US Researchers Win More European Research Council Grants
The number of early-career researchers based outside Europe winning European Research Council Starting Grants has nearly doubled, with 20 of 21 overseas
The number of early-career researchers based outside Europe who have won prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants has almost doubled in a year. Nearly all of these overseas academics are coming from the United States.
A total of 21 non-European researchers were awarded ERC Starting Grants in the latest funding round, a sharp increase from 11 last year. According to the ERC, 20 of this year's winners are currently based in the U.S. And one is in Canada. These individual grants offer awards of up to $1.75 million over five years.
Sharp Increase in Overseas Winners
Academics from the U.S. And Canada accounted for about 5 percent of all successful applicants this year. This compares to just 2.3 percent of overseas researchers in the previous round. The European Commission has been actively trying to attract more international talent. Policymakers are working to make Europe more appealing as concerns grow over academic freedom and potential cuts to federally funded research in the U.S.
European Commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, said she was "particularly pleased" that 21 researchers based in North America planned to move to Europe. She stated their decision reflects "Europe's growing appeal for frontier research" and is a sign that the EU's Choose Europe initiative is helping to attract new scientific talent.
Grant Competition and Success Rates
The ERC awarded a total of $820 million to 421 early-career researchers in this year's competition. The council reported receiving a record 4,807 proposals, which is a 22 percent increase from the previous round. The success rate for applicants was 8.8 percent.
These figures show a shift from the prior year. In the last round, 478 researchers received grants, with $885 million distributed and a higher success rate of 12.2 percent.
| Metric | This Year's Round | Previous Round |
|---|---|---|
| Total Grant Money Awarded | $820 million | $885 million |
| Number of Researchers Funded | 421 | 478 |
| Number of Proposals Received | 4,807 | Not specified |
| Success Rate | 8.8% | 12.2% |
Host Countries and Researcher Nationalities
German universities and research institutions are set to host the largest number of grant winners, with 89 researchers choosing Germany. The United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands follow as the next most popular destinations.
The nationalities of the winning researchers are diverse. Among the winners are 84 Germans, 50 Italians, 30 French, and 24 Spaniards. The ERC said researchers of 48 other nationalities also secured funding.
ERC President Maria Leptin emphasized the importance of the grants. She said they provide the "independence and support" early-career researchers need to push scientific boundaries. Leptin called it the best investment to strengthen Europe's research base and future.
