ERC News
ERC Scientific Council readjusts rules for reapplication
The ERC Scientific Council has listened to the concerns from members of the research community about the recent announcement on changes to the re-submission rules. The changes, intended to manage the surge in demand for ERC grants, pertain to calls for proposals in the 2027 ERC Work Programme.
The Scientific Council has decided to readjust some of the announced changes.
Read their response to the community.
ERC Magazine
Editorial – From curiosity to global responsibility
Science thrives when people, institutions and governments share ideas, data and resources across borders. Acting on this knowledge has become much more challenging in practice over the last few years, writes ERC President Maria Leptin.
Science diplomacy: From utopia to pragmatism
As multilateralism grows more fragile, countries are forced to find new ways of dealing with conflicts and shared global challenges. Science diplomacy, argues Sir Peter Gluckman, President of the International Science Council, is set to play an increasingly critical role.
Research diplomacy in action: The debate on a united Ireland
The renewed, post-Brexit, debate on possible referendums on a united Ireland offers a concrete example of research diplomacy in action. John Doyle, Vice President for Research at Dublin City University, shows how scientific evidence can inform one of Europe’s most sensitive constitutional questions.
Hashtags and handshakes: Diplomacy in the age of platforms
Diplomacy has absorbed digital platforms into its daily routines – but also faces new risks, power struggles and geopolitical fault lines. Political scientist Rebecca Adler-Nissen explores how diplomats and tech companies navigate this new world.
Who controls the science of the high seas?
The UN’s landmark treaty on high-sea biodiversity (BBNJ) was hailed as a breakthrough for marine conservation. For political scientist Alice Vadrot, it exposes how tightly science and diplomacy are intertwined – and how control over knowledge has become a negotiating tool.
Phosphorus, politics and water for a more resilient world
ERC Synergy Grant projects often confront the same challenges that preoccupy diplomats: fragile political orders, critical raw materials and infrastructures under climate and social stress. These projects show how scientific insights can inform policy debates.
A world of data in a few hands
Who owns and controls the world’s scientific data? Drawing on his ERC-funded project, historian Simone Turchetti explains why EU science diplomacy cannot ignore growing global data inequalities – and what is at stake if it does not.
ERC Events
6 May | Session on Frontier Science at UN STI Forum on SDGs
The Delegation of the EU to the UN in New York, the ERC and the International Science Council (ISC) are jointly organising a hybrid session on:
“Frontier Science for the SDGs”
This session takes place in the context of the UN Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology & Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Participants can register to follow the session online or in person.
ERC Calls
Proof of Concept Grants
Deadline: 17 September 2026
Source
European Research Council News Update – 29 April 2026
