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14 years of Grants and

IEF European careers

C IN BR scientific The funding provided by the ERC is divided into 5 types of grants:

ER excellence Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, Synergy Grants
and Proofs of Concept.

he grants are individual (except ERC grants enable Principal Investigators is required to transfer any part of the
for the Synergy Grants), long-term to finance staff, business travel, funds not spent to the new one. Where
The ERC (European Research Council) is a key instrument in the framework programme T(except for the Proofs of Concept), equipment, consumables, publication possible, it must also take the measures
of the European Union for research and innovation. Created in 2007 by the European “high risk, high gain” . Funding from fees in scientific magazines and other required to transfer any equipment
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Union to fund the search for excellence, it supports all fields of science and helps Europe the ERC is open to researchers, without direct and indirect costs involved in the acquired to carry out the project.
distinction of nationality, whether
context of detailed rules.
to attract the best researchers, wherever they may come from. We shine the spotlight on they are just starting out or highly One of the specific features of ERC grants
what happens behind the scenes of this institution. experienced, aimed at encouraging is the principle of project portability. This
them to conduct research in Europe.
All fields of research (Life Sciences, means that under certain conditions, the
he ERC provided funding of 13 billion Learning the best Physical Sciences and Engineering, Social Principal Investigator can transfer the
€ between 2014 and 2020 (or 17% and Human Sciences) are involved and project while it is still being carried out to
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Tof the budget for Horizon 2020, the lessons An exploratory no particular topic or theme is given a new Host Institution of his/her choice.
corresponding framework programme). 16 However, funding the search for approach preference. Projects are selected solely In this case, the original Host Institution
billion € will be allocated to it in the period excellence is not the only target that the In 2017, to mark the 10th anniversary based on scientific excellence via a
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from 2021-2027 as part of the Horizon ERC has set itself. Since it was created, of the ERC, Carlos Moedas, then process of international peer assessment.
Europe programme (16.75% out of a total of it has also aimed to shape the system Commissioner for research, science and
95.5 billion €, including the “Recovery Plan of European research by defining new innovation, said this: “When the European The aim of this procedure of peer Starting Grants Proofs of Concept
for Europe”). Since it was created, the ERC standards. To do this, it has designed an Union acts with daring, marvellous things reviewing and open and direct
has funded 11,654 projects. happen.” competition is to identify the best Who they are for: Young These grants are considered as support
assessment system based on high-level ideas and to support the “best brains” researchers, 2 to 7 years after for the enhancement of an ERC project
peers. It has defined success criteria that Daring is something that the approach in Europe (and, where appropriate, obtaining their thesis already carried out in order to explore
Scientific governance are shared by the best institutions and taken by the ERC bases itself on. Striving to retain them). It also aims to attract Amount: Up to 1.5 million € over its commercial or societal potential.
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has implemented specific communication upwards or exploratory in nature ,
The ERC is run by an independent about the people awarded funding, it enables researchers to identify talented foreign researchers. The ERC’s 5 years, + 1 million € (individual
Scientific Council made up of 22 eminent including the elements that determined possibilities and to choose the direction competitive funding also makes it cases) Who they are for: ERC grantees

scientists and academics. Its main role is their success. The ERC is now a they want to go in without being possible to inject funds into the most Amount: 150,000 € over 18
to establish the strategy of the ERC and benchmark that enables institutions influenced by any priorities dictated by promising new fields with a degree of Consolidator Grants months
to select project assessors. The French and other participants in the research the world of politics. By acting in this flexibility that is not always possible with Who they are for: Young

mathematician Jean-Pierre Bourguignon process to gauge their level and to define way, it guarantees that the funds can national funding mechanisms. researchers, 7 to 12 years after Synergy Grants
also benefit from promising new fields
is currently the acting President of the strategies that enable them to reach the of research. obtaining their thesis These grants are aimed at researchers
Council; Waldemar Kütt is director of the highest level internationally . This desire wanting to share their complementary
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ERC Executive Agency, with responsibility to leave its mark on European science This is the reason why the ERC’s Amount: Up to 2 million € over expertise to become part of a
for implementing the programme appears to have borne fruit. Indeed, Scientific Council is run by scientists 5 years, + 1 million € (individual particularly ambitious research
(launching calls for projects, assessment numerous funding agencies have taken and academics. This makes the way it cases) question. Unlike the classic operation
of the projects submitted, start up and inspiration from these ERC standards. operates autonomous and independent. of a consortium, the logic is to provide
monitoring of the projects funded, This is particularly the case for FNRS, Thanks to the Council and this highly Projects are selected Advanced Grants synergy: the result needs to be more
- FNRS.NEWS 121 - FEBRUARY 2021 education and youth). ERC. carried out. via international peer Amount: Up to 2.5 million € over expected. - FNRS.NEWS 121 - FEBRUARY 2021
specific approach, the ERC’s funds are
solely on the basis of
administrative issues). This programme
than just the addition of individual
which based much of its reforms in 2010

Who they are for: Experienced
allocated by scientists for scientists to
operates under Commissioner Mariya
scientific excellence,
on the criteria
contributions. The resources granted
researcher, from 12 years after
enable the best research possible to be
Gabriel (innovation, research, culture,
are in line with the level of ambition
introduced at the
obtaining their theses

assessment.
5 years, + 1 million € (individual
Who they are for: 2 to 4
cases)
individual researchers (Principal
investigators)
Amount: Up to 10 million € over
10 years, + 4 million € (individual
cases)
2. Current prices 2021-2027, within the framework of the Europe of 27 (EU-27).
3. Source: About ERC, www.erc.europa.eu.
4. The line between fundamental research and applied research is tending to become increasingly blurred, with the
Pierre Bourguignon, Acting
new fields of science and technology frequently incorporating both aspects at the same time. This is the reason by
4 1. Current prices 2014-2020, within the framework of the Europe of 28 (EU-28). Find the interview with Jean- 1. The ERC is associated with the notion of “high risk, high gain”. The definition of this selected criterion is linked to the need, for a project, to enable daring new pathways not 5
President of the ERC on FNRS.tv
the ERC has chosen the expression “exploratory research” to qualify the activities that it funds.
yet explored (high risk) to be opened and to achieve tangible advances (high gain).