ERC Synergy Grants Info Session

What is this event?

This is a special event on the occasion of the launch by the European Research Council of a new type of grants: the Synergy grants. These grants sanction bigger and longer projects (up to 10 million EUR and 6 years duration), require joint application and collaboration between different Principal Investigators (2 to 4); but require less total working time on the project (30%).

A quick overview of the ERC grants scheme will be followed by a thorough introduction of the Synergy grants to allow attendees to compare them.

Who is the target audience?

This event is of interest to mid- to advanced- career researchers and professors, URAs, research management and international cooperation professionals; and in general to any researcher based in Japan interested in knowing more about the ERC Synergy grants before this year's first call.

About the ERC grants

The European Research Council (ERC) is a funding organisation for frontier research. It aims to stimulate scientific excellence in Europe by funding the very best, creative researchers of any nationality and age, and supporting their innovative ideas. Researchers from anywhere in the world can apply for ERC grants provided the research they undertake will be carried out in an EU Member State or Associated Country. ERC grants are becoming more and more internationally recognised as awards for scientific excellence.

Research projects funded by the ERC can last up to five years and can cover frontier research in any scientific domain, including social sciences, humanities and interdisciplinary studies. The grants may help both emerging research leaders ('ERC Starting Grants' and 'ERC Consolidator Grants') and already well-established and recognised scientists ('ERC Advanced Grants'). Find out more about the different ERC grants.

If you are moving to Europe from a third country, you can apply for additional funding, which can total up to €2 million for a Starting Grant (instead of €1.5 million for those already established in Europe), €2.75 million for a Consolidator Grant (instead of €2 million) and €3.5 million for an Advanced Grant (instead of €2.5 million).

There are three calls per year according to each category. The upcoming call deadlines are: 31 August 2017 (Advanced Grants), 17 October 2017 (Starting Grants); 11 November 2017 (Synergy Grants), 15 February 2018 (Consolidator Grants); .

Further materials on ERC grants:

Grants details, Possibilities from Japan, Tips & tricks for application, Interviews of grantees on EURAXESS website

Official ERC website

Guiding principles of the ERC Synergy grants

・ A small group of PIs (2 to 4) with a designated corresponding PI can apply for funding.

・ Scientific excellence is the sole criterion on the basis of which ERC grants are awarded.

・ Applications must demonstrate that the proposed research cannot be carried out by a single PI working alone.

・ Synergy grants aims to tackle truly bold scientific challenges through a unique combination of skills and knowledge of the PIs.

・ Applications can be made in any field of research.

・ PIs from anywhere in the world can apply for an ERC grant.

・ Host Institutions must be established in an EU Member State or Associated Country.

・ Grants are awarded to the corresponding Host Institution that employs and hosts the corresponding PI, while other PIs may be engaged by different Host Institutions.

・ Grants are awarded for up to 6 years, with a normal grant size of up to EUR 10 million, with an additional up to EUR 4 000 000 in special cases.

・ Each of the PIs shall spend a minimum of 50% of their total working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country,and a minimum of 30% of their total working time on the ERC project..

Organiser

EURAXESS Japan

Host & Support:

Delegation of the European Union to Japan