ERC Horizons: daring on the frontiers of research

[Article] - Published on April 30, 2025 in Major programs, International partnerships, Research clusters, Emblematic projects, Technology transfer

Between 2014 and 2021, mathematician Jean-Pierre Bourguignon will head the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) for seven years, including one interim term. On March 31, he took part in the "Horizons ERC à Montpellier : les rencontres de la recherche européenne" event , organized by the University of Montpellier in partnership with CNRS, INSERM and IRD. On this occasion, he shared his experience and questions about the schemes coordinated and funded by the European institution to support bold, exploratory research. He is convinced that more of our researchers need to apply and overcome their doubts at all costs!

Can we say that ERC contracts are intended to fund scientific projects "at the frontier of knowledge"?

We're talking about "exploratory" research projects, which means that the subject of your project is not yet very well established, and above all that you're going to take risks. Because if you explore, you're not sure you'll be able to go all the way with your idea. On the other hand, you're convinced that there's great potential here, that you've got an idea that nobody has thought about in depth before. You want the members of the panel who will evaluate your project to say to themselves when they read it: "That 's a really new idea that I wish I'd thought of myself!

For a researcher, it's not always easy to know whether his or her idea is a good one...

That's why I advise you to test your project with other people, not just your immediate circle, before submitting it. That's how you'll know whether what you think is a good idea really is. On the other hand, if someone tells you "you're dreaming", don't be discouraged. Especially if, at the same time, others tell you "that's great! In that case, don't hesitate to go for it!

Let's not forget one important quality: the ability to overcome failure!

It's very important not to get discouraged if you don't make the cut on your first attempt. On the contrary, study all the reports produced by panel members on your project, from 6 to 11 on average if the project has been selected for an audition. When you read a report, you sometimes disagree with the rapporteur and feel that the criticism is unjustified. Beware: even if you know exactly what you want to talk about, panel members may read something other than what you had in mind. This underlines the importance of having different people read your project beforehand. The purpose of proofreading is not only to improve the quality of what you write, but also to remove ambiguities that may ultimately be penalizing. 

Boldness is essential?

It is really encouraged. As we've heard from ERC laureates, many similar projects submitted to a national agency have been rejected because the project was considered too risky. But when submitted to the ERC, it worked the first time! We see this not only in France, but also in many other countries: ambitious, breakthrough projects tend to be less well accepted and less supported than more routine, reassuring projects. The scientific community has a strong tendency to be conservative and not to value risk-taking. This is a fact. So it's vital that there's a program at European level that doesn't have this negative bias towards risk.

Do you think our researchers should be encouraged to apply more often?

France has a massive shortage of applications. If we don't have enough winning ERC projects in France, it's because the researchers who work there don't submit enough applications... We really need to get to grips with this long-standing problem. And it's getting worse! Given the level of support for research in France, which has stagnated at 2.2% of GDP, getting more money from the European budget is essential to better fund research in our country. When I speak on the subject, I don't talk much about the Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals won by ERC laureates. I prefer to highlight the 10,000 or so researchers who have set up a research team thanks to the ERC. As France is one of the largest European countries, at least in terms of size, we should be able to count a significant number of projects submitted, in relation to the 18% of the European budget that France pays. However, the percentage of applications from French institutions is only 12%, a figure barely corrected by a success rate slightly higher than the European average.

But there is no age, no field, no subject: anything is possible!

Absolutely. In fact, we observe that the shortage of applications in France is greatest in the humanities and social sciences. Listening to the testimonies of our laureates, we can easily see how the ERC's support has a positive, and often radically positive, impact on their careers. Not only does it enable them to bring an ambitious project to fruition, it also generates a much higher level of international visibility and attractiveness. With an ERC contract, you can attract higher-level collaborations than for a conventional project, which means that the work you're going to do collectively is going to be much better. 

Getting an ERC contract also helps you develop your network?

Researchers have told me that presenting their project in front of other colleagues has opened the door to new collaborations. Whether at the Université de Montpellier or in other communities, it's very useful for people who don't know each other to get together to talk about science. Fostering the development of a community of ERC laureates can promote interdisciplinarity by sharing, among themselves and more widely, the lessons they personally learn, and enable them to take full advantage of this extraordinary diversity.

You also mentioned a large number of interdisciplinary projects.

Monique Smaihi, Head of Call Coordination at the ERC Executive Agency, spoke about the anonymous evaluation carried out by the ERC to measure the impact of the projects it funds. It is carried out each year on 250 projects drawn at random two years after their conclusion. We discovered that interdisciplinary projects very often had a greater scientific and economic impact than others. It was a real surprise! And all the more reason to encourage interdisciplinarity. 

Do you have any advice for project leaders? 

An ERC project needs to be matured; I don't think it's something you can do on the corner of a table in an evening, or even a week. I know that the University of Montpellier has set up support procedures, which is very good, because you absolutely mustn't censor yourself. It's also very important to be aware that ERC calls allow for many different formats. Before writing your project, I encourage you to read several projects, whatever the discipline, as the ERC puts a presentation of all the projects supported online. You'll see the extraordinary diversity. One last thing: I've often heard young researchers say "I don't have the level"... What counts is your project! You're not assessed on your CV, but on your ability to propose a bold project with a precise plan for developing it. It's worth taking the risk. So if you've got a good idea, go for it!

Key words : Research, University