[HORIZON EUROPE] ERC - new features of the 2024 calls and tentative deadline calendar
The 2024 ERC Work Programme is expected to be formally adopted in July 2023 and some of the planned changes that the ERC Scientific Council has proposed to introduce have been made public last December (evaluation forms and processes) and in March this year (new panels and lump sum funding).
This announcement gives further detail on research assessment, the evaluation process, lump sum funding, as well as the tentative schedule of the upcoming grant competitions.
Research assessment: focus on the project
The proposals for ERC grants will continue to be evaluated based on the sole criterion of scientific excellence. ERC panels will primarily evaluate the ground-breaking nature, ambition, and feasibility of the research project. At the same time, they will evaluate the intellectual capacity, creativity, and commitment of the applicant principal investigator, with a focus on the extent to which the applicant has the excellence and required scientific expertise to successfully execute the proposed project.
Broad assessment of the applicant
The ERC Work Programme will no longer include detailed prescriptive profiles of principal investigators. In the application, the Curriculum Vitae and Track Record will be merged into one document of up to four pages. The applicant will be expected to include – apart from standard biographical information – a list of up to ten research outputs that demonstrate how they have advanced knowledge in their field, with an emphasis on more recent achievements, and a list of selected examples of significant peer recognition (for example, prizes).
New SH panel
SH8 - “Studies of Cultures and Arts Social anthropology, studies of cultures, studies of arts” (originating from panels SH3 and SH5)
Limited number of proposals invited for Step 2
For Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants, a maximum of 44 proposals per panel will be assessed at step 2 of the evaluation. Moreover, a distinction in the scoring at step 1 will be made between proposals obtaining a score of A and invited to step 2 of the evaluation, and proposals obtaining a score of A but not ranked sufficiently high to be invited to step 2.
Lump Sum pilot
The Advanced Grant will be awarded as a single lump sum contribution for the entirety of the project under this Work Programme. The lump sum will cover the beneficiaries' estimated costs for the project. The evaluation panels will carry out an assessment on the proposed budget structure and cost estimates against the planned work in order to formulate, where applicable, lump sum contributions. For lump sum grants, the payment of the lump sum contribution will be based on the work carried out and reported, irrespective of the actual costs incurred for the project and/or the successful outcome of the project activities. In this type of grant, there will be one lump sum contribution (broken down by beneficiaries - if applicable), fully covering the work to be implemented in the proposed action.
Additional funding for ERC grantees
Proof-of-Concept Grants
- As of 2024, applications to the Proof-of-Concept Grant have been slightly modified. will be evaluated and selected in two instead of three rounds, based on two specific cut-off dates.
- Where they bring scientific added value to the project, additional team members may also be hosted by additional legal entities, which may be established anywhere, including outside the European Union or Associated Countries, or international organisations, subject to any restrictions provided in Annex 3 to this Work Programme. Legal entities established outside the European Union or an Associated Country are eligible for funding when: − they host additional team members bringing scientific added value to the project, or their participation is deemed essential for carrying out the action.
Public Engagement with Research Award
With the ERC Public Engagement with Research award, the ERC wishes to recognise and reward outstanding science communicators among its Principal Investigators who successfully engage audiences outside their domain with ERC funded research.
Tentative deadline calendar
- ERC Starting Grant 2024: 24 October 2023
- ERC Synergy Grant 2024: 8 November 2023
- ERC Consolidator Grant 2024: 12 December 2023 (!)
- ERC Advanced Grant 2024: 29 August 2024 (!)
- ERC Proof-of-Concept 2024: 14 March 2024 and 17 September 2024
More information
https://erc.europa.eu/news-events/news/evaluation-erc-grant-proposals-what-expect-2024
Want to stay updated on draft Work Programmes?
Consult the EU Proposal Support Sharepointsite.
May 2, 2023, 8:49 a.m.