particular instance or situation where ethical concerns may arise important consultative role in cases of scientific misconduct within ERC promote culture of research integrity  ERC Strategy on Scientific Misconduct (October 2012) ERC Scientific Council Standing Committee on Conflict of interest & Research integrity (CoIME) Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon (Chair) Prof. Pavel Exner (Chair - delegated) Prof. Carl-Henrik Heldin Prof. Nicholas Canny Prof. Isabelle Vernos Prof. Nuria Sebastiàn Gallés Prof. Sierd Cloetingh

40. │ 40 5 October 2012: The ERC Scientific Council adopts a Scientific Misconduct Strategy Host Institutions have primary responsibility for detection of scientific misconduct, investigation and adjudication ERC Recommendation: all ERC HIs will have structures in place to uphold scientific integrity, deal with all cases coming to ERC attention, report to the ERC on actions taken

41. │ 41 Notwithstanding the above….. ERC will address all issues of alleged scientific misconduct concerning an ERC applicant or project Through its Executive Agency (ERCEA), the ERC will take appropriate follow–up actions, whenever there is sufficient evidence that scientific misconduct has taken place

42. Role of CoIME in relation to scientific misconduct │ 42 COIME has an important advisory/ consultative role; works in close collaboration with ERCEA Director; can consult external experts ERCEA Director takes decisions after having received COIME’s opinion, using his own discretion or judgment

43. A strict policy on Conflict of Interest Code of Conduct of ERC peer reviewers Strict obligations of impartiality A conflict of interest (CoI) can result in:  the exclusion from the evaluation of the entire call (“out of the call” rule);  or in the exclusion from the panel discussion on the proposal in question ( “out of the room” rule) Strict obligations of confidentiality │ 43

44. Examples of measures and actions by ERCEA Director │ 44 Proposals may be excluded from evaluation, selection and award procedures Request for measures to be taken by the Host Institution Suspension or termination of granting Peer reviewers may be excluded from review evaluation or their appointment may be terminated

45. │ 45 Funding Opportunities

46. │ 46  Publication date of first calls planned for Autumn 2014.  Three ERC frontier research grants will be available under Work Programme 2015: Starting; Consolidator; and Advanced Grants.  The Scientific Council will analyse the pilot phase of the ERC Synergy Grant (calls were made under Work Programmes 2012 and 2013) before deciding on future calls. No Synergy call under Work Programme 2015.  Restrictions on applications will apply to the 2015 calls based on the outcome of the evaluation of the 2014 calls (same in Work Programme 2014).  Removal of indicative domain budgets. Panel budgets now allocated purely by demand.  ERC Principal Investigators will continue to be able to apply for Proof of Concept Grants (now with three deadlines).  Overhead rate: 25% ERC Work Programme 2015

47. │ 47 ERC callsBudgetCall Publication Submission Deadline(s) Starting Grants ERC-2015-StG 410 M€October 2014 February 2015 Consolidator Grants ERC-2015-CoG 605 M€November 2014 March 2015 Advanced Grants ERC-2015-AdG 630 M€February 2015 June 2015 Proof of Concept ERC-2015-PoC 19 M€ January 2015 DL1: February 2015 DL2: May 2015 DL3: October 2015 ERC Calls 2015

48. More information on erc.europa.eu To subscribe to ERC newsletter and newsalerts erc.europa.eu/keep-updated-erc Follow us on www.facebook.com/EuropeanResearchCouncil twitter.com/ERC_Research

49. │ 49 Ďakujem za pozornosť !

50. │ 50 Additional slides if needed

51. │ 51 Data as of 21/08/2014 ERC Competitions

52. Top European Institutions Hosting at least 30 ERC Grantees by Funding Schemes StG/CoG 2007-2013 AdG 2008-2013 First legal signatories of the grant agreement Data as of 21/08/2014

53.  Initiated to help ERC grant-holder to bridge the gap between their research and the earliest stage of a marketable innovation  Supporting grant-holders during the pre-demonstration  Up to 150.000 Euro per grant  One step evaluation  Calls in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (each with 2 deadlines)  Fourth call in 2014 (deadlines 1 April and 1 October) Frontier Research and Innovation: ERC Proof of Concept

54. │ 54 PoC Grants by Country of Host Institution ERC PoC calls 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014-1: 228 grants ERC Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grant calls 2007-2013: 4354 grants

55. Speeding up the Discovery Process: ERC Synergy Grant  2012 and 2013 work programme on a pilot basis  2 – 4 Principal Investigators; complementary skills, knowledge & resources; to jointly address frontier research problems  Up to €15m for up to six years  Based on ERC principles (no consortia, no networks): bottom-up and risk-taking driven by scientific demand PIs expected to spend significant “core time” together only one Host Institution, but groups not required to be physically located in the same place  710 submissions to the first SyG Call; 1.6% success rate  449 submissions to the second SyG Call; 3% success rate

56. │ 56 SYNERGY 2012 and 2013 Successful Host Institutions