Funding Institution:

European Research Council has announced an open call for  applications under the "ERC Consolidator Grant" program (call ID: ERC-2022-COG)

Purpose of the call:

ERC Starting Grants aim to empower excellent researchers at the stage of building their own research group and carrying out their first independent research, who show promise of becoming independent investigators, their ambitious projects showing promise of ground breaking work.
The sole criterion of evaluation is research excellence: qualifications and achievements
of the principal investigator as well as the original quality and scholarly value of the research idea.
Proposal evaluation is carried out in two stages. In the second stage authors of proposals will be invited to an interview.

Who can apply?

Researchers of any nationality with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD (Extensions are possible under certain circumstances — see the latest ERC Work Programme), a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal.

Prospective applicants to the 2023 Starting and Consolidator Grant Calls should note that the ERC is aiming to change the PhD reference date for the calculation of the eligibility period from the date of the actual award according to the national rules of the country where the degree was awarded to the date of the successful PhD defence. Whenever the PhD certificate does not show the PhD defence date, applicants should provide a written confirmation from the awarding institution stating the said date. This change will bring both clarity to the prospective candidates and significant simplification to the eligibility process.

Terms and conditions of application:

• Eligible applicants are researchers who earned their first doctorate between 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014 (by end of day).
• The European Commission expects the candidates to show for themselves at least several notable publications to which they have contributed as the principal author or published without the involvement of their academic supervisor.
• Candidates should be able to demonstrate a track record in their research field, including publications (as lead author), patents, ongoing grants, awards etc.
• The project may be carried out at a freely chosen host institution, provided that it is based at a EU country or a country associated with the Horizon Europe programme. It may also be carried out at an international European research organisation (e.g. CERN), the EU Joint Research Centre or other entity established under the EU law.
• The projects may deal with any research domain. Project subjects are chosen by the applicants themselves.
• Highly appreciated will be interdisciplinary projects with high level of risk, leading to important discoveries and ground breaking results.
• The funding will cover 100 % of project costs.
• The maximum funding per project is EUR 2 million (EUR 3 million on meeting certain special conditions) for projects with a duration of up to 5 years.
• Indirect costs make for 25% of direct costs with the exception of the headings Subcontracting costs and Internally invoiced goods and services.
• The principal investigator in an ERC Consolidator Grant is required to spend at least 50% of the project's working time at a EU or EU-associated country, and to allocate at least 40% of their working time for the implementation of an project.

Form of submitting proposals:

• Proposals may be submitted only electronically via the Funding & tender opportunities portal (ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home).
• Applicants in the call are required to to name in the Funding & tender opportunities portal the call assistant at the CWN as the contact for JU.

You are kindly welcome to participate in the Assistance Programme for Jagiellonian University Researchers applying for ERC grants. Consult the information on the Programme available on the CWN website: https://cwn.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/wsparcie-dla-naukowcow/erc

JU internal regulations:
Pursuant to the Order no 56 of JU Rector 11 July 2016 on: the procedure for drawing up and implementing projects funded from external sources please deliver to the CWN:

• by 28 February 2022, 12:00 GMT+1:
  • a research project entry form alongside a VAT eligibility form using the electronic system JU Project Zone at: https://cwn.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/start ->tab “Project Zone”,
  • draft version of the proposal (electronic version of the proposal in the form of a pdf file sent to the address of the call assistant at the CWN)
  • Commitment of the host institution for ERC Calls 2022. Please email the following to the address of a research call assistant at the CWN: one copy (without signatures) in the form of a PDF file and another copy signed with a qualified electronic signature by the principal investigator and head of the host entity (or a document with a scanned handwritten signature of the principal investigator, supported with a qualified electronic signature by the head of the host entity). In order to be issued a JU logo letterhead please contact in advance a call assistant at the CWN;
• until 17 March 2022 the final version of the proposal (electronic version sent as a pdf file to the address of the call assistant at the CWN).

Submission of a proposal is possible once the research project entry form has been approved in full. Out of concern for the quality of the submitted projects, especially in terms of meeting formal requirements, you are encouraged you to deliver the documents to the CWN well ahead of the above mentioned deadlines.

Application Deadline:

The call for proposals lasts until 17 March 2022, 5 p.m. (CWN deadline 28 February 12:00 GTM+1)

More information:

• Communication by Jagiellonian Univiersity Vice-Rector for Research
• ERC website