Support to the Vice-Presidents of the ErC Scientific Council 2015

Project Information

ERCSC-VPRES-SUP2015

Grant agreement ID: 672308

DOI

10.3030/672308

Project closed

EC signature date 29 April 2015

Start date 1 January 2015

End date 31 December 2015

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 276 125,00

EU contribution

€ 276 125,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDAD POMPEU FABRA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ERCSC-VPRES-SUP2015 (Support to the Vice-Presidents of the ErC Scientific Council 2015)

Reporting period: 2015-01-01 to 2015-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The project provided the necessary support to the Vice-Presidents of the European Research Council Scientific Council (ERC ScC) to achieve key milestones and deliverables of the ScC, which are required under the Horizon 2020 framework programme.

Under the Horizon 2020 programme, the European Research Council provides a competitive funding mechanism for investigator-driven frontier research at the European level. One of the key structural components of the ERC is the Scientific Council consisting of 21 eminent researchers and their President, representative of a large range of disciplines and institutional backgrounds. The ERC ScC independently establishes and oversees the ERC's scientific management and the implementation of the Work Programme, including the peer review and the selection of peer reviewers.

The project supported the ERC Vice-Presidents, who, unlike the ERC President, are acting on an honorary basis, in the efficient and timely achievement of the ScC’s objectives in 2015. The diverse responsibilities of the three Vice-Presidents of the ERC included the achievement of efficient and effective functioning of the ScC, its integrated operation together with the ERC Executive Agency (ERCEA), and effective interfacing with the scientific community, other funding agencies and the political institutions of the European Union. The project provided administrative support related to the work of the Vice-Presidents of the ERC for a period of one year.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work performed and main results were:

ERC Scientific Strategy (D1.1)
Scientific Management, monitoring and quality contol of programme implementation - 2016 Panel Descriptors produced (D1.2)
Scientific Management, monitoring and quality contol of programme implementation – Selection of experts for evaluation panels (D1.3)
Scientific Management, monitoring and quality contol of programme implementation – Establishment of method of peer review of proposal evaluation (D1.4)
Scientific Management, monitoring and quality contol of programme implementation – Monitoring of quality of operations (D1.5)
Scientific Management, monitoring and quality contol of programme implementation – Communication with Evaluation Panels regarding Panel Reports 2014 (D1.6)
Communication and dissemination - the Vice-Presidents' Articles, Interviews, and Presentations (D1.7)
Preparation of ScC meetings (D1.8)
Chairing Standing Committees (D1.9)
Preparation of ERC Board meetings (D1.10)

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project helped to ensure an efficient and well-managed operation of the ERC ScC. By providing high-level local support for the Vice-Presidents, the project complemented the activities of and allowed efficient interfacing with the ERCEA. The proposed support was required, as the duties of the Vice-Presidents demanded a considerable part of their time. Overall, the project contributed significantly to the continued implementation of the ERC under Horizon 2020.