European Research Council Grants and
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Błażej Thomas
UK Research Office
European Research Council Grants

The ERC seeks to fund the best ‘frontier research’ proposals
submitted by excellent researchers in the area of their choice.

Will fund projects led by a Principal Investigator, if necessary
supported by a research team (no requirement for collaboration
or forming consortia across different EU countries).

25 panels in 3 domains which proposals can be submitted to:
 Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE)
 Life Sciences (LS)
 Social Sciences and Humanities (SH)
Starting Grants
(for PIs 2-7 years since PhD, up to €2 million for 5 years)
Consolidator Grants
Advanced Grants
Synergy Grants
(for PIs 7-12 years since PhD, up to €2.75 million for 5 years)
(for leading researchers, up to €3.5 million for 5 years)
(for 2 to 4 PIs, up to €15 million for 6 years) – no call in 2015
Proof of Concept (for ERC grant holders only, up to €150,000 for 18 months)
Starting Grants
Consolidator Grants
• Aim to support excellent researchers at the stage of starting or
consolidating their own independent research team or programme.
• Eligibility windows for PIs are expected to be:
• Starting Grants: 2 to 7 years after the PhD award
• Consolidator Grants: 7 to 12 years after the PhD award
• This is now measured from 1 January 2015.
Starting Grants
Consolidator Grants
• Extensions to the eligibility window are permitted only in a few
strict cases (parental leave, long-term illness, national service,
etc.)
• From 2015 extensions also possible for illness of relative (child,
spouse, parent, sibling), although more information is needed.
• No maximum limit for extensions to eligibility window for StG and
CoG calls
Starting Grants
Consolidator Grants
Both schemes aim to:
• Improve opportunities and independence at the start of a research career
• Provide structure for transition from working under a supervisor to
independent research
• Enable PIs to create excellent new teams to bring new ideas to their
disciplines
Advanced Grants
• Aims to support excellent, leading researchers to pursue groundbreaking
research which opens up new directions in the field of their choice.
• Aims to “encourage substantial advances at the frontier of knowledge; as
well as new productive lines of enquiry, methods and techniques”.
• No eligibility requirement concerning a PhD, but the PI must have an
excellent track record of research achievements during the last 10 years.
Synergy Grants
• Pilot scheme which funds ambitious, groundbreaking proposals
submitted by a group of between 2 to 4 PIs (and their teams).
• Very low success rate for first call in 2012, and the 2013 call
results expected to be announced in late 2013.
• No call is expected to be launched in 2015……
• But the scheme could continue within Horizon 2020, as a limited
part of the ERC’s portfolio of schemes (tbc)
Proof of Concept
• Scheme for ERC grant holders to undertake further work to
establish the innovation potential of an idea developed during
the course of an ERC-funded project.
• Maximum grant: €150,000
• Project duration: up to 18 months
• Original ERC grant must be either ongoing or have ended less
than 1 year before the publication date of the call.
Proposals evaluated solely on the basis of excellence (excellence of
the PI and of the research project), and should address:
Extended Synopsis (5 pages)
Scientific Proposal (15 pages)
•
•
•
•
To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?
To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the art?
How much is the proposed research high risk/high gain?
To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible?
• To what extent is the proposed research methodology appropriate to achieve
the goals of the project?
• To what extent does the proposal involve developing novel methodology?
• To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary and
properly justified?
Starting Grants
Who is a competitive candidate?
Must be able to show potential for excellence and evidence of maturity:
• expectation for at least one important publication without the participation
of the PhD supervisor
• promising track record of early achievements appropriate to field and
career stage, including:
• significant publications (as main author) in major international peerreviewed journals
• and/or monographs
• invited presentations, granted patents, awards, prizes etc
• good leadership potential and must convince the ERC panel that the PI
will be able to lead an ambitious ‘frontier research’ project
Consolidator Grants
Who is a competitive candidate?
Must be able to show potential for excellence and evidence of maturity:
• it is expected that applicants will have produced at least several important
publications without the participation of their PhD supervisor
• promising track record of early achievements appropriate to field and
career stage, including:
• significant publications (as main author) in major international peerreviewed major scientific journals
• and/or monographs
• invited presentations, granted patents, awards, prizes etc
• good leadership potential and must convince the ERC panel that you will
be able to lead an ambitious ‘frontier research’ project
Advanced Grants
Who is a competitive candidate?
• track record of significant achievements in last 10 years:
•
10 publications (as senior author) in major international journals
•
or 3 major research monographs
• if appropriate to the research field, also:
•
granted patents
•
invited presentations
•
led expeditions
•
organised international conferences
•
international recognition (awards, prizes)
•
contributions to launching the careers of outstanding researchers
• an “exceptional leader in terms of originality and significance of research
contribution, with international recognition”
Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grants
• ERC operates a single-stage submission and two-stage evaluation
process:
• Step 1: panel evaluates 5-page Extended Synopsis, CV and track
record sections
• Step 2: panel evaluates 15-page full proposal description (in
conjunction with the sections above)
• An interview with the PI forms part of the step 2 evaluation for Starting and
Consolidator Grants (not for Advanced Grants).
• PI must choose the panel, based on the keywords and panel descriptors in
the Guide for Applicants. Panel consists of up to 15 leading researchers.
• For interdisciplinary proposals: can choose primary and secondary panel.

Eligibility for StG and CoG calls now measured from 1
January 2015, not call publication date

CoG now only requires 40% commitment from PI (not 50%)

Slight increase to PoC budget from EUR 15m to EUR 20m;
also 3 rather than 2 deadlines (Feb 2015 / May 2015 / Oct
2015)

No pre-allocated budget split between 3 domains

Restrictions on resubmission still in place
2015 Calls
StG
CoG
AdG
PoC
Published
7 Oct 2014
13 Nov 2014
10 Feb 2015
7 Nov 2014
Deadline
3 Feb 2015
12 Mar 2015
2 June 2015
5 Feb 2015,
28 May 2015,
1 Oct 2015
Budget
EUR 430m (c.
330 grants)
EUR 585m (c.
330 grants
EUR 630m (c.
280 grants)
EUR 15m

ERC allocated around €12.7 billion for Horizon 2020 (compares to the
allocation of €7.5 billion for FP7). Highest amount of funding to go to the
Starting Grants and Consolidator Grants schemes.

But due to the progressive increases in the annual ERC budget until 2013,
budget allocations won’t exceed 2013 levels until 2016 calls.
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
• The UK was the most successful country in applying to the ERC in FP7:
Over 960 grants based
at 85 different UK
institutions
Around 15% success
rate for proposals
submitted by UK
institutions (about 11%
average overall)
Around 22% of all ERC
grants based in the UK
Slightly higher success
rates for Advanced
Grants – normally
around 12% to 13%
• See here for the details of funded projects: http://erc.europa.eu/ercfunded-projects
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Błażej Thomas
UK Research Office
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Objectives and Policy Context:
“Ensure the optimum development and dynamic use of
Europe’s intellectual capital in order to generate new skills,
knowledge and innovation.”
Contributing to wider EU policies:
Europe 2020:
http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm
Innovation Union:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/index_en.cfm
Youth on the Move:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/news2540_en.htm
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Objectives:

Make Europe more attractive to researchers

Structuring effect on the European Research Area through
trans-national and inter-sectoral mobility in order to create a
European labour market for researchers

Strengthen human potential by:
• Encouraging people to become researchers
• Encouraging researchers to carry out their research in
Europe

Trans-national and inter-sectoral mobility

Operates in a ‘bottom-up’ basis, open to all research and
innovation areas

Mobility is a key requirement

Key areas supported:
•
•
•
•
Fostering new skills by means of excellent initial training of researchers
Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector
mobility
Stimulating innovation by means of cross-fertilisation of knowledge
Contributing to a strong partnership with Member States via the cofunding of activities
Early Stage
Researcher
(ESR)
At the time of recruitment (ITN) or secondment (RISE) by the host organisation, be
in the first 4 years (full-time research experience) of their research careers and
have not been awarded a doctoral degree
Experienced
Researcher
(ER)
At the time of the call deadline (IF) or secondment (RISE) by the host organisation,
be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least 4 years of full-time
equivalent research experience
Academic
sector
Includes universities (public and private), higher education institutions (public
and private), non-profit research institutions (public and private), research
foundations, research institutions associated to foundations, international
European interest organisations
Nonacademic
sector
Includes any socio-economic actor not included in the academic sector
“At the time of the relevant deadline for submission
of proposals, or recruitment/secondment by the host
organisation, depending on the action, researchers
shall not have resided or carried out their main
activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of their
host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3
years immediately prior to the reference date.”
FP7
ITN
Horizon 2020
ITN
Innovative Training Networks
(Early Stage Researchers)
IEF
IOF
IIF
IF
Individual Fellowships
(Experienced Researchers)
CIG
IAPP
IRSES
COFUND
RISE
COFUND
Research and Innovation Staff Exchange
(Exchange of Staff)
Cofunding or regional, national and
international programmes
Also Researchers’ Night



“Raise excellence and structure researcher and doctoral
training”
“Train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and
innovative early stage researchers”
Activities of the programme
Innovative Training Networks

Major differences compared to FP7
• Participants defined as ‘academic’ and ‘non-academic’
• Early stage researchers (ESRs) only
• The Innovative Doctoral Programme strand moved to the COFUND
scheme

The ITN scheme consists of 3 strands
European Training
Networks (minimum of 3
participants)
European Joint
Doctorates (at least 3
academic participants
who can deliver a
doctoral degree)
European Industrial
Doctorates (1 academic
participant and 1 nonacademic participant)
European Training
Networks
European Joint Doctorates
•At least three
beneficiaries from
different MS/AC
•At least three
beneficiaries from
different MS/AC
•Doctoral programme
enrolment optional
•Doctoral programme
enrolment mandatory
•Participation of the nonacademic sector is
essential
•Joint governance,
admission, selection,
supervision, monitoring
and assessment
mandatory
•Award of joint, double or
multiple doctoral degree
mandatory
European Industrial
Doctorates
•At least one academic
and one non-academic
partner (primarily
enterprises)
•Doctoral programme
enrolment mandatory
•Joint governance,
admission, selection,
supervision, monitoring
and assessment
mandatory
•50% of time spent in the
non-academic sector
European Training
Networks
European Joint
Doctorates
European Industrial
Doctorates
• Typical size:
• Typical size:
• Typical size
• 6-10 participants
• 5-6
• 2-3
• Max. researcher
months:
• Max. researcher
months:
• Max. researcher
months:
• 540
• 540
• 540
• 180 (2 partners)
Panel
Chemistry
Economic Sciences
Success rate
10.30%
9.10%
European Industrial Doctorates
18.80%
European Joint Doctorates
15.40%
Information Science and Engineering
9.60%
Environment and Geosciences
9.50%
Life Sciences
9.20%
Mathematics
6.30%
Physics
8.80%
Social Sciences and Humanities
9.20%
Publication date 11 December 2013
2 September 2014
Deadline
9 April 2014
13 January 2015
Budget
EUR 405.18 million
EUR 370 million
(EUR 349.68 million for
(EUR 317 million for ETNs)
ETNs)
(EUR 25.5 million for EIDs) (EUR 25 million for EIDs)
(EUR 30 million for EJDs)
(EUR 28 million for EJDs)
Duration
4 years
4 years

ITN 2015 Call proposal writing events:
• University of Manchester, 16 October 2014
• London, 22 October 2014
• To access presentations from these events click
here.
Tips for writing a successful
proposal
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Training in research methods and techniques
Personal Career Development Plan
Complementary skills training – ethics, research
management, IPR, grant writing, gender
Transferable skills training – public engagement,
communication, entrepreneurship, management
Graduate School provision and Research Staff training
programmes
Conferences, seminars, public fora etc.
Involvement in the organisation of ITN activities






Interdisciplinary aspects of the project missing
Clear references to state-of-the-art and scientific
originality missing
The final research outputs and the practical results of
the ESR projects lack details
Role of the non-academic partners not well explained
A precise description of the research methodology
missing
Secondment opportunities mentioned but not
described in detail

Think about impact on different levels, e.g.
• Personal – what will researcher gain beyond that
available at single institution?
• Institutional – strategic fit and direction
• European – address fragmentation, common
courses, sustainability of collaboration, including
that with private sector.
• How does your project contribute to the objectives
of EU strategies and initiatives?

“Aim to enhance the creative and innovative potential of
experienced researchers wishing to diversify their individual
competence in terms of skill acquisition at multi- or interdisciplinary level through advanced training, international
and intersectoral mobility”

Supports Experienced Researchers only of any nationality

Focus on new skills and knowledge, career development and
strengthening of the contact network <--missing in the first
round of calls!
Individual Fellowships
European
Fellowships
• 12-24 months
• From any country to
MS/AC
• Host country is subject to
the MSCA mobility rule
• Separate multidisciplinary panels for
Career re-start and
Reintegration
Global Fellowships
• 12-24 months plus 12
month return phase
• Secondment from MS/AC
to third country
• Mandatory 12 month
return phase in Europe
• Optional intersectoral secondment that should significantly add
to the impact of the research project
• Must take place in a MS/AC
• Must occur during the fellowship
• Secondment phase can be a single period or divided into shorter
mobility periods
 For a fellowship > 18 months, secondment phase may be up to 6
months
 For a fellowship ≤ 18 months, secondment phase may be up to 3
month
Publication date
12 March 2014
12 March 2015
Deadline
11 September 2014
10 September 2015
7500 applications!
Budget
Duration
EUR 240.5 million
EUR 215 million
(EUR 211.5 million for
European Fellowships)
(EUR 29 million for
Global Fellowships)
(EUR 188 million for
European Fellowships
(EUR 27 million for
Global Fellowships)
2 years
(IF Global: 3 years)
2 years
(Global IF: 3 years)
Tips for writing a successful
proposal

Too much focus on research project rather than skills
acquisition, networking, career development, etc.;

Secondment opportunities with non-academic partners
mentioned but not described in detail;

Impact of IF on the career of researchers not described
well enough

Impact on partner organisations in third countries not
described.

Research project is just a means to and end – show
how it will be used to:
• help the researcher gain new skills;
• develop their career;
• improve job prospects, especially in the non-academic
sector;
• Build an extensive network of contacts

In GF show what the impact will be on:
• The researcher, the host institution in the MS/AC and the
partner institution in the third country.

Think about impact on different levels, e.g.
• Personal – what will researcher gain from working
at the host organisation? Why is it the best place
for him/ her?
• Institutional – How will the researcher’s presence
benefit the host institution? How does it fit with the
institution’s wider strategies and plans?
• European – address fragmentation, common
courses, sustainability of collaboration, including
that with private sector.



“Aim to promote international and intersectoral collaboration through
research and innovation staff exchanges, and sharing of knowledge and
ideas from research to market”
Should involve institutions from the academic and non-academic sectors
based in MS/AC and/or third countries
Activities of the programme
Amalgamation of IAPP and IRSES with numerous changes
•Project to be based on new or existing ‘joint research project’
•Supports ESRs, ERs and administrative/managerial/technical staff
•Covers intersectoral or international exchanges, as well as a
combination of both
•For intersectoral stream - minimum 1 academic +1 non-academic
participant from 3 different MS/AC
•For international stream – minimum 2 participants from 2 different
MS/AC and 1 participant from a third country
•Secondment period - 1 to 12 months- doesn’t need to be
continuous

Only the following secondments are eligible for
funding:
• Secondments between an academic organisation in one
MS/AC to a non-academic organisation in another MS/AC and
vice versa (intersectoral only);
 University in the UK  SME in France
• Secondments from a MS/AC organisation to a partner located
in a TC;
 University in the UK  University/SME in Japan
• Secondments from an organisation located in a TC to a
MS/AC on the condition that the TC is eligible for funding, as
specified in the Annex A to the WP
 University in South Africa  university in the UK

The following secondments are not eligible for funding:
• Secondments between institutions located within the same
MS/AC, or the same TC;
 Two organisations in the UK, or in South Africa
• Secondments between two academic or between two nonacademic organisations located in different MS/AC;
 University in the UK  University in France
• Secondments between organisations located in different TC;
 University in Japan  University in New Zealand
• Secondments to a MS/AC from organisations located in a TC
not eligible for funding according to the Annex A to the Work
Programme (but exceptions exist)
 University in China  University in the UK
Publication date
11 December 2013
6 January 2015
Deadline
24 April 2014
28 April 2015
Budget
EUR 70 million
EUR 80 million
Duration
4 years
4 years

A total of 203 proposals were submitted in response
to this call:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Chemistry (CHE): 22
Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC): 21
Economic Sciences (ECO): 12
Information Science and Engineering (ENG): 59
Environment and Geosciences (ENV): 25
Life Sciences (LIF): 34
Mathematics (MAT): 4
Physics (PHY): 26
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

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
Refer to specific EU strategies and policies (Europe
2020 Strategy, Innovation Union, Youth on the Move, etc.
Evaluators have approximately 2 hours to evaluate the
proposal and write feedback, so ensure clear and
coherent structure of the proposal.
Use keywords (innovative, job creation, soft/ transferable
skills, etc.).
Focus on skill acquisition, career development etc. the
research project is just a means to an end!
Provide sufficient details of the research programme and
its innovative aspects
Researcher unit cost [person/month]
Scheme
Living allowance*
Mobility allowance
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
Family allowance
Research,
training and
networking
costs
Management
and overheads
ITN
3110
600
500
1800
1200
IF
4650
600
500
800
650
1800
700
RISE
2000
COFUND


ESRs
3710
ERs
5250
650
* A correction co-efficient will apply to these costs
For COFUND: Unit costs are subject to a co-funding rate of 50% as established in the grant
agreement. Unit costs are reduced by 50% in case researchers are recruited under fixedamount fellowships.

Website
www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie

UKRO Subscriber web pages on Marie Curie Actions
www.ukro.ac.uk/subscriber/fp7/people

Commission’s Marie Curie Actions website
ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions

UK NCP Helpdesk
Email: mariecurie-uk@bbsrc.ac.uk
Phone: + 32 2 230 0318
http://www.ukro.ac.uk/mariecurie/Pages/index.aspx