ERC awards 15 Consolidator Grants to researchers in Austria

Good news for six research institutions in Austria: The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the names of 321 Consolidator Grant award winners in the 2022 call.

This year a total of 15 scientists from Austrian research institutions were able to prevail in the demanding application process. They submitted their applications together with 2222 competitors from 18 EU member states and other countries associated with the EU’s Horizon Europe research framework programme. Now 14.4% of the most convincing applicant projects will receive funding.

Back in November 2022, the European Commission announced 17 ERC Starting Grant winners in Austria. Federal Minister Martin Polaschek is delighted with the continued success of Austrian applicants at the ERC: “An ERC Grant is more than just financial support. Nowadays, it is recognised both in Europe and worldwide as a seal of approval for excellent and groundbreaking science. I am therefore pleased to see how many of our local scientists have impressed the European Research Council. The continued success is a clear testament to the quality, relevance and vision of the research carried out at our research institutions. I warmly congratulate all the grantees on this important recognition of their work.”

Since 2013, the ERC has been awarding up to 2 million euros (in individual cases up to 3 million euros) in research funding annually to Principal Investigators (project leaders) who completed their doctorate no more than 12 years ago, allowing them to pursue potentially groundbreaking research. The grant supports them in consolidating their own research groups. The EU made available a total of 657 million euros for the 2022 call, of which the 15 successful Austrian applicants have secured more than 31 million euros.