HORIZON 2020 The European Research Council ERC Calls : An Overview with Focus on Italy

Transcription

1 HORIZON 2020 The European Research Council ERC Calls : An Overview with Focus on Italy Art & Build Architect / Montois Partners / credits: S. Brison

2 What is ERC? The ERC supports excellence in frontier research through a bottom-up, individual-based, pan-european competition Budget: 13 billion ( ) billion /year 7.5 billion ( ) billion /year Legislation! Scientific governance: independent Scientific Council with 22 members including the ERC President; full authority over funding strategy! Support by the ERC Executive Agency (autonomous)! Excellence as the only criterion Strategy! Support for the individual scientist no networks!! Global peer-review! No predetermined subjects (bottom-up)! Support of frontier research in all fields of science and humanities 2

3 ERC Structure The ERC Scientific Council 22 prominent researchers proposed by an independent identification committee Appointed by the Commission (4 years, renewable once) Establishes overall scientific strategy; annual work programmes (incl. calls for proposals, evaluation criteria); peer review methodology; selection and accreditation of experts Controls quality of operations and management Ensures communication with the scientific community

4 The scientific council Decide the allocation of funds to the different domains/panels Suggest and invite panel members Instruct panel chairs Monitor panel operations Completely detached from evaluation Rigid conflict of interest rules and code of conduct Interested in funding the best proposals 4

5 A bit of history Debate between European scientists, scholars and research umbrella organisations at a time when no clear European mechanism to support basic research on a broad front existed 2002: The debate gained momentum at political level. European research ministers called on EU Member States and the European Commission to discuss the purpose and scope of a Europe-wide research council. Subsequently, an expert group (ERCEG) group was convened under the Danish EU Presidency to investigate the viability of such a structure. 2003: A report from the ERC Expert Group (ERCEG), chaired by Professor Federico Mayor, described how the ERC might take shape. 2005: The ERCEG's recommendations won significant support from both the political and scientific communities, which culminated in 2005 with the European Commission proposing the establishment and operation of an autonomous ERC through the 'Ideas Programme' of the Seventh Framework Programme ( ). Following a consultation with representative bodies of the scientific community in Europe, 22 renowned researchers were selected as the founding members of the ERC Scientific Council. Press Release, Interim and Final Report Shortly afterwards, the ERC Scientific Council met for the first time.. In December, the Scientific Council announced the election of its Chairman, Prof Fotis Kafatos, and its two Vice-Chairs, Prof Helga Nowotny and Dr Daniel Estève 2007: The European Council gave the seal of approval to the ERC and its seven-year 7.5 billion budget. 2008: The ERC receives over 2000 proposals for the first Advanced Grants call. 2009: The ERC Executive Agency reached administrative autonomy with 200 staff members 2010: Fotis Kafatos, decided to step down from his function while still being member of the Scientific Council. One month later, the ERC Scientific Council unanimously elected Prof. Helga Nowotny, an eminent Austrian social scientist, as the new ERC President and chair of the Scientific Council. 5

6 Mission The ERC is a radical departure from conventional methods for implementing EU research programmes. Following the criteria of scientific excellence, autonomy, efficiency and transparency, and with the full involvement of the Scientific Council Long term sustainability and success 6

7 Think about the following: Why me? Why the ERC? Remember this was established to fill a gap, not to add to the existent Looking ahead High risk, high gain, ground breaking Curiosity driven Pioneering basic research Unconventional, innovative Look at which projects were granted in your area How will I change the present scientific panorama? Will this boost my career? It is a competition with limited funds Can I demonstrate that I could change route, face and solve a new problem in the past? Make life easy for the panel! The external reviewers will read both the synopsis AND the project 7

8 ERC Basics Creative Freedom of the Individual Grantee 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 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 to attract top team members (EU and non-eu) and collaborators ERC calls are open to researchers of any nationality, age or current place of work in the world (but significant part of work time in Europe: at least 50%) 8

9 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 (budget under H2020: 13 billion) " Future and Emerging Technologies " Marie Sklodoswka Curie Actions " Research Infrastructures 9

10 budget 77 billion ERC budget 13 billion FP7 budget 50.5 billion ERC budget 7.5 billion H2020 budget 77 billion ERC budget 13 billion Co-operation (65 %) JRC nonnuclear (3 %) Capacities (8 %) People (9 %) Ideas (15 %)

11 ERC in H Resubmission restrictions Increasing number applications causes low success rates and high panel workload Currently 2013 applicants who received "C" at step 1 cannot resubmit in 2014 For 2014 applicants, tighter resubmission rules can be expected: o those who receive B (Step 1 or Step 2) have to wait out one year o those who receive a C will have to wait out two years 11

12 ERC Grant Schemes Star%ng Grants starters (2-7 years after PhD) up to 2.0 Mio for 5 years Consolidator Grants consolidators (7-12 years after PhD) up to 2.75 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 Synergy Grants (2 exploratory calls) 2 4 Principal Investigators up to 15.0 Mio for 6 years

13 ERC in H2020 Work Programme 2014 Planning ERC calls Budget Call Publication Submission Deadline(s) Starting Grants ERC-2014-StG Consolidator Grants ERC-2014-CoG Advanced Grants ERC-2014-AdG 485 M 11 December March M 11 December May M 17 June October 2014 Proof of Concept ERC-2014-PoC 15 M 11 December 2013 DL1: 1 April 2014 DL2: 1 Oct

14 ERC achievements Highly distinguished grantees Serge Haroche Nobel 2012 Konstantin Novoselov Nobel 2010 Ada Yonath Andre Geim Christoforos Pissarides Theodor Hansch James Heckman Jean-Marie Lehn Stanislav Smirnov AdG 2008 Simon Donaldson AdG 2009 Elon Lindenstrauss AdG Wolf Prize awarded to Peter Zoller - SyG Holberg Prize awarded to Bruno Latour - AdG Crafoord Prize awarded to Lars Klareskog - AdG 2009 Other Prizes awarded to ERC grantees EMBO GOLD MEDAL 2011 Simon BOULTON - AdG 2010 FEBS EMBO WOMEN IN SCIENCE Carol ROBINSON - AdG 2010 EMBO GOLD MEDAL 2010 Jason W CHIN - StG 2007 THE SHAW PRIZE IN MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Christodoulou Demetrios - AdG 2009 CRAFOORD PRIZE 2011 and EUROPEAN LATSIS PRIZE 2010 Ilkka Hanski - AdG 2008 L'ORÉAL-UNESCO AWARD FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE Anne L'Huillier - AdG 2008 WOLF PRIZE 2010 Anton ZEILINGER, David BAULCOMBE - AdG 2008, Alain ASPECT - AdG 2010 LEIBNIZ PRIZE 2012 Michael BRECHT - AdG 2008 MILLENIUM AWARD 2010 Michael GRATZEL - AdG 2009 & Joerg WRACHTRUP - AdG Prizes awarded to ERC grantees EMBO GOLD MEDAL 2012 Jiri FRIML - StG 2011 BALZAN PRIZE 2012 David BAULCOMBE - AdG 2008 EUROPEAN LATSIS PRIZE 2012 Uffe HAAGERUP - AdG 2009 KELVIN PRIZE 2012 Colin McINNES - AdG 2008

15 ERC Competitions Evaluated* Funded success rates** Starting Grant ,167 8, Starting Grant ,503 2, Starting Grant ,873 2, Starting Grant ,080 4, Starting Grant ,741 4, Starting Grant ,329 3, Consolidator Grant ,673 3, Starting and Consolidator Grant 30,366 29,462 2, Advanced Grant ,167 2, Advanced Grant ,584 1, Advanced Grant ,009 1, Advanced Grant ,284 2, Advanced Grant ,304 2, Advanced Grant ,408 2, Advanced Grant 12,756 12,404 1, Proof of Concept & Proof of Concept & Proof of Concept & Proof of Concept Synergy Grant Synergy Grant * withdrawn and ineligible proposals not taken into account Total number of applications of which ** percentage of funded for Research proposals & Innovation in relation to evaluated proposals Data as of 11/02/

16 Italy at ERC 16

17 Italy at ERC Evaluated proposals from hosts in Italy Ineligible and withdrawn proposals not taken into account 17

18 Italy at ERC Granted proposals at host institutions in Italy * * current host institutions; data as of 11/02/

19 Italy at ERC Success rates per country of Host Institution 19

20 Italy at ERC Success rates per domain

21 Italy at ERC ERC grant distribution to countries of HI ERC StG, CoG and AdG calls *) Host institution refers to the organisation with which the first grant agreement was signed 21

22 Italy at ERC Mobility of researchers ERC StG, CoG and AdG calls Foreign PIs in Italy, from DE (5), US (3), FR (2), UK (2), NL (2), NO (2), BE (2), etc. 178 Italian PIs abroad Current host institutions; data as of 11/02/

23 Italy at ERC Top host institutions in Italy ERC StG, CoG and AdG calls Current host institutions; data as of 11/02/

24 Italy at ERC PoC grants by country of host institution ERC PoC calls 2011, 2012 and PoC in total - 6 PoC in Italy Current host institutions; data as of 16/12/

25 The European Research Council More information on erc.europa.eu National Contact Point in your country erc.europa.eu/national-contact-points Follow us on EuropeanResearchCouncil ERC_Research 25