ERC - Advance Grant Call 2008

Alejandro MARTIN HOBDEYERC

DG RTD Unit S-2PC Meeting

Brussels, 30 January 2008

European Research Council

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• Proposal structure

• Evaluation process

• Evaluation criteria

• Interdisciplinarity

• Demand management

• Planned Calls

Overview of presentation

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• Single submission (1 stage, 2 step)

• Electronic submission via EPSS • Early registration strongly recommended

(though submission can be performed at the end)

• 3 deadlines Physical Sciences on 28th February (open) Social Sciences on 18th March Life Sciences on 22nd April

Submission of proposals

European Research Council

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Proposal structure

• Part A: Contains “normal” A1-A3 forms• Plus additional “A1T”: “Track Record”

– Summary of Scientific Leadership profile

– Summary table of 10 year Track Record

• Part B: contains 3 sections & 1 annex Section 1

– Scientific Leadership profile (2 pages)

– CV (including “funding ID”)

– 10-years track record

– Extended synopsis Section 2 = Scientific proposal Section 3 = Research Environment description Statement of support from the Host Institution

European Research Council

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Panel structure

• 3 domains – 25 panels (modification of StG panel structure)

• AdG Panels distinct from StG Panels

• Selection of Panel Members responsibility of the ScC

• Two sets of panels, meeting on alternate years

• Members of “shadow panels” for given year can/will be used to help active panels for extra expertise and in case of oversubscription

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Submission to Panels

• Applicant submits to a Targeted Panel (of PI choice ) Can choose one additional “Alternative Review Panel”

• In case cross-panel or cross-domain proposal, evaluation by members of other panels

• Indicative call budget • Physical Sciences – 39%

• Social Sciences – 14%

• Life Sciences – 34%

+ 13% for Interdisciplinary – Cross Panel / Cross domain

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Two step evaluation

• Step 1: Section 1 of Part B evaluated against Criterion 1 (PI) and 2

(Research Project) Proposal needs to pass threshold for both criteria to pass to

second step• Panels have information extracted from Form A1T (Track Record) to

assist them in their decisions

Evaluated by Panel Members + possibly “shadow” panel members where necessary

• Step 2: All three sections evaluated against all three evaluation criteria Evaluated by Panel Members + Remote Evaluators

European Research Council

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Evaluation process

Step 2(Panel + remote)

Indiv assessmentsIndividual marks

Interdisciplinary flagPANEL MEETINGS

Ranking

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Proposal

Step 1(panel)

Indiv AssessmentsIndividual Marks

PANEL MEETINGSRanking

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Proposal

Submission

+ HI support letter

Eligibility Check

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Proposal

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transmission of proposals to panel members

start:

Reception of proposals(call deadline)

· allocation of proposals to panels as chosen by PI

· initial eligibility check

result:· pre-sorted list of proposals as

additional infomation

semi-automatic pre-sortingbased on track record

information given in part A1T

Step 1:· part B - section 1

· CV and 10 year track record· (summary of the) scientific

leadership profile (part A1T)· extended synopsis

· remote evaluation (PM):· min. 3 readings per proposal· 2 criteria (PI, project), 1 to 4· (nomination of remote referees?)

· panel meeting (PM):· discussion and final ranking

pass both quality thresholds?

yes

rejections(no re-submission before 2011)

no

Step 2:· part B - sections 1, 2, and 3· CV and 10 year track record· scientific leadership profile· scientific proposal· research environment

· remote evaluation (PM+RR):· min. 3 readings per proposal· 3 criteria: PI and project (1 - 4),

research environment (pass/fail)· panel meeting (PM):· adjustment and ranking

result:· final ranked list (scale 1 to 4)· full reviewers statements

list for interdisciplinary domain

yes

no

result:· ranked list of proposals· reviewers statements, IARs· candidate list of remote

referees (RR)

The Advanced Grant Process Flow

assignment of proposals to panel members (SO & PC)

pass budgetary cut-off?

no

result:· rejected proposals

(possibility to resubmit in 2010)

final result:· successful candidates· reserve list

pass budgetary cut-off?

yes

process step decision document step 1step 2

PC: Panel Chair, PM: Panel Members, RR: Remote Referee, SO: Scientific Officer

European Research Council

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Managing demand: lessons from StG

Managing demand for grants Maximise call budget

By combining budgets over 2 successive years (only one application per researcher in either 2008 or 2009)

Encourage the best to apply Excellent track record (in recent years) Strong leadership profile

Discourage trivial or low-quality applications Applications should be substantive (one-stage submission with two

stage evaluation) Disincentives to submission of applications which are not of the

highest quality

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• Only one AdG application for 2008 and 2009 calls (combined)

• Can only re-apply for 2010 AdG call if you are above threshold in Step 1 in 2008 or 2009 AdG Call

• If you apply for AdG in 2008 or 2009, cannot apply for a StG during same period

Resubmission rules

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Marking scheme

• Criteria 1 and 2 will be marked according to the following scheme:• 4: Outstanding• 3 Excellent• 2 Very good• 1 Non-fundable / fail

• Criteria 3 is pass fail• Quality threshold of: >=2• Proposals below the quality threshold for either of the two criteria are

eliminated (Step 1) / not fundable (Step 2)• Proposals passing from Step 1 to Step 2 have to pass all thresholds, but also

will be limited according to a given multiple of the funding available for that panel (~x3)

• Only those proposals that pass both quality thresholds in step 1 will be allowed to re-submit in 2010. Others have to wait to 2011.

• Eliminates the link between “proposal quality” and “passing to Step 2” that was criticized by many in the StG

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Interdisciplinary Proposals / Domain

• Interdisciplinary Research domain (cross-domain & cross-panel) indicative budget of 13% total budget

• Proposal submitted to a primary panel • Step 1:

Primary panel determines if proposal is “interdisciplinary” Can take into account if secondary panel is indicated

Proposal “flagged” as interdisciplinary, if appropriate Possibility to invite reviews from members of other panels

• Step 2: Interdisciplinary proposals, not funded within panel budget, will be

transferred to Interdisciplinary Domain for further consideration there Decision taken at end of process by combined panel of all Panel Chairs

• Any funds not spent in ID domain to be returned “pro-rata” to the other three domains

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“Co-Investigator projects”

• In addition to the PI, a project can have one or more “Co-PIs” or “Co-Investigators”

• These projects are subject to a higher financial limit (3.5 M€) BUT the CO-PIs are subject to the same re-submission rules as PIs!

• CO-PIs do not complete the A1T form, but have to complete Scientific leadership profile, CV and 10 year track record in Part B

• No link between Co-PIs (scientific issue) and existence of partners (administrative issue)

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Financial limits

• Normal limit: 2.5 M€ for five years (pro-rata)• Certain cases, limit raised to 3.5 M€ (pro-rata)

Co-investigator projects Proposals that require the purchase of major research

equipment PI coming from third country to establish him/her self

in the EU or Associated state

• Up to panel to decide whether this is justified or not.

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ERC Calls Indicative Schedule (2007-2010)

Work Programme Revision ERC Action Call open Call DeadlineEstimated Call value

(€ M)Budgetary year Evaluation

Feb. 2007 StG1 Winter 06 Spring 07 290 2007 Spring - Autumn 07

May 2008 StG2 Summer 08 Autumn 08 290 2009 Winter 08 - Spring 09

May 2009 StG3 Summer 09 Autumn 09 340 2010 Winter 09 - Spring 10

May 2010 StG4 Summer 10 Autumn 10 400 2011 Winter 10 - Spring 11

ERC Starting Grant Calls Indicative Schedule 2007 - 2010

Work Programme Revision ERC Action Call open Call DeadlineEstimated Call value

(€ M)Budgetary year Evaluation

Oct. 2007 AdG1 Autumn 07 Spring 08 517 2008 Spring 08 - Autumn 08

May 2008 AdG2 Autumn 08 Spring 09 480 2009 Spring 09 - Autumn 09

May 2009 AdG3 Autumn 09 Spring 10 741 2010 Spring 10 - Autumn 10

May 2010 AdG4 Autumn 10 Spring 11 869 2011 Spring 11 - Autumn 11

ERC Advanced Grant Calls Indicative Schedule 2007 - 2010