Scientific excellence as the only funding criterion, complete thematic openness, encouragement of unconventional and interdisciplinary research approaches and, last but not least, substantial support for individual researchers and their teams: conditions like these have made the ERC a highly sought-after and globally recognized European funding program for “pioneer research”.
The ERC is governed by an independent Scientific Council which is led by ERC President Maria Leptin. The operational implementation is carried out by the European Research Council Executive Agency .
The highly competitive program includes four central funding lines :
- ERC Starting Grants
support young, excellent scientists as “Principal Investigators” in establishing their own, independent research team. At the time of the reference date established by the ERC, the doctorate of “ Principal Investigators between two and seven years ago. In exceptional cases, this time window can be extended.
- ERC Consolidator Grants
support young, outstanding scientists whose doctorates were between seven and twelve years old at the reference date set by the ERC in consolidating their own research team. In exceptional cases, this time window can be extended.
- ERC Advanced Grants
give leading scientists the opportunity to pursue ambitious new research approaches.
- ERC Synergy Grants
are aimed at small groups of at least two and a maximum of four " Principal Investigators “ and their teams, who want to solve particularly challenging questions through a unique combination of expertise.
The ERC offers those researchers who have already been awarded an ERC grant with the Proof of Concept Grants the opportunity to test the technological or social innovation potential of results from their ERC projects.
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