This workshop is all about making your ERC proposal the best competitive proposal. Competition for the ERC Starting Grant is fierce, and it is not enough to provide good science! Based on the experiences in the first ERC calls this workshop will provide you with valuable input for writing a competitive ERC Starting Grant proposal.
The 2012 call for submission of proposals for the ERC Starting Grant is expected to be published in July 2011. The call covers all research fields. Preliminary deadlines:
- Physical sciences and Engineering: October, 2011;
- Life Sciences: November, 2011 and;
- Social Sciences and Humanities: December, 2011
The success rates per call depend on the budget and the number of submitted proposals for a specific call. Currently, the ERC is increasing every year the budget. The success rate was 9,6% in call 2009 (244 awarded proposals) and 14,8% in call 2010 (427 awarded proposals). The call 2011 outcomes are still unknown. In call 2012 the success rate will be in the range of 12-15%.
In the past calls the ERC has extended the PhD window and career break and introduced a streaming of starters and consolidators, giving young scientists and women a fairer chance to obtain a grant. In call 2011 the PhD window was 2-12 years with a starters group (PhD window = 2-7 years) and a consolidator group (PhD window = 7-12 years). These PhD windows can be extended by eligible career breaks up to 4,5 year. We expect no major changes in PhD window, career break extension and streaming in call 2012.
The two evaluation criteria for funding are being an outstanding principal investigator (PI) and proposing an outstanding research project. Outstanding implies that the PI and proposal should be better than excellent. A good understanding of the requirements described in the Guide for Applicants is essential for writing a successful competitive ERC-proposal. During the workshop we will discuss the complicated proposal format and approaches for writing and address all requirements based on successful examples. We will also discuss how to evaluate yourself as a promising researcher and how to incorporate “feasible” high gain and high risk elements in your proposal.
Training objectives
To provide researchers with a good understanding of:
- the requirements of the Guide for Applicants regarding the structure and the contents of the proposal;
- the evaluation criteria and how these can be matched upon the requirements of the Guide for Applicants;
- Approaches to draft an outstanding proposal.
Who should attend?
The workshop will be of value for applicants as well as administrators.
Methodology
The seminar will be in English, with no translation. The trainers will give practical information and examine with the participants the requested information, the evaluation criteria and the best strategy for drafting the proposal. The workshop is highly interactive and periods of discussions are included in the programme to promote exchange of views between participants and trainers. Each participant will receive an extensive guide with the information on the topics listed in the programme.
Trainers
Lotte Jaspers and Mette Skraastad PhD have extensive experience in running ERC workshops and in pre-submission review of ERC starting and advanced grants. They have started with success to train candidates for writing ERC proposals since the second call. Their knowledge and experience in pre-submission review of ERC proposals is an important aspect of their success in this training.
Programme
9.15 Coffee and tea and registration
Part I ERC Starting Grants
9.30 Lessons learned from the first calls and evaluation procedure
10.30 Coffee Break
Part II How to write a successful ERC-proposal
10.45 Principal Investigator
The key elements for Scientific Leadership, Curriculum Vitae including Funding ID, Early Achievement Track Record and assessment starter or consolidator.
12.15 Lunch Break
Part III Extended Synopsis
The Extended Synopsis is a 5 page summary of the Scientific Proposal with an emphasis on the ground breaking elements and feasibility of the proposal and how the outcomes of the research will affect further research.
Part IV Scientific Proposal
Objectives, State-of-the-Art, Methodology, Resources and approaches to originality, creativity and ambition are discussed.
In details we will address 1) novel and unconvential aspects, 2) the high gain and high risk balance and the link to feasibility,32) the envisioned impact on future research, 4) planning of the project with intermediate goals and 5) matching the evaluation criterion on research with the project template.
16.00 Basic information on interview session
16.30 Wrap up: Individual questions and answers
Course fee
The YR course fee is 495,00 euro per participant, including coffee & tea, lunch and materials or 675,00 euro per participant including 2,5 hours review. This course is also available for in house training at your institution. The price for a full course day in house is 3.275,00 euro excluding travel and subsistence.
Date, time and location
Date(s): not scheduled, available as in-house event
Time: 9:15 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Yellow Research, Herengracht 495, 1017 BT, Amsterdam
Bookings
Click on the blue button ‘Book this course’ on the top of this page to book online or to download the booking form. For questions about this course, please contact Sarah Jones at jones[at]yellowresearch[dot]nl.