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HORIZON 2020

The European Research Council

The European Research Council and Slovak participation

Pavel ExnerERC Vicepresident

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ERC Basics

Support for the individual scientist – no networks! Global peer-review No predetermined topics Support in all fields of science and the humanities

The ERC supports excellence in frontier research through a bottom-up, individual-based, pan-European competition

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What is ERC?

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Scientific governance: independent Scientific Council with 22 members including the ERC President; full authority over funding strategy

Support by the ERC Executive Agency (autonomous) Quality as the only criterion

The European Commission• Provides financing• Guarantees autonomy of the ERC• Assures ERC’s integrity and accountability• Adopts annual work programmes

The ERC Executive Agency (ERCEA)• Executes annual work programme• Implements calls for proposals • Organises peer review evaluation• Establishes and manages grant agreements with Host Institution• Administers scientific and financial aspects • Carries out communications activities

The ERC Scientific Council• 22 members who are active researchers in their communities• Appointed by the Commission • Establishes overall scientific strategy• Controls quality of operations and management• Ensures communication with the scientific community

What is ERC?

ERC in Horizon 2020

H2020 budget € 77 billion

ERC budget € 13 billion

ERC annual budget

ERC in the H2020 structure

The HORIZON 2020 main components: Excellent Science

World class science is foundation of technologies, jobs, well-being Europe needs to develop, attract, retain research talent Researchers need access to the best infrastructures

Industrial leadership Societal challenges

Excellent Science: European Research Council Future and Emerging Technologies Marie Sklodoswka Curie Actions Research Infrastructures

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Starting Grants

starters (2-7 years after PhD)

up to € 2.0 Mio for 5 years

Advanced Grants track-record of

significant researchachievements in the

last 10 yearsup to € 3.5 Mio

for 5 years

Proof-of-Concept bridging gap between research - earliest

stage of marketable innovation up to €150,000 for ERC grant holders

ERC Grant Schemes

Consolidator Grants

consolidators (7-12 years after PhD)

up to € 2.75 Mio for 5 years

ERC offers independence, recognition & visibility• to work on a research topic of own choice, with a team of own choice

• to gain true financial autonomy for 5 years

• to negotiate with the host institution the best conditions of work

• to attract top team members (EU and non-EU) and collaborators

• to move with the grant to any place in Europe if necessary (portability of grants)

• to attract additional funding and gain recognition; ERC is a quality label

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Creative freedom of the individual grantee

Evaluation of excellence at two levels:

• Excellence of the Research Project Ground breaking nature Potential impact Scientific Approach Added-value of the Group (only SyG)

• Excellence of the Principal Investigator Intellectual capacity Creativity Commitment

Referees and panels evaluate and score each criterion, which results

in a ranking of the proposals.

Excellence is the sole evaluation criterion

25 Panels for All Areas of Science

Physical MathematicsSciences Fundamental Constituents of Matter& Condensed Matter PhysicsEngineering Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences

Synthetic Chemistry and Materials10 panels Computer Science and Informatics

Systems and Communication Engineering Products and Processes Engineering Universe Sciences Earth System Science

Life Molecular and Structural Biology and BiochemistrySciences Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology

Cellular and Developmental Biology9 panels Physiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology

Neurosciences and Neural DisordersImmunity and InfectionDiagnostic Tools, Therapies and Public HealthEvolutionary, Population and Environmental BiologyApplied Life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology

Social Sciences & Humanities

6 panels

Markets, Individuals and InstitutionsThe Social World, Diversity, Institutions

and ValuesEnvironment, Space and PopulationThe Human Mind and Its ComplexityCultures and Cultural ProductionThe Study of the Human Past

│ 11* Number of instances that experts of a certain country of origin are contributing to the ERC peer review

ERC Panel Members by Country of HI and GenderERC calls 2007 - 2013

Averaged over the first 13 ERC calls 26% of the ERC panel members were women

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ERC Achievements

After 7 Years of Existence…A Success Story

Highly recognised by the research community Over 4 300 top researchers funded (60% are at an early-career stage);

63 nationalities represented Highly competitive (average success rate 12%) Working in almost 600 different institutions in 30 countries 50% of grantees in 50 institutions : “Excellence attracts excellence” Benchmarking effect: impact on national programmes and agencies;

national funding for best "runners-up" Efficient and fast grant management

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ERC Delivers

30 000 publications acknowledging ERC support by September 2014

7% of these publications were in the top 1% most cited in their scientific field and year of publication

20% of completed LS and PE projects reported at least one patent (on average 2 patents reported per project)

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May-Britt Moser

ERC Grantee

AdG 2010

The Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine 2014 was awarded to May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser, together with John O'Keefe, "for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain”.The research leading to these discoveries* was supported by FP5. "Spatial Representation in the Entorhinal Cortex”

Edvard Moser

ERC Grantee

AdG 2013

ERC Grantee

AdG 2008

2014 Distinctions to ERC Grantees

The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2014 was awarded to Jean Tirole "for his analysis of market power and regulation".

Jean Tirole

ERC Grantee

AdG 2009

Two of the Fields Medals 2014 awarded to researchers based in Europe: Artur Avila "for his work in dynamical systems” and to Martin Hairer “for his work on stochastic singularities”.

Artur Avila

ERC Grantee

StG 2010

Martin Hairer

ERC Grantee

CoG 2014

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Priority to Young Scientists

Two-thirds of ERC grants to early-stage

Principal Investigators

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Developing a New Generation of Excellent Scientists Analysis of 995 ERC projects

2/3 of staff are people in the training phase of their career

ERC Grantees with a non-ERA Nationality*ERC calls 2007-2013

*) nationality as last declared by the principal investigator Data as of 21/08/2014

TOTAL number of grantees with non-ERA nationality :209 StG/CoG and 102 AdG

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Attracting Excellent ResearchersComposition of ERC teams (PIs not included)Analysis of 995 Starting and Advanced Grants

EU: 67% Assoc. Countries: 12%

non-ERA: 18% unknown: 3%

53% of non-ERA team members ''attracted'' to Europe with the ERC grant (10% of all team members)

Most non-ERA from China, US, India,

and Russia

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Slovakia at ERC

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Evaluated Proposals from Host institutions in Slovakia

Ineligible and withdrawn proposals not taken into account

30%

50%

20%LS

PE

SH

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Total AdG proposals: 23 Total StG/CoG proposals: 43

Results of evaluated projects - Slovakia

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ERC Grant in Slovakia

* current host institution; data as of 21/08/2014

The project focuses on glycans, sugar molecules produced by the cell that are rich in information related to its physiology.

Some pathogens - for example bacteria or viruses - produce glycans that mimic those of the host cell in order to avoid detection. Due to the complex nature of glycans, their global study (glycomics) has been slower to develop than the genomics and proteomics fields.

Dr. Tkáč aims to develop nanotechnology to measure glycans in natural conditions, via biochips. This technology will be used to search for novel glycan biomarkers of diseases and to develop new, potent and nature-based vaccines and drugs.

Dr Ján TKÁČERC Starting Grant 2012 - M€ 1.2

Institute of Chemistry - Slovak Academy of Sciences

Electrochemical LEctin and glycan biochips integrated with NAnostructures

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Mobility of ResearchersERC Starting and Consolidator Grant calls 2007-2013ERC Advanced Grant calls 2008-2013

Current host institutions; data as of 21/08/2014

45 Slovak researchers applied with a HI abroad (in 13 different countries)

1 Slovak researcher holds an ERC grant abroad in Austria

Success Rates per Country of Host InstitutionERC calls 2007-2013

*) First legal signatories of the first grant agreement taken into account

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Success Rates versus Applications

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ERC Grant Distribution to Countries of HIERC calls 2007-2013

*) Host institution refers to the organisation with which the first grant agreement was signed

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ERC Grants versus Global R&D Effort

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EU13 Countries at ERC

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ERC Grants Based in EU13 Countries

88% of grantees in EU13 countries are nationals of the host country(70% for EU15)

85% of grantees in EU13 countries were resident in the host country at the time of application(90% for EU15)

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Success Rates by Area of HI

Share of EU13 public researchers in EU&AC = 16%

Share of EU13 research investment (GERD) in EU&AC = 3%

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Evaluation Outcome

Success rate step1 EU13: 7%Success rate step1 EU15: 22%

Success rate step2 EU13: 43%Success rate step2 EU15: 47%

│ 33Current host institutions; data as of 21/08/2014

Top HIs in EU13 Countries

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Participation of EU13 Nationals in ERC Calls

Current host institutions; data as of 21/08/2014

55% of EU13 nationals are based with the grant abroad

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Success Rate of EU13 Nationals in ERC Calls

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Composition of ERC Teams

Over 6600 team members in the sample

EU nationals: 67% Assoc. Countries: 12%

non-ERA: 18% unknown: 3%

9% of the team members from EU countries are EU13

nationals

28% of EU13 staff = PhD Students

40% of EU13 staff = post-docs

ERC Scientific Council Working Groups & Standing Committees

Internationalisation

Open Access

Widening Participation

Innovation and relations with

industry

Key Performance Indicators

CoIME (Conflict of Interest &

Research integrity)

Committee on Panels

Gender balance

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ERC Scientific Council Standing Committee on Conflict of interest & Research integrity

(CoIME)

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• Formulate guidelines on conflict of interest, fraud and ethical matters related to any facet of the ERC's competences, clarifying criteria and considering any particular instance or situation where ethical concerns may arise

important consultative role in cases of scientific misconduct within ERC

promote culture of research integrity

ERC Strategy on Scientific Misconduct (October 2012)

ERC Scientific Council Standing Committee on Conflict of interest & Research integrity (CoIME)

Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon (Chair)Prof. Pavel Exner (Chair - delegated)Prof. Carl-Henrik HeldinProf. Nicholas CannyProf. Isabelle VernosProf. Nuria Sebastiàn Gallés Prof. Sierd Cloetingh

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5 October 2012: The ERC Scientific Council adopts a Scientific Misconduct Strategy

Host Institutions have primary responsibility for detection of scientific misconduct, investigation and adjudication

ERC Recommendation: all ERC HIs will have structures in place to uphold scientific integrity, deal with all cases coming to ERC attention, report to the ERC on actions taken

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Notwithstanding the above…..

ERC will address all issues of alleged scientific misconduct concerning an ERC applicant or project

Through its Executive Agency (ERCEA), the ERC will take appropriate follow–up actions, whenever there is sufficient evidence that scientific misconduct has taken place

Role of CoIME in relation to scientific misconduct

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COIME has an important advisory/ consultative role; works in close collaboration with ERCEA Director; can consult external experts

ERCEA Director takes decisions after having received COIME’s opinion, using his own discretion or judgment

A strict policy on Conflict of InterestCode of Conduct of ERC peer reviewers

• Strict obligations of impartiality • A conflict of interest (CoI) can result in:

the exclusion from the evaluation of the entire call (“out of the call” rule);

or in the exclusion from the panel discussion on the proposal in question ( “out of the room” rule)

• Strict obligations of confidentiality

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Examples of measures and actions by ERCEA Director

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Proposals may be excluded from

evaluation, selection and award procedures Request for measures to be

taken by the Host Institution

Suspension or

termination of

granting

Peer reviewers may be excluded

from review evaluation or their

appointment may be terminated

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Funding Opportunities

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Publication date of first calls planned for Autumn 2014.

Three ERC frontier research grants will be available under Work Programme 2015: Starting; Consolidator; and Advanced Grants.

The Scientific Council will analyse the pilot phase of the ERC Synergy Grant (calls were made under Work Programmes 2012 and 2013) before deciding on future calls. No Synergy call under Work Programme 2015.

Restrictions on applications will apply to the 2015 calls based on the outcome of the evaluation of the 2014 calls (same in Work Programme 2014).

Removal of indicative domain budgets. Panel budgets now allocated purely by demand.

ERC Principal Investigators will continue to be able to apply for Proof of Concept Grants (now with three deadlines).

Overhead rate: 25%

ERC Work Programme 2015

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ERC calls Budget Call Publication Submission Deadline(s)

Starting GrantsERC-2015-StG

410 M€ October2014

February 2015

Consolidator GrantsERC-2015-CoG

605 M€ November2014

March 2015

Advanced GrantsERC-2015-AdG

630 M€ February 2015

June 2015

Proof of ConceptERC-2015-PoC

19 M€ January 2015

DL1: February 2015DL2: May 2015

DL3: October 2015

ERC Calls 2015

More information on erc.europa.eu

To subscribe to ERC newsletter and newsalertserc.europa.eu/keep-updated-erc

Follow us onwww.facebook.com/EuropeanResearchCouncil

twitter.com/ERC_Research

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Ďakujem za pozornosť !

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Additional slides if needed

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ERC Competitions

Top European

Institutions Hosting

at least 30ERC

Grantees by Funding

Schemes

StG/CoG 2007-2013AdG 2008-2013

First legal signatories of the grant agreement

Data as of 21/08/2014

Initiated to help ERC grant-holder to bridge the gap between their research and the earliest stage of a marketable innovation

Supporting grant-holders during the pre-demonstration Up to 150.000 Euro per grant One step evaluation

Calls in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (each with 2 deadlines) Fourth call in 2014 (deadlines 1 April and 1 October)

Frontier Research and Innovation: ERC Proof of Concept

2011 2012 2013 2014-1

Submitted 151 143 292 182

Evaluated* 139 120 279 179

Funded 51 60 67 50

* withdrawn and ineligible proposals not taken into account

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PoC Grants by Country of Host InstitutionERC PoC calls 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014-1: 228 grantsERC Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grant calls 2007-2013: 4354 grants

Speeding up the Discovery Process: ERC Synergy Grant

2012 and 2013 work programme on a pilot basis 2 – 4 Principal Investigators; complementary skills,

knowledge & resources; to jointly address frontier research problems

Up to €15m for up to six years

Based on ERC principles (no consortia, no networks):• bottom-up and risk-taking• driven by scientific demand• PIs expected to spend significant “core time” together • only one Host Institution, but groups not required to be

physically located in the same place 710 submissions to the first SyG Call; 1.6% success rate 449 submissions to the second SyG Call; 3% success rate

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SYNERGY 2012 and 2013 Successful Host Institutions