The European Research Council

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1 The European Research Council Niki ATZOULATOU Head of Unit Grant Management ERC Executive Agency Principal Investigator Centric event Città della Scienza 29 October 2013

2 AGENDA Introduction 1. Purpose of PI centric events 2. A bit of history 3. ERC and ERCEA 4. The future: Horizon 2020 Legal aspects Financial aspects Coffee break Scientific reporting YAE an initiative from ERC grantees Open discussion 2

3 ERC organises a PI centric events at Città della Scienza

4 PI Centric events : our purpose Launched in 2010, the "PI Centric events" aim at: Strengthening the dialogue and the continuous cooperation between the ERC and the Principal Investigators (PIs); Reiterating the importance of Excellent research in Europe; Offering a direct "learning" and information exchange platform by means of the following: Provision of direct support and insight in ERC more from ERC officers; Opportunity for the PIs to express "uncensored" concerns; Stimulation of the PIs' "networking" possibility to learn from each other.

5 History where we come from and where we are heading EC proposes to establish the ERC as part of its 7 TH Framework Programme for Research (FP7, ) for the implementation of the IDEAS Specific Programme; The Scientific Council of the ERC is created and meets for the 1 st time Launch of FP7, ERC is allocated 7,5bn 1st ERC call is published and attracts 9000 applications The administrative structure of the ERC, the Executive Agency, is set up The ERC has become a success story, developing into a European Research Agency with international recognition applications for funding were received so far under the 5 different types of funding are available (Starting grants, Consolidators grants, Advanced grants, Synergy grants, Proof of Concept grants) Launch of Horizon 2020: despite austerity times the ERC is to receive a substantial increase in its budget!

pan-european competition Budget: 7.5billion (2007-2013) - 1.

authority over funding strategy Support by the ERC Executive Agency (autonomous) Excellence as

6 Strategy Legislation What is ERC? The ERC supports excellence in frontier research through a bottom-up, individual-based, pan-european competition Budget: 7.5billion ( ) billion /year Scientific governance: independent Scientific Council with 22 members; full authority over funding strategy Support by the ERC Executive Agency (autonomous) Excellence as the only criterion 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

ERC the key actors European Commission: Provides financing through the EU framework programmes Guarantees autonomy of the ERC Assures the integrity and accountability of the ERC

by the Commission (4 years, renewable once) Establishes overall scientific strategy; annual work programmes (incl.

the scientific community ERC Executive Agency: Executes annual work programme as established by the Scientific Council Implements calls for proposals and provides information and

7 ERC the key actors European Commission: Provides financing through the EU framework programmes Guarantees autonomy of the ERC Assures the integrity and accountability of the ERC Adopts annual work programmes as established by the Scientific Council 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 ERC Executive Agency: Executes annual work programme as established by the Scientific Council Implements calls for proposals and provides information and support to applicants Organises peer review evaluation Establishes and manages grant agreements Administers scientific, financial and legal aspects of grant agreements Carries out communications activities and ensures information dissemination to ERC stakeholders

8 ERC Executive Agency our Mission "THE ERCEA IS DEDICATED TO SELECTING AND FUNDING THE EXCELLENT IDEAS THAT HAVE NOT HAPPENED YET AND THE SCIENTISTS THAT ARE DREAMING THEM UP" Department C Grant management: - On the basis of the funding decision taken by the ERC President - after evaluation of a call through peer-review - Department C provides support for the financial and contractual framework for the research to happen. - The Department is a service provider making sure that PIs have the legal security and financial means to carry out the research in optimal conditions, keeping the administrative burden as low as possible. - The Grant Implementation Unit is your contact point for the project during its lifetime and in constant effort to support and serve the PI in carrying out excellent research: the financial follow-up, the assessment of financial reports and the processing of payments, the legal follow-up of the project: amendments and advice on the rights and obligations laid down in the ERC grant agreements.

9 After 6 years of existence A success story More than funded proposals; Excellence attracts excellence : 50% of PIs in 50 institutions, but more than 500 different host institutions in 29 countries host the other 50% of the projects; Highly competitive: average success rate 12%; EU value added: pan-european competition among researchers for the first time ever; Strengthening peer-review-based evaluation systems; Strong structuring effects: reshaping the European landscape of basic/frontier research; Making Europe more attractive in the global competition for scientific talent. 9

ERC Grantees feature prominently among laureates of prestigious Prizes and Awards

Christoforos Pissarides Theodor Hansch James Heckman Jean-Marie Lehn Stanislav

Prize awarded to Peter Zoller - SyG 2012 2013 Holberg Prize awarded to Bruno

Prizes awarded to ERC grantees EMBO GOLD MEDAL 2011 Simon BOULTON - AdG 2010 FEBS

W CHIN - StG 2007 THE SHAW PRIZE IN MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES 2011 - Christodoulou

Hanski - AdG 2008 L'ORÉAL-UNESCO AWARD FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE 2011 - Anne L'Huillier

StG 2011 BALZAN PRIZE 2012 David BAULCOMBE - AdG 2008 EUROPEAN LATSIS PRIZE 2012

2010 Anton ZEILINGER, David BAULCOMBE-AdG 2008, Alain ASPECT AdG 2010 LEIBNIZ

10 ERC Grantees feature prominently among laureates of prestigious Prizes and Awards 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 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 WOLF PRIZE 2010 Anton ZEILINGER, David BAULCOMBE-AdG 2008, Alain ASPECT AdG 2010 LEIBNIZ PRIZE 2012 Michael BRECHT - AdG 2008 & Joerg WRACHTRUP - AdG 2010 MILLENIUM AWARD 2010 Michael GRATZEL - AdG

11 Top Institutions hosting ERC grantees ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls (*) Based on first legal signatories of the grant agreement - data as of 09/09/2013

ERC grants - Distribution by country of HI ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls 2007

12 ERC grants - Distribution by country of HI ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls (*) Based on first legal signatories of the grant agreement - data as of 09/09/2013

13 Main Italian Host Institutions ERC projects ERC Starting & Advanced grant calls (*) Based on current host institutions - data as of 09/09/2013

Technologies Marie Curie actions Research infrastructures 2.

14 H2020: the future 1. Excellent Science (indicative allocation of funds: 31,7% of 77 Bn) European Research Council (13,09 bn) Future and Emerging Technologies Marie Curie actions Research infrastructures 2. Competitive Industries (23%) Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies underpinning innovation Access to risk finance Innovation in SMEs 3. Better Society societal challenges (41%) 4. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (2%) 5. Non-nuclear actions of the JRC (3%)

15 ERC: Continuity Importance of ERC confirmed as a body funding frontier research through competition at European level; No predetermined subjects (bottom-up); all fields of science; Support for the individual scientist or for groups of PIs; Open to researchers from anywhere in the world willing to do research in Europe (EU and AC); Selection based on Excellence only, after international peerreview.

16 ERC improvements Strengthening the Scientific Governance of the European Research Council Strengthening the links between the Scientific Council and the Executive Agency Merging positions of President of ERC and Secretary General Full-time President based in Brussels 3 Vice-Chairs elected from amongst the Scientific Council members Strengthening the role of Scientists in the Steering Committee of the ERCEA Strengthening the relation of the Scientific Council and the ERCEA Strengthening the links between ERC and other parts of H2020 which aim at reinforcing the European Science base Bringing ERC with Marie Curie, FET and Research Infrastructures together in a single programme will enable them to operate with greater coherence and in a rationalised, simplified and more focused way

17 Simplification Broader acceptance of usual accounting and management practices of the beneficiaries (should lead to reduction of administrative costs for beneficiaries of around 30%); Time-recording abolished for researchers working exclusively in an ERC project; Audit certificates: only one to be provided at the end of the project and only if EU contribution is > ; Acceleration of all processes, notably faster feedback to beneficiaries on evaluation results; Electronic submission of documents.

18 ERC continues

Established by the European Commission CNIT. Pisa 6 December Dr. Elena Volpi. European Research Council Executive Agency -ERCEA

Established by the European Commission CNIT. Pisa 6 December Dr. Elena Volpi. European Research Council Executive Agency -ERCEA FP7 IDEAS Programme European Research Council - ERC CNIT Pisa 6 December 2013 Dr. Elena Volpi p European Research Council Executive Agency -ERCEA Outline What is the ERC? Background, principles p What