SUPPORTING RESEARCH IN EUROPE NORBERT KROO EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL AND

1. SUPPORTING RESEARCH IN EUROPE NORBERT KROO EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL AND THE HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES UNICA, 15.05.2008

2. GROWING SIGNIFICANCE OF KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE BASED SOCIETY (ECONOMY) INNOVATION ORIENTED SOCIETY RESOURCES (LABOUR, MATERIALS, ENERGY, CAPITAL, KNOWLEDGE). SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE! (danger to treat knowledge as a tradable commodity) NEW PRACTICES INRESEARCH (multidisciplinary,groups) NEW PRIORITIES (sustainable development,jobs, competitiveness) DRYING OUT TECHNOLOGIES GLOBALIZATION. CRITICAL SIZE. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION NEW POTENTIAL REVOLUTIONS (BIO-, NANO-, INFO-TECHNOLOGIES )

3. SCIENCE IS CHANGING * THE COMPLEXITY OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASES  DEEPER KNOWLEDGE IN NARROWER FIELDS * INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH EXPANDS. (COMPLEX PROBLEMS) * THE COST OF RESEARCH (INFRASTRUCTURE) SKYROCKETS. GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT NEEDED. * INCREASING CRITICAL SIZE IN RESEARCH. NETWORKING. (BOTH FINANCIALLY AND IN HUMAN POTENTIAL) * STRONGER INFLUENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ECONOMY * NEW WAYS OF DOING SCIENCE: „KNOWLEDGE BORN IN CYBER- SPACE” THROUGH THE INTERACTION OF DISLOCATED SCIENTISTS * DEVELOPMENT COSTS BEYOND THE POSSIBILITIES OF COMPANIESREQUEST FOR STATE INTERVENTION, COMPANY CONSORTIA (JTI!) * SCIENCE HAS BECOME FULLY INTERNATIONAL. GLOBALIZATION

4. THE ECONOMY PROFITS FROM RESEARCH (IN MANY WAYS) -RESULTS OF BASIC RES. GET RIPE FOR APPLICATIONS (HOLOGRAPHY) -RESEARCH FOR GENERAL GOALS (CANCER RESEARCH) -RESEARCH FOR CONCRETE GOALS (HIGH SPEED COMMUNICATION NETWORKS) -BYPRODUCTS OF BASIC RES (WWW, LANDING ON MOON) -CONTRACTS FOR COMPANIES (ACCELERATOR MAGNETS)

5. PARADOXICAL ISSUES (1) 1.THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SCIENCE INCREASES WHILE THE INTEREST OF THE YOUNG GENERATION DECREASES (knowledge paradox) 2.THE TIME NEEDED TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE INCREASES AND THE OBSOLESCENCE TIME OF IT DECREASES (time paradox) 3. GOOD RESEARCH IN EUROPE, BUT LOOSING GROUND IN COMPETITIVENESS (innovation paradox)

6. PARADOXICAL ISSUES (2) 4. THE ROLE OF R&D IN COMPETITIVENESS INCREASES, BUT THE DECISIONMAKERS ARE OFTEN TEMPTED TO FORGET ABOUT IT (competitiveness paradox) 5.THE SHARE OF GOVERNMENTS IN FINANCING R&D ACTIVITIES IS DECREASING BUT THE ROLE OF THE REMAINING CONTRIBUTION IS INCREASING (governance paradox) AND NOW ON EUROPEAN ISSUES:

7. EUROPEAN TRADITIONS MANY (100 YEAR, 30 YEAR, 1. AND 2 WORLD) WARS RENAISSANCE ENLIGHTENMENT GALILEI, KEPLER, NEWTON, MAXWELL,… INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION THE CRADLE OF MODERN SCIENCE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR GENERATION! SKILLS IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION! TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITY SYSTEM BOLOGNA (drives universities to be more managable) TRADITIONAL PUBLICATION CULTURE

8. WEAK POINTS OF EUROPEAN (BASIC) RESEARCH 1. WEAK COOPERATION ALONG STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 2. FRAGMENTED RESEARCH 3. LACK OF FINANCES FOR TRAINING, MOBILITY AND RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE 4. LACK OF SCIENTIFIC-TECHNOLOGICAL COHESION 5. LOW VOLUME OF EXCELLENT RESEARCH AND SMALL NUMBER OF EXCELLENT RESEARCH TEAMS 6. NEGLECT OF EU LEVEL ATTENTION ON BASIC RESEARCH . DIPLOMACY?

9. EUROPEAN PRESENCE ON THE GLOBAL PUBLICATION „MARKET” 1 3 2

10. R&D RECOGNIZED AS A KEY TO COMPE- TITIVENESS AND NEW (HIGH TECH.) JOBS INCREASED RESEARCH POTENTIAL NEEDED HUMAN CAPITAL (NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN EFFORTS) PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE (ESFRI!, e-IRG, RI-WG) STRONG (BASIC) RESEARCH BASE (G.W. Bush) ERC (excellence – competition on European level) HIGHER R&D SPENDING APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM IMPROVED ACADEMIA - INDUSTRY RELATIONS BETTER SCIENCE - SOCIETY RELATIONS MORE ATTENTION TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

11. WHAT HAPPENED AFTER LISBON? THE CONCEPT OF THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA BARCELONA (3%) GÖTEBORG (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT) THE CONCEPT OF TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS ERC ! [community efforts should not concentrate solely on competitiveness, but on the foundations of it, namely (basic, strategic) research] EIT? (changing concept, fine-tuning process) positive developments, but not at the end yet. BUDGET (>70Mrd  >54Mrd EURO)

12. WIDENING OF THE EUREAN KNOWLEDGE BASE (EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA) (1) - HARMONIZATION OF NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES - RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE IN (BASIC) RESEARCH (at present no financing on European level; ERC) - RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND CAREER PATH OF SCIENTISTS (700 000 scientist-engineer positions until 2010) - ATTRACTIVE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT - BETTER USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESEARCH POTENTIAL OF LESS DEVELOPED REGIONS (e.g. new member countries)

13. ERA (2) - BALANCED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE THE WEAKEST POINT IN CENTRAL EUROPE PRACTICALLY NO LARGE FACILITIES STRUCTURAL FUNDS! - MOBILITY. HUMAN RESOURCES MARIE CURIE SCHEME (BALANCED USE) TWO WAY STREET YOUNG SCIENTIST GRANTS - THE 3% ISSUE DEBATE ON ERA RELAUNCHED! THE GREEN PAPER.

14. ERA(3): to keep science on the top of the agenda (renewed efforts) • MOBILITY • WORLD CLASS RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE • EXCELLENT RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS (public-private cooperation) • EFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE SHARING • WELL COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMMES AND PRIORITIES • OPENING ERA TO THE WORLD

15. ABOUT EUROPEAN LEVEL COMPETITION: -ADDED VALUE: HIGHER QUALITY RESEARCH COOPERATION, NETWORKING: -CRITICAL MASS (INTELLECTUAL AND FINANTIAL) -LESS DUPLICATION, FRAGMENTATION SUPPORT OF EXCELLENCE: -GOOD FOR ALL BUT THE SAME APPLIES TO THE PROPER USE OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS!

16. FP6 MAIN INSTRUMENT OF ERA CONCENTRATING AND INTEGRATING EUROPEAN RESEARCH STRUCTURING ERA STRENGHTENING ITS FOUNDATIONS FP7 NEW APPROACH: THE BASIS! THE FOUR SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES! ERC; JTI RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES

17. RESEARCH POLICY OF THE EU: -TO SUPPORT EXCELLENT RESEARCH: FP7 AND OF COHESION POLICIES: -TO REDUCE GRADIENTS BETWEEN REGIONS: STRUCTURAL FUNDS SYNERGY (COMPLEMENTARITY) OF THEM: -TO MOBILIZE THE R&D POTENTIAL ON ALL LEVELS -TO IMPROVE RESEARCH CAPACITY THE RE-VITALIZATION OF ERA -MOBILITY, INFRASTRUCTURE, INSTITUTIONS, COORDINATION, INTERNATIONALIZATION, EXCELLENCE, COOPERATION IN COMPETITION, BETTER USE OF THE RESEARCH CAPACITY OF THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE UNION

18. BASIC PHILOSOPHY OF FP7 THE BASIS OF THE LISBON PRINCIPLES: KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE TRIANGLE: -RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY -EDUCATION AND TRAINING (IN RESEARCH TOO) -INNOVATION INCREASED EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH (FP7!) ERA;3%; LESS BUREAUCRACY BETTER USE OF EXISTING CAPACITIES MORE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC RESULTS (IN PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, SERVICES)

19. ON THE CONTENT (1) FOUR SPECIFIC PROGRAMNES: - COOPERATION (COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS; NETWORKS; COORDINATION; THIRD COUNTRIES) - IDEAS (; ALL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDS; INDIVIDUAL PERSONS OR GROUPS; ERC AS THE RUNNING ORGANIZATION! - PEOPLE: MARIE CURIE PROGRAMME (CAREER DEVELOPMENT; CONNECTION WITH THE NATIONAL SYSTEMS)

20. ON THE CONTENT (2) - CAPACITIES ( RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE; RESEARCH FOR SME-S; REGIONAL RESEARCH; SCIENCE AND SOCIETY) PRIORITY COOPERATION THEMES (9): HEALTH; FOOD; AGRICULTURE; BIOTECHNOLOGY; ICT; NANOSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; NEW MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES; ENERGY; ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATIC CHANGES); TRANSPORT AND AERONAUTICS; SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES; SECURITY AND SPACE RESEARCH.

21. ON RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (1) IT’S SIGNIFICANCE TO FACILITATE INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVENESS THE PUBLICATION „INDUSTRY” IS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE. OPEN ACCESS! THE ESFRI ROADMAP (35 FACILITIES)

22. ON RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (2) HIGHER FINANTIAL SHARE OF THE EU IN RI-S A STRONG E-INFRASTRUCTURE A STRONGER EU-COORDINATION AND SINGLE VOICE MORE HOMOGENEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF RI-S NETWORKING OF SMALLER RI-S A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS NUMEROUS ACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH GOVERNANCE AND OF LEGAL CHARACTER

23. ERC „SCIENCE IS TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE HAS SEEN BUT THINK WHAT NO ONE HAS THOUGHT” ALBERT SZENT-GYÖRGYI IDEAS! (Frontier research) GALILEI

24. IDEAS: CREATIVITY Ernő Rubik’s cube

25. ERC (1) ONE OF THE KEY INSTRUMENTS TO REALIZE THE ERA CONCEPT (ONE OF THE FOUR SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES OF FP7). THE NEED TO RE-THINK ERA EXPECTED BENEFITS - NEW KNOLEDGE, IDEAS, DISCOVERIES - HIGHER QUALITY BY EUROPEAN LEVEL COMPETITION - STRONGER EUROPEAN RESEARCH EFFORTS - DECREASING FRAGMENTATION - MINIMAL DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS AND RESOURCES - THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION MAY HAVE A BETTER VIEW OF RESEARCH IN EUROPE

26. ERC (2) HOW? TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN ALL AREAS OF SCIENCE COMPETITIVE FUNDING. SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF EXCELLENCE TO SUPPORT GROUP RESEARCH BUT INDIVIDUALS TOO (FIRST OF ALL YOUNG RESEARCHERS, HIGH RISK, INTERDISCIPLINARY) MINIMAL BUREAUCRACY. OPEN ON GLOBAL SCALE! EARLY STAGE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR SCHEME ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR GRANT SCHEME SPECIAL PARALLEL EUROPEAN PROGRAMMES FOR TRAINING AND MOBILITY (TO INCREASE THE QUALITY AND NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS IN EUROPE)

27. ERC (3) OWNERSHIP AND FUNDING: ERC CREATED BY THE UNION AND ITS HEADS OF STATES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE EC THROUGH ITS GOVERNING BODY AUTONOMOUS SCIENTIFIC DECISION MAKING BODY FUNDING MAINLY FROM THE EU BUDGET ( FP-S ARE THE ONLY POSSIBLE EU SOURCES) AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE POSSIBLE (E.G. TO OBTAIN FINANCES OR TO BUILD UP OTHER FORMS OF CO-OPERATION) ~7.5 BILLION EURO IN FP7 (~LINEAR INCREASE 300M-1.7B , 2007- 2013)

28. Strategic AimsOverview Boost European excellence in "Frontier Research" • by investing in the best researchers and ideas • through competition at European level • on the basis of scientific excellence as the sole criterion • raising incentives towards quality and aspirations of individual researchers • providing benchmarks and leverage towards broader (structural) improvements in European research

29. Why “Frontier Research”? Traditional terminology(“basic” / “applied” research “science” vs. “technology”) is no longer appropriate: • Research at the frontiers is characterised by an absence of disciplinary boundaries • New discoveries are often triggered by real world problems (and vice-versa) • Progress in understanding phenomena and techniques for investigation go hand in hand

30. ERC(4):The Scientific CouncilMembers & Role 22 most respected researchers reflecting the full scope of European research and scholarship • proposed by an independentidentification committee • appointed by the Commission(for 4 years, renewable once) Role: • Establishes overall scientific strategyestablishes annual work programmes (incl. calls for proposals, evaluation criteria); defines peer review methodology; ensures selection and accreditation of experts • Controls quality of operations and management • Ensures communication with the scientific community. Open access!

31. 1st Call ERC Starting GrantMassive response * Indicative budget established by ScC (Work programme 2007)

32. 1st Call ERC Starting Grant Geographical distribution of applications

33. ERC Starting Grant: Statistics Some preliminary statistics are available: • Average requested grant size: 1 M€ • Female/male applicants: 30/70% • Mostly from single institutions: • Broad distribution of time for PI after PhD:

34. STARTING GRANT PANEL STRUCTURE • Physical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Universe and Earth Sciences (8 panels) Panel PE1 - Mathematical foundations Panel PE2 - Fundamental constituents of matter Panel PE3 - Condensed matter in physics and chemistry Panel PE4 - Material and chemical sciences Panel PE5 - Information and communication Panel PE6 - Engineering sciences Panel PE7 - Universe science Panel PE8 - Earth system science • Biological and Life Sciences (7 panels) Panel LS1 - Molecular, cellular and developmental biology Panel LS2 - Genetics, genomics, bioinformatics and systems biology Panel LS3 - Organismic physiology, including infection and immunity Panel LS4 - Neurosciences Panel LS5 - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology Panel LS6 - Medical and health science research Panel LS7 - Applied life sciences, biotechnology and bioengineering • Social and Human Sciences (5 panels) Panel SH1 - Individuals and organisations Panel SH2 - Institutions, behaviour, values and beliefs Panel SH3 - The human mind and its complexity Panel SH4 - Cultures and cultural diversity Panel SH5 - The study of the past and of cultural artefacts

35. Nationality Number of proposals by gender and nationality 32 countries

36. ERC Advanced Grant (ERC Advanced Investigator Researcher Grant) • Designed to support excellent investigator-initiated research projects by established independent research leaders • Targeting researchers who have already established their independence as team leaders and are exceptional leaders in terms of significance of their research achievements (in the last 10 years) • Natural sci.:997; Life sci:766; Soc. sci.+humanities:403 up to 5 years, up to € 2,5 million per grant ~3000 Starting Grants over 7 years of FP7 (2007-2013)

37. ERC(5) MISSION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COUNCILOF ERC (more than money distributor): DECIDE ON SCIENTIFIC STRATEGY MONITOR AND CONTROL QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE ESTABLISH A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY (INCL. TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY MULTDISCIPLINARITY, SUPPORT OF HIGH RISK RESEARCH

38. EXPECTED BENEFITS FOR EUROPE FROM THE ERC ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING THE BEST TALENTS SUPPORT THE BEST IDEAS IN FRONTIER RESEARCH STATUS AND VISIBILITY OF RESEARCH LEADERS DYNAMIC STRUCTURAL EFFECTS ON THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH SYSTEM. COOPERATION IN COMPETITION MAY NORTURE EUROPEAN SCIENCE BASED INDUSTRY INVEST QUICKLY INTO THE KNOWLEDGE BASE PARALLEL NEED TO INVEST INTO THE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (ROADMAP) and COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS (ERA-NET) SYNERGY WITH THE OTHER PARTS OF FP7

39. MY VISION ON EUROPEAN SCIENCE CHANCE TO SHAPE, STRUCTURE AND BETTER FUND SCIENCE IN EUROPE (on all -EU, national and regional- levels) -structures and institutions evolve rapidly, -the activity of the newly founded ERC (historical sign.), -the re-launching of the ERA concept (Green Paper) -there is a chance to re-visit the EU budget for R&D and the treaty, -the renewed activity to stimulate the better use of the Structural Funds for R&D. BY PROPERLY ADDRESSING WEAKNESSES AND EXPLORING STRENGTHS. SUPPORT THE BEST!

40. TO CONCLUDE EUROPE HAS TO SPEED UP IT’S EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE KNOWLEDGE BASE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE ON GLOBAL SCALE, THE CHANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IS THERE, AN IMPROVED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONE OF THE PRECONDITIONS, HUMAN POTENTIAL THE OTHER (ERC!) FAST DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS (OPEN ACCESS!). JTI! THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, THIS CAN BE DONE IF THE NEW INSTRUMENTS (TP-s, ERC) ARE OPTIMALLY EXPLORED AND THE IDEAS FORMULATED WITHIN ERA ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

41. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES