The European Research Council

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The European Research Council
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Arts and Humanities Research Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research
Council
Central Laboratory of the Research Councils
UK Research Office
Economic and Social Research Council
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Medical Research Council
Natural Environment Research Council
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
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UKRO aims
To promote effective UK participation in
EU-funded research programmes, higher education
programmes, and other related activities
UK Research Office

• Based in Brussels, UKRO
• Provides early insight and briefing
• Disseminates EU funding opportunities
• Provides high quality guidance and training
• Exchanges information between the UK and EU

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Subscriber services
UK Research Office

• Website www.ukro.ac.uk
• Enquiry service
• Annual visit from an UKRO European Advisor
• Meeting room in Brussels
• Specialist training courses and information
  events
• Annual conference for European officers
• National Contact Point (Marie Curie and ERC)
• European RTD Insight

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Personalised Information Service
http//ims.ukro.ac.uk
UKROs Information Services
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FP7 Background
FP7 is designed to complement activities in
Member States, as well as other Community actions
to implement the Lisbon objectives 7-year
programme (2007 -2013) Budget of 50 521 million
FP7 Policy Background
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FP7 Specific Programmes
Co-operation Collaborative Research
Framework Programme 7
Ideas Frontier Research
(ERC)
People Human Potential (Marie
Curie)
Capacities Research Capacity
Plus JRC and EURATOM
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Strategic Aims of ERC

• European Excellence and Frontier research
• Invest in best researchers and ideas
• Competition at European level
• Scientific excellence as sole criterion
• Raising incentives towards quality and
  aspirations of individual researchers
  (Investigator-driven)
• Provide benchmarks and leverage towards broader,
  structural improvements in European research

FP7 Ideas
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How is the ERC Organised?

• Scientific Council
• Main decisions, created by EC, propose work
  programme, establish peer review, oversight,
  annual report
• Secretariat
• Provide day-to-day support to the Scientific
  Council
• Implementation body
• Responsible to EC, information and support,
  registration of proposals, organise peer review,
  follow-up, annual implementation report
• European Commission
• No major decisions, approve programmes, legal
  signatories
• Programme Management Committee
• Member State Representatives, no say in
  evaluations or in topic areas, view oversight
  reports by EC

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Who sits on the Scientific Council?

• The Scientific Council (ScC) members are
  independent respected scientific personalities,
  reflecting the full scope of European research
  acting in their personal capacity
• 22 Members announced on 18 July 2005
• Nominated by EC decision following an independent
  identification procedure (Patten Committee)
• Fotis Kafatos Imperial College Chairman of
  ERC
• UK Members Wendy Hall - Southampton, Lord Robert
  May,
• Secretary Generals of the ERC.
• Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker from University
  of Munich 2 ½ years
• Professor Andreu Mas-Colell from University
  Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona takes over in July
  2009.

FP7 Ideas - ERC
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Ideas Frontier Research (7.51 bn)
FP7 Ideas

• Starting Independent Research Grant
• (1/3 Starting Grants)
• 1st call in 2007, 300M
• Advanced Investigator Grant
• (2/3 Advanced Grants)

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What is Frontier research?

• Research at the frontier of knowledge
  increasingly important to competitiveness and
  welfare
• Research at and beyond the frontiers of
  understanding is an intrinsically risky venture,
  progressing on new and exciting research areas
• New knowledge and understanding
• Cuts across disciplines.

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Investigator driven research

• The Principal investigator (any nationality)
• - chooses the research topic
• - assembles the research team to best meet the
  requirements of the research
• Teams can be of national or trans-national
  character (but this is not a collaborative
  project type network)

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European Research Council (ERC)A Quick Recap
Starting Grants
FP7 Ideas - ERC
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ERC StG Review Process - Proposal Content

• Deadline Second Stage 17 September (17.00
  Brussels time)
• Stage 2 Full Proposal (16 pages max) on EPSS
• Overall components of the application
• Administration forms (A1, A2 and A3)
• Research Proposal
• Supporting Documentation
• Interview

FP7 ERC Starting Grants
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ERC Panels Starting Grants

• SH1 Individuals and organisations Economics,
  management, demography, geography, urban and
  environmental studiesSH2 Institutions,
  behaviour, values and beliefs Anthropology,
  sociology, political sciences, law,
  communication, social studies of science and
  technologySH3 The human mind and its
  complexity Cognition, linguistics, psychology
  and philosophySH4 Cultures and cultural
  diversity Literature, visual and performing
  arts, music and cultural studiesSH5 The study
  of the past and cultural artefacts Memory,
  history and archaeology

FP7 Ideas - ERC
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ERC Panels Starting grants

• PE1 Mathematical foundations Pure and applied
  mathematics, theoretical computer science
• and mathematical physics.
• PE2 Fundamental constituents of matter High
  energy, particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic,
• molecular, gas and optical physics.
• PE3 Structures and reactions Condensed matter
  (structure, electronic properties, fluids,),
• statistical physics, nanosciences, reactions.
• PE4 Material sciences and methods Material
  sciences, molecular architecture, analytical
• chemistry, synthesis (both inorganic and organic)
  and theory, physical and environmental
• chemistry, method development.
• PE5 Information and communication Informatics
  and information systems, communication
• technology, computer science, intelligent
  systems.
• PE6 Engineering sciences Electronics, product
  design, process design control,
• construction methods, fluid and solid mechanics,
  energy systems, bio-engineering.
• PE7 Universe sciences Astro-physics/chemistry/bio
  logy/geology solar system stellar,
• galactic and extragalactic astronomy cosmology
  space sciences, instrumentation.
• PE8 Earth system science Physical geography,
  geology, geophysics, oceanography,
• climatology, ecology, global change,
  biogeochemical cycles, natural resources.

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ERC Panels Starting Grants

• LS1 Molecular, cellular and developmental
  biology Biochemistry, molecular biology,
  metabolism, cell biology, signal transduction,
  embryology, structural biology
• LS2 Genetics, genomics, bioinformatics and
  systems biology Molecular genetics, cell
  genetics, genomics, transcriptomics,
  metabolomics, computational biology,
  biostatistics, biological modelling
• LS3 Organismic physiology, including infection
  and immunity Organogenesis, organ physiology,
  endocrinology, ageing, toxicology, parasitology,
  microbiology, virology, immunology
• LS4 Neurosciences Neurobiology, neuroanatomy,
  neurophysiology, neurochemistry,
  neuropharmacology, systems neurosciences,
  neuroimaging
• LS5 Evolutionary, population and environmental
  biology Evolution, adaptation, population
  biology, biodiversity, ecotoxicology, marine
  biology, radiation biology, environmental risks,
  environmental medicine
• LS6 Applied medical and health sciences Clinical
  medicine, public health, psychiatry, surgery,
  epidemiology, biomedical engineering, veterinary
  medicine, pharmacology, medical ethics
• LS7 Applied biology and bioengineering, including
  agricultural sciences and biotechnology genetic
  engineering, GMOs, synthetic biology, plant
  biology, fisheries, forestry, environmental
  biotechnology, industrial biotechnology,
  biomaterials, biohazards.

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First Stage Statistics - Overall

• 9167 first stage (outline) proposals
• Average grant requested 1 Million (indicated
  range 500k to 2 million)
• 559 invited to submit second stage applications
• Approximately 50 success rate at the second
  stage

FP7 ERC StG 1st Call Statistics
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First Stage Experience What do we know about?

• Nationality of PI
• Current Country of Residence of PI
• PI Age and Experience
• PI Gender
• Host Institution Location
• No of Institutions Involved in Proposal
• Scientific Domains (by Number of PIs)
• Feedback on EPSS
• Feedback on eligibility issues EPSS
• Lessons learned

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- Nationality of PI

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants- 85 were
  nationals of EU Member States
• - 8 were nationals of FP7 Associated Countries
  (AC)
• - 7 were third country nationals- More
  information is given in Table A
• All Stage 1 Applicants
• - The ERC has not released this statistic for all
  applicants

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- Current Country of
Residence of PI

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants
• - About 4 are currently based outside the EU
• - The majority of these are Europeans willing to
  move back to Europe
• - Whilst just under 1 are researchers of a
  third country nationality not yet living in
  Europe
• All Stage 1 Applicants- 3.2 of all PIs were
  resident outside the EU

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- PI Age and Experience

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants - 87 have 4-9
  years of experience after their PhD- Average age
  36 years
• All Stage 1 Applicants- 80.6 of the applicants
  had 4-9 years experience from their PhD (PhDs
  between 1998 and 2003)- Most people received
  their PhDs 2-9 years ago- The distribution was
  quite spread out over this range

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- PI Gender

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants - 24 Female and
  76 Male - However, this ratio differs largely
  between the various research domains
• All Stage 1 Applicants- 30 Female and 70 Male
• No statistics available on gender of team members

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- Host Institution Location

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants - 89 of the host
  institutions are in the EU.- 11 of the host
  institutions are in FP7 Associated Countries.

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- No of Institutions
Involved in Proposal

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants
• - No statistics released yet
• All Stage 1 Applicants- Most applications only
  few institutions involved
• - 87 involved 1 institution
• 7 involved 2 institutions, 2 had 3, only 4 had
  gt3
• - ERCs desire to support individual teams has
  been largely understood by applicants

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First Stage Statistics- Scientific Domains (by
Number of PIs)

• Successful Stage 1 Applicants - 45 in
  Physics, Mathematics and Engineering (PSE)
• - 37 in Life Sciences (LS)
• - 18 in Social Sciences and Humanities (SH)
• All Stage 1 Applicants- 48.1 in PSE
• - 37 in LS
• - 14.9 in SH

FP7 ERC StG 1st Stage Statistics
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First call statistics- Split between domains
FP7 ERC StG 1st Call Statistics
Indicative budget established by ScC (Work
programme 2007)
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Feedback on EPSS

• High Demand on the FP7 Electronic Proposal
  Submission System (EPSS)
• Problems at Submission (100 proposals)
• Late submission (tentative uploads after
  deadline)
• Some failure to comply with technical
  requirements (invalid format of the proposal not
  PDF format, protection by password)
• Late download of annexes (statements of support
  not signed by HI on time)

FP7 ERC StG 1st Call Statistics
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Feedback on Eligibility Issues
FP7 ERC StG 1st Call Statistics

• Eligibility criteria issues
• Completeness (including statement of support from
  institution)
• Related to the ERC Starting Grant scheme PhD,
  Host country
• Around 350 non-eligible proposals
• Mainly for missing or invalid statement of
  support (more than 250 cases)
• Also for ineligibility of PI (PhD outside
  eligibility period)
• Eligibility Committee
• In case of doubt on eligibility, evaluation may
  proceed after a decision by the eligibility
  review committee ( 50 proposals)
• Invalid statement of support (statement signed by
  the applicant on behalf of the host)

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ERC First CallStarting Independent Research
Grant

• Evaluation
• scientific excellence as the sole criterion
• The potential of the people and their track
  record (research excellence of the applicant at
  PhD level and subsequently, achievements,
  publication list).
• Excellence of the project (in terms of the
  scientific value, innovativeness and feasibility
  of the objectives sought, the methodology
  proposed, the project management and research
  environment)
• Exact criteria and weightings still tbc..

FP7 Ideas - ERC
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ERC Project Management

• Independence of researchers
• Research direction change in scientific goals
• Role in department
• Financial management
• Staff recruitment
• Transfers of Principal Investigators?
• If other institutions involved, how will networks
  operate?
• Dissemination specifics
• Different costing and reporting regimes

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Some Lessons

• Often applicants did not fully understand ERC
  concepts (frontier research, individual team)
• Applicants often not ambitious enough
• Often applicants did not explain why the research
  is important or what the impacts would be
• Many applications resembled job description
  written by a supervisor rather than showing the
  PIs ideas
• Many people already fairly experienced (i.e.
  having UK fellowships)
• Applicants should aim their proposal at
  generalist reviewers (panel members) in Stage 1
• The top ranked proposals were outstanding, but
  many average ones were also submitted

FP7 ERC StG 1st Call
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European Research Council (ERC)Advanced Grants

• Objective
• encourage and support excellent, innovative
  investigator-initiated research projects
• Eligibility
• leading advanced investigators across EU and
  Associated Countries
• targeting researchers already established as
  independent research leaders in their own right
• Research Areas
• bottom up approach - any research area (except
  Fission Fusion)
• Implementation
• up to 500k per grant per year over 5 years
• ca. 200 grants per year?
• One Stage Submission, 2 Step Evaluation

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Advance Grants (Provisional)

• Scientific Council are defining strategy
• Call to be launched in November 2007
• Deadlines spring 2008
• Open to top rate, senior researchers
• Starting Grant applicants are not eligible
• ERC will look to limit over-subscription
• Adjusted panel structure

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ERC Second Call Advanced Investigator Grant

• Lessons learned from StG first call
• Maximise the call budget
• Limit oversubscription
• Adjust Panel Structure
• Latest News
• Call (and documentation) expected November 2007
• Deadlines will depend on panel and expected to
  be Spring 2007 with the first closing date
  expected late February
• Expected to be similar panel structure to StG
  but with 25 panels. Different individual Members
• Expected to be one stage full application
  process but 2 step review process. No interviews

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Advance Grants (Provisional)

• Proposals must contain
• CV 10 year track record and scientific
  leadership profile
• Proposal and extended synopsis
• Evaluation
• - 1st step Evaluation of CV (track record and
  leadership profile) Extended Synopsis
• - 2nd step Evaluation of full proposal

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ERC Second Call Advanced Investigator Grant

• Possible benchmarks of 10 year track record
• Senior author publications in major
  peer-reviewed multi-disciplinary scientific
  journals and/or leading peer-reviewed journals of
  their respective research fields
• And if applicable
• Monographs and any translations of monographs
  (if applicable)
• Granted patents
• Invited presentations into peer-reviewed,
  internationally established conferences and/or
  international advanced schools
• Expeditions that the applicant has lead
• International conferences in the field of the
  applicant that have been organised by PI (member
  of the steering and/or organising committee)
• International Prizes/Awards/Academy Memberships

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ERC Second Call Advanced Investigator Grant

• Possible indicators of leadership profile
• Content and impact of the major scientific or
  scholarly contributions of the applicant to
  his/her own research field and/or neighbouring
  research fields and, if applicable, the wider
  societal impact
• The international recognition and diffusion that
  these major contributions have received from
  others (publications or appropriate equivalents
  /additional funding/ students /international
  prizes and awards /institution building /other)
• Ability to productively change research fields
  and/or establish new interdisciplinary approaches

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Keeping up to date with the latest?

• UKRO information Services http//ims.ukro.ac.uk
• UKRO website www.ukro.ac.uk
• ERC for Subscribers http//www.ukro.ac.uk/subscri
  ber_services/fp7/ideas/index.htm
• ERC page UKRO NCP http//www.ukro.ac.uk/erc/index
  .htm
• Sign up to receive our ERC Newsletter at
• http//www.ukro.ac.uk/erc/events_ukro/events_al
  erts.htm
• UKRO ERC NCP Advanced Grants Information Events
  (Dec 2007/Jan 2008 dates TBC)
• ERC website http//ec.europa.eu/erc/index_en.cfm
• Documentation, FAQs, events, key issues, etc.

FP7 Ideas - ERC