Announcing the first call for advanced grants.
Date: 2011-01-31
Institutions: European Research Council Executive Agency
Subjects: applied research, education grant, research and development, research expenditure (EU), research programme, research staff

European Research Council
Announcing the ﬁ rst call for ‘Advanced Grants’

Do you have?

•  An exceptional leadership proﬁ le

•  An outstanding track record

•  A ground-breaking research idea

•  A host organisation based in an EU Member State, 

in an associated country or an international 
European interest organisation

BRINGING GREAT IDEAS TO LIFE

 Number of grants awarded:    Approximately 300

Amount of funding:    Up to EUR 3.5 million per grant

Duration:    Up to ﬁ ve years

Application:    Online, one-stage submission process

Evaluation criteria:    Scientiﬁ c excellence
Submission deadlines:    28 February 2008 

  Physical sciences and engineering (PE1-PE10)
  18 March 2008
  Social sciences and humanities (SH1-SH6)
  22 April 2008
  Life sciences (LS1-LS9)

For more information and to apply:
http://erc.europa.eu

Physical sciences 
and engineering (PE) 
PE1    Mathematical foundations
PE2    Fundamental constituents 

Life sciences (LS)
LS1    Molecular and structural 
biology and biochemistry

Social sciences 
and humanities (SH) 
SH1  Individuals, institutions 

and markets

of matter

LS2    Genetics, genomics, bioinformatics 

SH2   Institutions, values, beliefs 

PE3    Condensed matter physics
PE4    Physical and analytical 
chemical sciences
PE5    Materials and synthesis
PE6    Computer science

and informatics

PE7    Systems and communication

engineering

PE8   Products and processes

engineering
PE9    Universe sciences
PE10   Earth system sciences

and systems biology

LS3    Cellular and developmental biology 
LS4    Physiology, pathophysiology 

and endocrinology 

LS5    Neurosciences and neural disorders
LS6    Immunity and infection
LS7    Diagnostic tools, therapies 

and public health 
LS8    Evolutionary, population 

and environmental biology
LS9    Applied life sciences and 

biotechnology 

and behaviour 

SH3   Environment and society
SH4  The human mind 
and its complexity

SH5  Cultures and cultural 

production

SH6   The study of the human 

past 

erc

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The ERC is established by the European Commission and 
The ERC is established by the European Commission and 
The ERC is established by the European Commission and 
funded through the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme
funded through the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme

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The European 
Research Council 
•••  Promotes creativity and risk-taking in basic research  

erc

The European Research Council (ERC), funded through the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme, aims to stimulate 
creativity and scientific excellence in basic research in Europe. It promotes the pursuit of questions at, or beyond, the 
frontiers of knowledge and established disciplinary boundaries.

The ERC supports original research ideas in any field of science, scholarship and engineering. In particular, the ERC 
encourages proposals of an interdisciplinary nature and in new and emerging fields, as well as research ideas which are 
’high-risk/high-gain’.

•••  Is science-driven and autonomous 

The ERC has been established as an autonomous entity under an independent scientific leadership.

It consists of a Scientific Council and a Dedicated Implementation Structure. The Scientific Council establishes 
the overall scientific strategy of the ERC and its annual work programme, and oversees the ERC’s scientific management. 
The Dedicated Implementation Structure implements and manages ERC operations. Pending its establishment 
as an Executive Agency, a dedicated service of the European Commission is managing its tasks.

•••  Funds top research leaders in Europe

The ERC offers attractive long-term grants which will give top researchers the freedom and flexibility they need 
to pursue pioneering research of their choice. 

The ERC ‘Starting Grants’ and ‘Advanced Grants’ support individual research teams led by outstanding researchers, 
regardless of their nationality, provided that the host organisation they are or will be working for is based in the EU, 
an associated country or is an international European interest organisation. 

The ERC Starting Grants are designed for upcoming research leaders starting an independent career, having two to nine 
years of postdoctoral experience, and launching or consolidating their own research team. The amount of funding per 
grant is a maximum of EUR 2 million for a period of up to five years.

The ERC Advanced Grants aim to support established independent research leaders at all career stages (no age limit) and with 
an outstanding track record. The amount of funding per grant is a maximum of EUR 3.5 million for a period of up to five years.

The first call was targeted to ERC Starting Grant proposals. It closed in April 2007.
The new call is open to ERC Advanced Grant proposals and — depending on the subject — has closing dates 
between February and April 2008. 

From 2009 onwards, calls for proposals for both grant schemes will be published on an annual basis. 

For further information on the ERC Grant schemes and application procedures:
http://erc.europa.eu

Join FP7 and the world of European R & D:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7

Community Research and 
Development Information Service

Online services offered by the Publications Office:
bookshop.europa.eu: EU publications 
cordis.europa.eu: Research and development
eur-lex.europa.eu: EU law
ted.europa.eu: Public procurement

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