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T

EPOR

R ERC

For the excellence of

European science

The ERC (European Research Council) has a mission: “to encourage the highest quality
research in Europe through competitive funding and to support investigator-driven
frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence” . In the 14 years
1
it has been in existence, grants from the ERC have enabled thousands of cutting-edge
projects to see the light of day, often leading to technological innovations. These grants
have also contributed to helping excellent researchers break through to the next level
in terms of international recognition, enabling scientific research to keep progressing
towards more and more knowledge.

Although the ERC enjoys significant autonomy, it is positioned more generally within
the European Union’s framework programmes. Since 2007, there has been the 7th
framework programme, then Horizon 2020 and, since the beginning of this year,
Horizon Europe, which will open up new perspectives to European research.
The report devoted to the ERC in the pages that follow of this FNRS.news summarises
the pathway taken by this European instrument. Coming in addition to other regional,
national and international funding, the ERC is well known to FNRS researchers. This
account also lifts the veil on aspects of the way it operates that are often poorly known.
Useful information for the people who are preparing and creating the science of
tomorrow: the search for funding is part of day-to-day business.
- FNRS.NEWS 121 - FEBRUARY 2021 THE ERC IN BRIEF 12 wonderful scientific adventure. 9 of them, FNRS trustees, have also told us about their - FNRS.NEWS 121 - FEBRUARY 2021
The ERC is also about researchers who have lived – or who are still experiencing – a

experience: some of them recently completed their theses, while others already have
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a glittering career behind them. They tell us about their ERC projects, the experience
ERC PORTRAITS
they gained from them and the effect they have had on their scientific career. Some of
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THE NCP-FNRS
these projects have just begun and reflect the expectations of new, innovative research.
FROM ONE HORIZON TO THE OTHER 22
Others were finished long ago and very often may have sown the seeds of new research,

2 THE ACADEMY’S POINT OF VIEW 26 new projects and new ideas. 3
1. Source: About ERC, www.erc.europa.eu.