°×С½ãÂÛ̳

In another significant funding success, °×С½ãÂÛ̳ researchers have recently been awarded nine highly prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants, totalling around €15 million and placing the university as the second-placed higher education institution in Europe for number of grant awards under this scheme.

°×С½ãÂÛ̳ has also been awarded 27 Marie Curie International Fellowships, worth around €6 million.

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever, with €79 billion of funding available over seven years (2014 to 2020).Ìý °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s success rates in applying for funding have averaged three times - and in some places six times - the EU average.Ìý Independent analysis shows UK universities leading the way in terms of securing funding, with °×С½ãÂÛ̳ in top position. Other universities identified as Horizon 2020 'champions' include Cambridge, Imperial College London and Oxford.

°×С½ãÂÛ̳ has been awarded 10 grants, and is coordinating 5, from the most recent Horizon 2020 round "Personalising Health and Care". °×С½ãÂÛ̳ performed exceptionally well in Health funded research - winning 5 of the 13 grants awarded to the UK and 50% of the coordinated grants awarded to Europe in rare diseases.

Coordinating grants were awarded to:

• Professor Xavier Golay (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Institute of Neurology)
• Professor Bobby Gaspar (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Institute of Child Health)
• Professor Paolo De Coppi (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Institute of Child Health)
• Dr Sara Mole (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology)
• Professor Daniel Alexander (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Computer Science)

ERC Consolidator Grants

ERC Consolidator Grants are awarded annually to researchers who are developing or seeking to strengthen new independent research teams or programmes.

Three of °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s nine grants were awarded to researchers in °×С½ãÂÛ̳ Economics, representing 25% of the total number of these grants awarded to economics researchers across Europe.

Grants were awarded to:

• Professor Vasiliki Skreta (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Economics)
• Professor Pedro Carneiro (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Economics)
• Professor Raffaella Giacomini (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Economics)
• Professor Sofia Olhede (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Statistical Science)
• Dr Stephen Hogan (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Physics & Astronomy) Ìý Ìý Ìý
• Professor Jochen Blumberger (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Physics & Astronomy)
• Dr Philip Pogge Von Strandmann (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Earth Sciences)
• Professor Judith Mank (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Genetics, Evolution & Environment)
• Professor Carey Jewitt (°×С½ãÂÛ̳ Institute of Education)

Commenting on the recent successes, Michael Browne, Head of European Research & InnovationÌý(°×С½ãÂÛ̳ European Research & Innovation Office), said: "Having specialist research and innovation support services in place to complement °×С½ãÂÛ̳'s excellent research base has been key to recent successes. EU-funded research is more competitive than ever (success rates are around 10%), so it's essential to understand the ingredients needed for success and to have the infrastructure in place to enable excellent researchers to succeed in what is a highly competitive and prestigious environment."

Professor David Price, Vice-Provost (Research), commented: "I am delighted by the successes colleagues have achieved in these calls. Engagement in EU-funded research spans all faculties, demonstrating excellence and breadth across our research base. Our collaborative ethos means we are exceptionally well-placed to be a partner and coordinator in these initiatives and our scale means we are able to have a specialist team to support applications, resulting in both a better experience for our applicants and a competitive advantage.

"This achievement is a reminder of how critical it is for the UK to remain engaged with the EU, through which funding is distributed on the basis of research excellence. This allows leading UK universities to attract substantial resources and the most promising international researchers, as well as furthering our international collaborations and outlook."

Links

• °×С½ãÂÛ̳ European Research & Innovation Office (ERIO)