Claudia Jesus-Rydin Research Programme Officer Starting Grant Unit Dublin , 09 September 2009

1. The European Research CouncilERC STARTING GRANT INFORMATION SESSION - Ireland Claudia Jesus-Rydin Research Programme Officer Starting Grant Unit Dublin, 09 September 2009

2. What is the ERC The first European funding body set up to support investigator-driven frontier research. Supporting and encouraging the very best, truly creative scientists, scholars and engineers to be adventurous and take risks in their research. Encouraged to go beyond established frontiers of knowledge and the boundaries of disciplines. │2

3. ERC, “Ideas” and FP7Main issues An “integrated structure” with a specific vocation Independent scientific governanceScientific Council with 22 members Dedicated Implementation StructureExecutive Agency with 389 employees by 2013 Part of the “family” of FP7 and complementary to other FP7 supports to research Bottom-up vs targeted research Individual teams vs consortia FP7 “Ideas” programme provides funding Budget (2007-2013) : € 7.51 bn (around 15% of FP7 budget) Average budget: € ~1 bn per year

4. ERC Grant schemesStrategic principles All fields of science and scholarship are eligible Investigator-driven, bottom-up Excellence is the only valid criterion Individual team + research project Investment in research talent Attractive, flexible grants, up to five years? Under control of the lead researcher (Principal Investigator) Independent individual teams in Europe Nationality and Age of researchers is not relevant Host organisation to be located in EU or AS

5. ERC Grant schemes3R and 2 schemes Aim:Retain – Repatriate – Recruit Favour “brain gain” and “reverse brain drain” improve career opportunities and independence - especiallyfor young researchers increase competition, recognition and international visibility - for excellent individual scientists and scholars in Europe Raise aspiration and achievement of basic research in Europe - comparability/benchmark for researchers and research systems Activities: Two complementary funding schemes ERC Starting Grant (StG): attract & retain the next generation of independent research leaders - up to € 2.0 Mio for 5 years ERC Advanced Grant (AdG): attract & reward established independent research leaders - up to € 3.5 Mio for 5 years

6. ERC Grant schemesWho can apply? – General requirements Principal Investigator Nationality, age or current placeof work not relevant Host organisation To be located in MS or AS Frontier Research Project All fields of science, engineeringand scholarship are eligible(investigator-driven, bottom-up) Individual research team PI has freedom to choose National or trans-national character,if scientific added value proven EU Member States Associated States

7. Who can apply to ERC grants? • Individual Research Teams • headed by a single “Principal Investigator” (team leader) • if necessary, including additional team members • The “Principal Investigator” has the freedom to choose the research topic and the power to assemble their research team according to the needs of the project • Teams can be of national or trans-national character

8. Requirements Principal Investigator (PI) any nationality one ERC Grant managed by a PI at any time re-submission rules may apply Hosting institution located in an EU Member State or Associated Country intra-European grant portability

9. Profile of StG • Any nationality or age • Any current place of work but: working or moving to work in Europe • 2-10 years of experience after PhD • Potential for independence and evidence of maturity • one publication without PhD supervisor • Track-record of early research achievements appropriate to their research field and career stage  Starters vs Consolidators │9

10. Host institution Applicant legal entity: institution that engages and hosts the PI for the duration of the project Any type of legal entity: universities, research centres, business research units … as long as it is in EU or AC Commitment of HI: to ensure that the PI may - apply for funding independently - manage research and funding for the project - publish independently as senior author - have access to reasonable space and facilities

11. European Research Council Profile of StG applicant at least one publication without participation of PhD supervisor promising track-record of early achievements - significant publications - invited presentations in conferences - funding, patents, awards, prizes specific stage of research career at time of application - starters - consolidators │11

12. StG applicant: PhD requirement First PhD awarded 2-10 years before call publication date (30 July 2009) - starters (PhD award: 2-6 years) - consolidators (PhD award: 7-10 years) - responsability of applicant to justify change in stage (exceptionally) - final decision by the panel extension may be requested: - up to 14.5 years - maternity (up 18 months/child) / paternity leave (up 12 months/child), long-term illness, military service, statutory reasons (clinical qualification) - applies to starter / consolidator stage also - must be supported by official documents │12

13. Size of a StG • Possible requested amount: • max € 1,500,000 for 5 years + € 500,000 if new research activity in EU by moving from TC • Eligible costs: • Support the project (personnel, equipment, consumables, travel, publi., admin.) • Non-eligible (taxes, provisions, debts, related to another project) • No double-funding • Assessment: • Requested budget reviewed by panel > total amount granted • Freedom of budget breakdown │13

14. Eligibility & Re-submissions • Ineligibility • - submission after the deadline • - incomplete proposals including annexes • - no commitment letter from HI • - research activity or HI outside EU or AC • - PhD award date • - missing supporting official documents • Re-application • - only one active ERC grant at any time • - only one application per PI within a calendar year • - if 2009 ► 2010: only if > threshold step 2 • - if 2010 ► 2011: only if > threshold step 1 │14

15. ERC Grant schemesProposal content and submission (preliminary) ERC Grant proposal PART A – online forms A1 Proposal and PI info A2 Host institution info A3 Budget PART B1 – submitted as .pdf Section 1Track Record of PI Scientific Leadership Potential 2 p. CV (including “funding ID”) 2 p. Early achievements track record 2 p. Extended synopsis 5 p. Annexes – submitted as .pdf - Statement of support by host - If applicable: explanatory information on ethical issues - StG only: PhD certificate (incl. documents proving eligibility career breaks) PART B2 – submitted as .pdf Section 2Scientific proposal 15 p. Section 3Research Environment 2 p.

16. Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 ERC Grant schemesProposal evaluation Submission Step 2 Consolidation (only reserve list) Step 1 Proposal – B1+B2 Proposal – B1+B2 Proposal - B Proposal – B1 Section 1 Section 1 Section 2 Section 2 Section 3 Section 3 ESR & IARs + Annexes • Evaluation • - Indiv. assessments • Interdisciplinary flag • Interviews (StG only) • - PANEL MEETINGS • - Ranking Evaluation - Indiv. Assessments - PANEL MEETINGS - Ranking • Evaluation • PANEL MEETINGS • Ranking Eligibility Check

17. StG PI’s dedication & availability The principal investigator will need to devote, in the case of a Starting Grant at least 50% of her/his working time to the ERC-funded project. Recommendation: Honest Funding ID, clear motivations and Let panel make the decision │17

18. Submission deadlines for 2010 calls Date of publication StG 2010:July 30, 2009 Call closure deadline for submission : Physical sciences & engineering ….. October 28, 2009 Life Sciences ….. November 18, 2009 Social sciences & humanities ….. December 9, 2009 Call budget : 530 M Date of publication AdG 2010:October 29, 2009 Call budget : 590 M │18

19. StG 2009 Submitted proposals by country of host institution (2503) 86 49 30 2 2 29 47 4 347 134 34 95 256 28 228 4 52 61 26 19 26 6 434 42 1 7 227 43 90 1 9 80 Source: StG-09: 2503, 17.12.2008

20. ERC Starting Grant 2009Submissions from researchers with a residence outside of ERA 1 ERA 3 1 56 5 1 1 1 1 1 4

21. ERC Starting Grant 2009 Submissions from nationalsof third countries Russia 30 Canada 3 Belarus1 Kazakhistan 1 Ukraine 8 Moldova2 Armenia 2 Japan 6 China 14 Korea 3 USA 31 Lebano 1 Algeria 1 Iran1 Taiwan 2 Egypt 1 Bangladesh 1 Mexico 2 Cuba 1 India 14 Viet Nam 1 Sri Lanka 2 Malaysia 2 Singapore 1 Brasil 7 Peru 1 Chile 1 Australia 7 South Africa 2 Uruguay 1 New Zealand 2 Argentinia 2 Source: StG-09: 2503 submitted proposals

22. StG IRISH participation evaluation │22

23. StG 2009 IRISH results │23

24. StG 2009 – General Results Submitted proposals Main list final 927 (37%) 69 (31.5%) Life Sciences Physical Sciences & Engineering 1112 (44.4%) 93 (42.5%) Social Sciences & Humanities 464 (18.6%) 41 (18.7%) 16 (7.3%) Interdisciplinary Domain ∑ =2503 ∑ = 219 8,7% of submitted │24

25. StG 2009 – Ireland Results Ireland success rate > General success rate 10.3% 8.7% │25

26. Thank you ! Claudia.JESUS-RYDIN@ec.europa.eu │26