A public seminar by Prof. Donald Dingwell, Director General, European Research Council took place in Academy House on Thursday, 16 May 2013. The chair for the event was Prof. Aoife McLysaght, Trinity College Dublin, ERC Starting Grant Holder 2012. More information - http://ria.ie/About/Our-Work/Policy/How-to-Succeed-with-the-European-Research-Council.aspx

1. The European Research CouncilThe European Research Council
The ERC in PracticeThe ERC in Practice
Fiona Kernan Ph DFiona Kernan, Ph.D.
Consolidator Grant Call Coordinator
ERC Executive Agency
Scientific DepartmentScientific Department
Royal Irish AcademyRoyal Irish Academy
Dublin, Thursday 16 May 2013

2. European Research Council
Outline
Established by the
European Commission
Outline
Starting & Consolidator Grants
Advanced Grant
Evaluation Process
Preparing an Application
│ 2

3. European Research Council
ERC Grant Schemes
Established by the
European Commission
ERC Grant Schemes
Advanced GrantsStarting Grants
starters
(2-7 years after PhD)
Advanced Grants
track-record of
significant research
achievements in the
Consolidator Grants
consolidators
(7 12 years after PhD)(2-7 years after PhD)
up to €2.0 M
for 5 years
achievements in the
last 10 years
up to €3.5 M
f 5
(7-12 years after PhD)
up to €2.75 M
for 5 years
for 5 years
Synergy Grants
2 – 4 Principal Investigators
up to €15 0 M for 6 years
Proof‐of‐Concept
bridging gap between research - earliest
stage of marketable innovation
up to €150 000 for ERC grant holdersup to €15.0 M for 6 years up to €150,000 for ERC grant holders

4. European Research Council
ERC Grant Schemes who can apply?
Established by the
European Commission
ERC Grant Schemes – who can apply?
• Excellent Researchers (PIs)
• Any nationality, age or current place of work
• In conjunction with a Host Institution
Based in the EU or an Associated Country• Based in the EU or an Associated Country

5. European Research Council
Starting and Consolidator Grants:
Established by the
European Commission
g
Objectives
• ERC Starting Grants support researchers at the• ERC Starting Grants support researchers at the
stage at which they are starting their own
independent research team or programmeindependent research team or programme.
• ERC Consolidator Grants support at the stage at
which they are consolidating their owny g
independent research team or programme.

6. European Research Council
Starting and Consolidator Grants:
Established by the
European Commission
g
Profile of an applicant
• Potential for (StG) or demonstrated research
independence (CoG)p ( )
• At least one (StG) or several (CoG) important
publications without the participation of your PhDpublications without the participation of your PhD
supervisor
P i i t k d f l hi t• Promising track-record of early achievements
Significant publications
Invited publications
Funding, awards, prizesg, , p

7. European Research Council
Eligibility
Established by the
European Commission
Eligibility
• At least 2 7 years post PhD (StG)• At least 2 – 7 years post PhD (StG)
• At least 7 – 12 years post PhD (CoG)
• Extensions to this period are possible

8. European Research Council
Grant Size
Established by the
European Commission
Grant Size
• € 2 M (StG)• € 2 M (StG)
• € 2.75 M (CoG)
• 100% total eligible direct costs (salaries,
i t t )equipment, etc.)

9. European Research Council
Outline
Established by the
European Commission
Outline
Starting & Consolidator Grants
Advanced Grant
Evaluation Process
Preparing an Application
│ 9

10. European Research Council
Advanced Grants:
Established by the
European Commission
Objectives and Grant Size
• ERC Advanced Grants allow exceptional
established research leaders of any nationality andy y
any age to pursue ground-breaking, high-risk
projects that open new directions in any field.p j p y
• ERC Advanced Grant funding targets researchers• ERC Advanced Grant funding targets researchers
who have already established themselves as
independent research leaders in their own rightindependent research leaders in their own right.
• € 3.5 M Euro

11. European Research Council
Advanced Grants:
Established by the
European Commission
Profile of an applicant
• Active researchers with a track-record of
significant achievements in the last 10 years.g y
10 bli ti i th ( 3 h10 publications as senior author (or 3 research
monographs)
I it d t ti t i t ti l fInvited presentations at international conferences
Patents
International prizes/awards
Mentoring

12. European Research Council
Outline
Established by the
European Commission
Outline
Starting & Consolidator Grants
Advanced Grant
Evaluation Process
Preparing an Application
│ 12

13. European Research Council
Selection of proposals:
Established by the
European Commission
p p
Submission, evaluation and selection
Individual assessment of full
proposal by Panel Members &
Submission of
full proposals
Eligibility check
p p y
Remote Referees
Step 1 (remote) evaluation on
the basis of section 1 of StG/CoG:AdG:
proposal* by Panel Members
1st Panel Meeting
StG/CoG:
2nd Panel Meeting
AdG:
2nd Panel Meeting
Proposals
i t St 2
Proposals
l t d f f di
1st Panel Meeting
│ 13
passing to Step 2 selected for funding

14. European Research Council
Proposal Submission
Established by the
European Commission
Proposal Submission
• Electronic – via PPSS (replacing EPSS)
http://ec europa eu/research/participants/portal/page/http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/
home
O d dli ll• One deadline per call
• Submit to a specific panel
• Electronic forms (Part A) and the proposal (Part B)

15. European Research Council
Proposal Structure Part B
Established by the
European Commission
Proposal Structure – Part B
• Part B1 = 'The PI'
• Extended synopsis (5 pgs.)
• CV (2 pgs.)
• Track-record (2 pgs.)
• Part B2 = Full Scientific Proposal (15 pgs.)
• Ethical Review information (where appropriate)Ethical Review information (where appropriate)
• Separate additional documents:
Host Institution Support Letter
Copy of PhD document (StG and CoG only)
Documents to prove extension to the eligibility window

16. European Research Council
Eligibility and Re submissions
Established by the
European Commission
Eligibility and Re-submissions
• Ineligibility
Submission after the deadline.
Incomplete proposals.
No commitment letter from the HINo commitment letter from the HI.
PhD award date outside the window.
• Re-submissions
If applied in 2012 only apply to 2013 if awarded atIf applied in 2012 – only apply to 2013 if awarded at
least an A or a B in Step 1.
Only one application per PI under the same WPOnly one application per PI under the same WP.

17. European Research Council
Who evaluates the proposals?
Established by the
European Commission
Who evaluates the proposals?
• Panel Members: typically 600 / call
Hi h l l i ti t
US
(7%)
Other
(7%)
High-level scientists
Recruited by ScC from all over the world:
~14% from outside Europe
(7%)
14% from outside Europe
About 12 members plus a chair person
Europe and
• Referees: typically 2000 / call
Evaluate only a small number of proposals
Europe and
Associated
Countries
(86%)y p p
Similar to normal practise in peer-reviewed
journals
( )

18. European Research Council
Reviewer Exclusion
Established by the
European Commission
Reviewer Exclusion
• Applicants can nominate up to three persons to be
excluded from the evaluation of their proposal, specifying
fthe reason for exclusion:
• Direct scientific rivalry
• Professional hostility
• Similar situation which would impair or put in doubt
th bj ti it f th t ti l l tthe objectivity of the potential evaluator
• The concerned persons will be excluded from the
evaluation of the proposal assuming that the ERCEA is still
in a position to evaluate the proposal properlyin a position to evaluate the proposal properly.

19. European Research Council
Feedback to Applicants
Established by the
European Commission
Feedback to Applicants
End of Step 1:
A Proposal is of sufficient quality to pass to Step 2 of the
evaluation.
B Proposal is of high quality but not sufficient to pass to Step 2 of
the evaluation.
C Proposal is not of sufficient quality to pass to Step 2 of the
evaluation. The applicant may also be subject to resubmission
li it ti i th t lllimitations in the next call.

20. European Research Council
Feedback to Applicants
Established by the
European Commission
Feedback to Applicants
End of Step 2:
A Proposal fully meets the ERC's excellence criterion and is
recommended for funding if sufficient funds are available.
B Proposal meets some but not all elements of the ERC's
excellence criterion and will not be funded.

21. European Research Council
Outline
Established by the
European Commission
Outline
Starting & Consolidator Grants
Advanced Grant
Evaluation Process
Preparing an Application
│ 21

22. European Research Council
Preparing an application (1)
Established by the
European Commission
Preparing an application (1)
• Allow sufficient time to prepare your application
• Talk to the Grants Office
• Your ProfileYour Profile
CV: standard academic & research record; clearly
explain any research career gaps and/orexplain any research career gaps and/or
unconventional paths
Track-record: Major achievements evidence ofTrack record: Major achievements, evidence of
creative independent thinking

23. European Research Council
Preparing an application (2)
Established by the
European Commission
Preparing an application (2)
• Scientific proposal (15 pgs.) with an extended
synopsis (5 pgs) and an abstract.y p ( pg )
• Remember that the extended synopsis is only read at
Step 1 – concise presentation.p p
• Pay particular attention to the ground-breaking nature
of the research project.p j
• State-of-art and objectives.
• MethodologyMethodology.
• Carefully justify the use of your resources.

24. European Research Council
Preparing an application (3)
Established by the
European Commission
Preparing an application (3)
• Follow the formatting rules and page limits.
• Proof-read the proposal well.
• Have all your documentation ready in time• Have all your documentation ready in time.
• Submit in advance of the deadline.

25. European Research Council
Guidelines and Other Resources
Established by the
European Commission
Guidelines and Other Resources
• Read the Guide for Applicants and
the Ideas Work Programmethe Ideas Work Programme.
• Any doubts about your eligibility or
any other questions, contact one of
the three Irish NCPs or the ERCEA.
• Have a look at what is already funded
and the profile of the granteesand the profile of the grantees.
│ 25

26. European Research Council
ERC Funded Projects
Established by the
European Commission
j
http://erc.europa.eu/erc-funded-projects
│ 26

27. European Research Council
Timetable of 2013 ERC calls
Established by the
European Commission
Single deadlines for all Calls
ERC calls Call Publication Submission
Deadline
Starting Grant
ERC-2013-StG
10 July 2012 17 October 2012
Advanced Grant
ERC-2013-AdG
10 July 2012 22 November 2012
Synergy Grant
ERC-2013-SyG 10 October 2012 10 January 2013ERC 2013 SyG
Consolidator
Grant 7 November 2012 21 February 2013
ERC-2013-CoG

28. European Research Council
Calls in 2014 indicative only
Established by the
European Commission
Calls in 2014 – indicative only
• Opening and Submission Deadlines of ERC Calls
(under H2020) throughout 2014:(under H2020) throughout 2014:
Starting Grant 2014 – first and second quarter
of 2014;of 2014;
Consolidator Grant 2014 – second quarter of
2014;
Advanced Grant 2014 – fourth quarter of 2014;Advanced Grant 2014 fourth quarter of 2014;
No Synergy Grant foreseen in 2014.

29. European Research Council
Thank you for your attention!
Established by the
European Commission
Thank you for your attention!
More information on
htt //http://erc.europa.eu
To subscribe to the ERC newsletterTo subscribe to the ERC newsletter
http://erc.europa.eu/keep-updated-erc
National Contact Points
http://cordis.europa.eu/national_service/home_en.html

30. European Research Council
Panel Structure 3 domains 25 panels
Established by the
European Commission
Panel Structure – 3 domains – 25 panels
Social Sciences and Humanities
SH1 Individuals, institutions & markets
SH2 Institutions, values, beliefs and behaviour
Each panel:
Panel Chair and
10-15 Panel Members , ,
SH3 Environment, space and population
SH4 The human mind and its complexity
SH5 Cultures and cultural production
Life Sciences
LS1 Molecular & structural biology &LS1 Molecular & structural biology &
biochemistrybiochemistry
SH6 The study of the human past
Physical Sciences & Engineering
PE1 M th ti l f d ti
biochemistrybiochemistry
LS2 Genetics, genomics, bioinformatics &LS2 Genetics, genomics, bioinformatics &
systems biologysystems biology
LS3 Cellular and developmental biologyLS3 Cellular and developmental biology
PE1 Mathematical foundations
PE2 Fundamental constituents of matter
PE3 Condensed matter physics
PE4 Physical & analytical chemical sciences
LS4 Physiology, pathophysiology &LS4 Physiology, pathophysiology &
endocrinologyendocrinology
LS5 Neurosciences & neural disordersLS5 Neurosciences & neural disorders
LS6 Immunity & infectionLS6 Immunity & infection PE4 Physical & analytical chemical sciences
PE5 Materials & synthesis
PE6 Computer science & informatics
PE7 Systems & communication engineering
LS6 Immunity & infectionLS6 Immunity & infection
LS7 Diagnostic tools, therapies & public healthLS7 Diagnostic tools, therapies & public health
LS8 Evolutionary, population & environmentalLS8 Evolutionary, population & environmental
biologybiology y g g
PE8 Products & process engineering
PE9 Universe sciences
PE10 Earth system science
gygy
LS9 Applied life sciences & biotechnologyLS9 Applied life sciences & biotechnology

31. European Research Council
Call budget distribution (by domain)
Established by the
European Commission
g ( y )
for 2013 calls
Breakdown per domain
• Life Sciences – LS
• Physical Sciences &
E i i PEEngineering – PE
• Social Sciences &
Humanities – SHHumanities SH
Within each domain, budget is broken down according to total
funding requested per panel (equal chance in each panel)

32. European Research Council
Call budget distribution for 2013 calls
Established by the
European Commission
Call budget distribution for 2013 calls
2012 total budget: € 1,578.1 M
2013 total budget: € 1 754 9 M
AdG Ad d G t
2013 total budget: € 1,754.9 M
AdG: Advanced Grants
CoG: Consolidator Grants
StG: Starting Grants
AdG, 662, 38%
SyG, 150, 8%
10; 0.6%
Other,
21.96,
StG
CoG
StG: Starting Grants
SyG: ERC Synergy
PoC: Proof of Concept
StG, 398, 23%CoG, 523, 30%
11,96; 0.7%
,
1% AdG
SyG
PoC
Admin
PoC: Proof of Concept