Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ERC VP CSA (Support to the Vice-Presidents of the ERC Scientific Council 2017) Reporting period: 2017-01-01 to 2017-12-31 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.The Vice-Presidents in 2017 were:Klaus Bock, University of CopenhagenEva Kondorosi, Hungarian Academy of SciencesMartin Stokhof, University of Amsterdam Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far This Action 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 aimed to support the ERC Vice-Presidents, who, unlike the ERC President, act on an honorary basis, in the efficient and timely achievement of the ScC’s objectives in 2017. 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 and research support ranging from secretarial tasks to assistance in developing policy papers related to the work of the Vice-Presidents of the ERC for a period of one year.The Vice-Presidents in 2017 were:Klaus Bock, University of CopenhagenEva Kondorosi, Hungarian Academy of SciencesMartin Stokhof, University of AmsterdamThe former Vice-Presidents concluding their work in 2017 were:Nuria Sebastian Galles, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)Mart Saarma, University of Helsinki, (Institute of Biotechnology)ObjectivesThe project objective was to provide local administrative, operational and advisory support for the three ERC Vice-Presidents. The project allowed for the efficient and well-managed operation of the ERC Scientific Council.ResultsThe project's results were:D1: Scientific StrategyD2: Scientific management, monitoring and quality control of programme implementationD3: Communication and disseminationD4: Preparation of ScC meetingsD5: Chairing Standing CommitteesD6: Preparation of ERC Board meetings 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 impact of the project was as expected. The project contributed to the 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 for efficient interfacing with the ERCEA. ERC logo
