1. │ 1 European Research Council 1 Education, Research and the Global Knowledge Society: Can Greece Compete? 3rd Hellenic Observatory PhD Symposium, LSE London, June 2007 Prof. Fotis C. Kafatos President, ERC

2. │ 2 European Research Council 2 A major European initiative to support frontiers research A logical development of the European Research Area Securely anchored in EU legislation but at the same time….. A revolutionary development The ERC: Competion for Excellence at a Pan-European Level

3. │ 3 European Research Council 3  Ageing and shrinking population?  High Labour and Social Security costs?  Expensive production and services?  Limited natural resources?  Capital accumulation and management? Yes, an essential part of our civilization Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Freud Einstein, Watson & Crick, Jacob & Monod… and? What will be our future competitive advantage? Does Europe Need Frontiers Research?

4. │ 4 European Research Council 4 Leadership in Science, the Endless frontier Central Role in the Knowledge Triangle: Education / Research / Innovation Investment in excellent research is an imperative, not an option Europe Can Only Compete Through Knowledge

5. │ 5 European Research Council 5 Generate, Attract and Retain Top Talent Integrate and Internationalize our Efforts Encourage and Trust the Young Create Attractive Career Path Competitive Champions League, set standards by merit only (as in football) To Become More Competitive, Europe Must

6. │ 6 European Research Council 6 Proposals of the Commission to establish ERC through Framework Programme 7 Political Context: P. Busquin & ERA; J. M. Gago & Lisbon A. Mitsos & Added Value Argument: Competition for Excellence at European Level Adoption FP7 (18/12/06) & Specific Programme “Ideas” (19/12/06); EC decision establishing ERC (02/02/07); 7.51b€ for 2007-2013 ERC consists of an independent Scientific Council supported by a Dedicated Implementation Structure / Executive Agency EC acts as guarantor of ScC autonomy and integrity and ensures proper functioning of the ERC Commissioner Potočnik nominated ScC (18/07/06) by arms-length independent procedure (Patten Identification Committee) Birth and Structure of the ERC

7. │ 7 European Research Council 7 Collaborates with EC towards an autonomous, integrated world-class Research Funding Agency Defined ERC Strategy & Annual Work Programme Decided Calls for Proposals Established Evaluation Rules & Procedures Selected Evaluation Panels Intensive 1 yr work before establishment ERC Scientific Council: Aim, Responsibilities and Actions

8. │ 8 European Research Council 8 - Opportunities and independence for young scientists - Individual frontier research programs - Significant funding to make a difference Address essentials, obvious gaps in Europe The ERC Strategy, 1 Trust the dynamic of science - Interdisciplinarity is encouraged - Excellence attracts excellence - The effects of critical mass - From individual to institutional excellence

9. │ 9 European Research Council 9 Keep it flexible - Evaluation panels judge investment levels - Researchers can rebudget - Grants are portable The ERC Strategy, 2 Keep it simple - All fields of science and scholarship are eligible - Excellence is the sole criterion - Research results are the only deliverable - Referees & Evaluation Panels selected by excellence - Flat 20% contribution to overheads

10. │ 10 European Research Council 10 See http://erc.europa.eu

11. │ 11 European Research Council 11 -Ca. 300 M€; 200 grants, average 1.5M€ for 5 years - i.e. 200 new investigators per call, ca. 1400 in 7 years Sole selection criterion: Excellence of person & proposal - Eligibility: - ≤ 9 years since Doctorate + 3 years for service - Recently established or offered a position - To work within EU or Associated States - No nationality criterion 3 Rs: Recruit, Repatriate, Retain TOP TALENT ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant (ERC Starting Grant)

12. │ 12 European Research Council 12 -Annual budget minus ERC Starting Grants - From ca. 600 M€ to over 1 billion € / year - ca. 200/500 grants awarded each year - Sole selection criterion: Excellence of proposal & track record - Eligibility: (a) investigators at all career stages (b) located or moving to Europe (c) no age limit or nationality criterion Recruit, Repatriate, Retain ERC Advanced Investigator Grant (ERC Advanced Grant)

13. │ 13 European Research Council 13 - Starting Grants First call: December 2006 Submission deadline: 25 April 2007 - Advanced Grants First call: early 2008 - Starting and Advanced Grants One call per year, from 2008 Calls for applications

14. │ 14 European Research Council 14 Principal Investigators (PI’s): Outstanding young scientists European and non-European Working or moving to Europe Host institutions: -Universities -Research Organizations (including companies, if they allow independent research) Based in a European Member State or Associated Country Starting Grants: Foster Early Independence of Young Investigators

15. │ 15 European Research Council 15 Principal Investigators must be able to: choose their co-workers decide on the evolving directions of their work re-allocate resources as necessary publish their scientific results without restrictions and independently (with, as co- authors, only those who contribute to the work significantly) ERC Starting Grants: Guarantees of Scientific Independence

16. │ 16 European Research Council 16 Host institutions have to maximize available administrative and legal options to provide for a competitive salary for nationals and non-nationals Host institution engages the PI, pays salary Part (or all) of PI’s salary can be charged the ERC Grant (joint funding?) Additional personnel costs related to research can be covered by the ERC Grant ERC Grants: Salary Issues

17. │ 17 European Research Council 17 ERC Grants are portable: “Money follows the researcher” The PI is entitled to transfer the grant to another institution after a minimum 2 years at the sponsoring institution Proper justification and ERC approval required ERC Grants: Portability

18. │ 18 European Research Council 18 Social Sciences and Humanities (SH) Mathematics, physical sciences, information and communication, engineering, universe and earth sciences (PE) Life Sciences (LS) Budget allocation SH 15% PE 45% LS 40% ERC Starting Grants: Scientific Domains

19. │ 19 European Research Council 19 Starting Grants First Call: Proposals received by domain DomainNumber of proposals% Life Sciences3,39637.0 Physical Sciences & Engineering 4,40848.1 Social Sciences & Humanities 1,36314.9 Total9,167100

20. │ 20 European Research Council 20 Starting Grants First Call: % Geographic Distribution: European and Overseas Clusters ClusterPI residence Host Institution location EEC6: BE, DE, FR, IT, LU, NL 44.846.2 Next 9 of EU15: AT, DK, EL, ES, FI, IE, PT, SE, UK 35.537.2 Next 12 of EU 27: BG, CY, CZ, EE, HU, LT, LV, MT, PL, RO, SI, SK 8.68.8 7 EU-associated or candidate: CH, HR, IL, IS, NO, RS, TR 7.97.8 6 Overseas highly developed: AU, CA, JP, NZ, TW, USA 2.80 AL, AR, BR, BF, CN, EG, IN, IR, KH, ME, MX, SN, TN, RU, SG, UA, UZ, ZA, ZW 0.40 100

21. │ 21 European Research Council 21 Starting Grants First Call: “Gain-loss” figures Country To Institution - From Residence Italy+ 44 * Greece+ 36 France+ 34 Spain+ 32 Germany+ 26 Sweden+ 23 Austria+ 17 U.K.+ 15 Netherlands+ 14 Finland+ 11 Switzerland- 17 Romania- 8 Belgium- 4

22. │ 22 European Research Council 22 Can Greece Compete? Rich human resources A few good universities of high level research institutions But Structural limitations Universities: “One type fits all” Inflexible legal and political framework Under-funded Dispersed faculties Locked into an unreformed system Research: Under-funded (<0.6% of national income and declining) Lack of a national programme for bottom-up research