European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Investigator Grants
ERC-2013-ADG
Frequently Asked Questions
General questions on ‘Advanced Grants’: pages 1–5
Questions on the University internal process: page 6
ERC Peer Review Panel Structure: pages 7 -14
What is the European Research Council?
The ERC http://erc.europa.eu/ is a Europe-wide Research Council intended to stimulate groundbreaking investigator-initiated ‘frontier’ research across all fields. Frontier Research is described as “the pursuit of questions at or beyond the frontiers of knowledge, without regard for established disciplinary boundaries”. The ERC was established by the European Commission under Framework Programme 7 (FP7) but acts independently under a Scientific Council made up of 22 European scientists, Chaired by Prof. Helga Nowotny, ETH Zurich.
What is an Advanced Investigator Grant?
ERC ‘Advanced Grants’ will support individual professorial level researchers established as exceptional leaders in their field, in undertaking ambitious, groundbreaking, high-impact research projects.
What funding is available? Over how long?
Maximum funding available is €2.5million over 5 years. Exceptionally, up to €3.5million over 5 years may be requested, if: (a) the project involves the establishment of a new research activity in the EU or the Associated Countries by a PI who is moving to the EU from outside the EU, (b) a ‘Co-Investigator’ is involved due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, (c) the project involves the purchase of major equipment.
Funding will cover 100% of all eligible direct project costs, such as the proportion of PI time spent on the project, travel, equipment, consumables etc. Indirect costs are funded at a flat rate of 20% of the total direct costs.
Which research fields are supported?
All research fields are supported.
What kind of track record is expected?
Potential applicants are expected to:
· be an active researcher
· have a track record of significant research achievements over the last 10 years
· be an exceptional leader in terms of originality and significance of research contributions.
In most fields, Principal Investigators of Advanced Grant proposals will be expected to demonstrate a record of achievements appropriate to the field and at least matching one or more of the following benchmarks:
· Normally 10 publications as senior author (or in fields where alphabetic order of authorship is the norm, joint author) in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journals and/or in leading international peer-reviewed journals and peer-reviewed conference proceedings of their respective field
· Normally 3 major research monographs, of which at least one is translated into another language. This benchmark is relevant to research fields where publication of monographs is the norm (e.g. humanities and social sciences).
Alternative benchmarks that may be considered (individually or in combination) as indicative of an exceptional record and recognition in the last 10 years:
· Normally 5 granted patents
· Normally 10 invited presentations in well established internationally recognised conferences and advanced schools
· Normally 3 research expeditions led by the applicant
· Normally 3 well established international conferences or congresses where the applicant was involved in their organisation as a member of the steering and/or organising committee
· International recognition through scientific prizes/awards or membership in well-regarded Academies
What type of research is supported?
The research should be ambitious and potentially groundbreaking, and should address important challenges at the frontiers of the research field. The project should have ambitious objectives which go substantially beyond the current state-of-the-art (e.g. including inter and trans-disciplinary developments and novel or unconventional approaches) and should be well conceived and organised.
Projects should be high-impact, opening new and important scientific, technological or scholarly horizons, and should significantly enhance the research environment and capabilities for frontier research in Europe (including the host institution).
How are proposals assessed by the ERC?
The Evaluation criteria against which proposals will be assessed are copied below.
1. Principal Investigator[1]
Intellectual capacity and creativity: To what extent is the Principal Investigator's (and any Co-Investigator if applicable) record of research, collaborations, project conception, supervision of students and publications ground-breaking and demonstrative of independent creative thinking and the capacity to go significantly beyond the state of the art?
Commitment:
Is the PI strongly committed to the project and willing to devote a significant amount of time to it (they will be expected to devote at least 30% of their working time to the ERC-funded project and spend at least 50% of their total working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country)?
2. Research project
Groundbreaking nature and potential impact of the research:
To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges at the frontiers of the field(s) addressed?
To what extent does it have suitably ambitious objectives, which go substantially beyond the current state of the art (e.g. including inter- and trans-disciplinary developments and novel or unconventional concepts and/or approaches)?
Methodology:
To what extent is does the possibility of a major breakthrough with an impact beyond a specific research domain/discipline justify any highly novel and/or unconventional methodologies (“high-gain/high-risk balance”).
To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible (assessed at step 1)
To what extent is the proposed research methodology (including the proposed timescales and resources) appropriate to achieve the goals of the project? To what extent are the resources requested necessary and properly justified? (assessed at step 2)
If it is proposed that team members engaged by another institution participate in the project is their participation fully justified by the scientific added value they bring to the project (assessed at step 2).
What will a proposal to the ERC consist of?
A proposal to the ERC must include the following components:
Part B1 - Section 1a
i. CV (max 2 pages)
In addition to the standard academic and research record, the CV should include a succinct "funding ID" which must specify any current research grants and their subject, and any ongoing application for work related to the proposal. Any research career gaps and/or unconventional paths should be clearly explained so that they can be fairly assessed by the evaluation panels.
ii. 10-year track record (max 2 pages)
The applicant should list his/her activity over the past 10 years as regards:
1. The top 10 publications, as senior author (or in those fields where alphabetic order of authorship is the norm, joint author) in major international peer-reviewed multi-disciplinary scientific journals and/or in the leading international peer-reviewed journals and peer-reviewed conferences proceedings of their respective research fields, also indicating the number of citations (excluding self-citations) they have attracted.
2. Research monographs and any translations thereof (if applicable).
3. Granted patents (if applicable).
4. Invited presentations to peer-reviewed, internationally established conferences and/or international advanced schools (if applicable)
5. Research expeditions that the applicant has led (if applicable).
6. Organisation of International conferences in the field of the applicant (membership in the steering and/or organising committee) (if applicable)
7. International Prizes/Awards/Academy memberships (if applicable)
Part B1- Section 1b
Extended synopsis (max Part 5 pages)
A concise presentation of the scientific proposal, with particular attention to the groundbreaking nature of the research project, which will allow evaluation panels to assess, at step 1 of the evaluation, the feasibility of the outlined scientific approach.
Part B2 - Section 2
Scientific Proposal (max 15 pages + ethical issues table and description[2]): A description of scientific and technical aspects of the project, demonstrating the groundbreaking nature of the research, its potential impact and research methodology. The fraction of the applicant’s research effort that will be devoted to the project, a full estimation of the real project cost and any ethical considerations raised by the project should also be indicated. A template of the application forms will be available on EPSS for download and further guidance will be available in the Guide for Applicants when published.
Supporting documentation
Host Commitment Letter: a letter confirming the Host Institution commitment to the proposal must be submitted (signed by the appropriate Faculty Accountant). A template of the letter is available from Tom Bowker. Proposals that do not include this institutional statement will not be evaluated.
In addition a number of online administrative forms, including an overview of the proposal budget, must be completed on the participant portal (‘Part A’ of the proposal).
How will proposals be submitted to the ERC?
Proposals will be submitted electronically via the Participant Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/home
How will the ERC evaluation process work?
The ERC will use a one-stage proposal submission and a two-step evaluation process. A full proposal containing all component parts must be submitted prior to the relevant deadline. At the first step of evaluation the panel will consider the CV, track record, and leadership potential of the applicant along with the extended synopsis of the proposal. At the second step the panel will review all proposal components.
How will proposals be assigned to evaluation panels?
Applicants must choose a ‘primary panel’, and may also indicate a ‘secondary panel’ in the case of interdisciplinary proposals. Where a secondary evaluation panel has been indicated, the primary panel will determine whether the proposal is indeed cross-panel or cross-domain interdisciplinary and may request additional reviews by appropriate members of other panel(s) or additional referees. The list of panels is provided on pages 7 - 14 of this document.
Will I be required to attend an interview?
No, this is only necessary in the case of ERC Starting Grant applicants.
How many Advanced Grants are expected to be awarded?
Around 290 grants are expected to be awarded.
When is the ERC Advanced Grant deadline?
The deadline is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be Thursday 22nd November 2012.
Questions on the University internal process
What is the University process and why is it necessary?
Due to the highly competitive nature of the ERC Advanced and Starting/Consolidator Grant schemes and the significant oversubscription to the first Starting Grant call (as a result of which only 3% of applicants received awards), University Research Committee took the decision that the University response to ERC calls should be managed via the University’s ‘major bids’ process to encourage applicants with the greatest chance of success to apply. The University success rate for ERC calls has increased significantly, ranging from to 17% to 50%.
Of what should my application for the University stage consist?
· A summary of your proposed research (0.5 page)
· A 2-page CV
A copy of the University stage application form is available on the RED website: http://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/majorbids/safe/.
How and when should my application for the University stage be submitted?
All applications should be submitted in electronic form to Helen Jordan: (Research Development Manager, European and Overseas Programmes).
The internal deadline will be confirmed shortly. It is likely to be mid-August 2012.
How will my application be assessed?
As described above, applications will be reviewed by an appropriate internal review panel, in accordance with the Advanced Grant evaluation criteria available on pages 2 & 3 of this document. All applications will be assessed individually and on their merits.
Where can I get further information?
Helen Jordan ext 18151 or Tom Bowker ext 88036.
ERC Peer Review Panel Structure
The panel list is also available in the Advanced Grant Guide for Applicants.
Social Sciences and Humanities
SH1 Individuals, institutions and markets: economics, finance and management
SH1_1 Macroeconomics, business cycles
SH1_2 Development, economic growth
SH1_3 Microeconomics, institutional economics
SH1_4 Econometrics, statistical methods
SH1_5 Financial markets, asset prices, international finance
SH1_6 Banking, corporate finance, accounting
SH1_7 Competitiveness, innovation, research and development
SH1_8 Consumer choice, behavioural economics, marketing
SH1_9 Organization studies, strategy
SH1_10 Human resource management, labour economics
SH1_11 Public economics, political economics, public administration
SH1_12 Income distribution, poverty
SH1_13 International trade, economic geography
SH1_14 Quantitative and institutional economic history
SH2 Institutions, values, beliefs and behaviour: sociology, social anthropology, political science, law, communication, social studies of science and technology
SH2_1 Social structure, inequalities, social mobility, interethnic relations
SH2_2 Ageing, work, social policies, welfare
SH2_3 Kinship, cultural dimensions of classification and cognition, identity, gender
SH2_4 Myth, ritual, symbolic representations, religious studies
SH2_5 Democratization, social movements
SH2_6 Violence, conflict and conflict resolution
SH2_7 Political systems and institutions, governance
SH2_8 Legal theory, legal systems, constitutions, comparative law
SH2_9 Global and transnational governance, international studies, human rights
SH2_10 Communication networks, media, information society
SH2_11 Social studies of science and technology, science, technology and innovation
policies
SH3 Environment, space and population: environmental studies, demography, social geography, urban and regional studies
SH3_1 Environment, resources and sustainability
SH3_2 Environmental change and society
SH3_3 Environmental regulations and climate negotiations
SH3_4 Social and industrial ecology
SH3_5 Population dynamics, health and society
SH3_6 Families and households
SH3_7 Globalization, domestic and international migration
SH3_8 Mobility, tourism, transportation and logistics
SH3_9 Spatial development, land use, regional planning
SH3_10 Urbanization, cities and rural areas
SH3_11 Infrastructure, human and political geography, settlements
SH3_12 Geo-information and spatial data analysis
SH4 The Human Mind and its complexity: cognition, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and education
SH4_1 Evolution of mind and cognitive functions, animal communication
SH4_2 Human life-span development
SH4_3 Neuropsychology and cognitive psychology
SH4_4 Cognitive and experimental psychology: perception, action, and higher cognitive
processes
SH4_5 Linguistics: formal, cognitive, functional and computational linguistics
SH4_6 Linguistics: typological, historical and comparative linguistics
SH4_7 Psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics: acquisition and knowledge of language,
language pathologies
SH4_8 Use of language: pragmatics, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, second language