News archive - Commission selects first ERA Chairs ever

For the first time ever the European Commission has selected European universities and research institutions to receive a so-called ERA Chair. The ERA Chairs pilot call was published under the 2013 “Capacities” Work Programme in the 7th Framework Programme.

This particular action supports institutions in less developed regions by offering a financial contribution to the appointment of an excellent scientist and his team as well as their research costs. In turn, the participating institution has to provide the required infrastructures by, inter alia, integrating its country’s own Smart Specialisation Strategy and the European Structural and Investment Funds. In order to receive funding, the institution also has to commit itself to implementing the principles laid down in the communication on the European Research Area when appointing personnel for the ERA Chair.

ERA Chairs are to sustainably strengthen the respective centre of research and thereby diminish regional disparities in development within the European Union. The European Commission provides up to EUR 2.4 million worth of funding per ERA Chair.  The newly created positions have to be published.

The following institutions will receive funding within the ERA Chairs pilot call:

  • Belgium: Université de Mons, Energy efficiency in Cities
  • Croatia: University of Zagreb -Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Molecular Veterinary Medicine
  • Czech Republic: Masarykova univerzita, Life Sciences
  • Estonia: Tallinna Tehnikaulikool, Chemistry and Biomass Treatment
  • Poland: Instytut Genetyki Roslin Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Plant Biology
  • Portugal: MITI – Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute Associacao, Human Computer Interactions
  • Serbia: Institut Za Nuklearne Nauke Vinca, Nanotechnology
  • Slovakia: Zilinska Univerzita v Ziline, Transport Systems and Communication Technologies
  • Slovenia: Institut Jozef Stefan, Food Analysis through Radioactive Isotopes
  • Spain: Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Aquaculture
  • United Kingdom: Falmouth University, Digital Games Design

On 11 December 2013, a call for further ERA Chairs with an allocated budget of about EUR 34 million was launched within the scope of “Spreading excellence and widening participation” of Horizon 2020. The application deadline is 15 October 2014.
Regions from the following countries are eligible for funding: Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus.

Information on ERA-Chairs from the European Commission

Call for ERA-Chairs in Horizon 2020

Country
Germany
Geographical focus
  • General/no specific focus
Scientifc field / Thematic focus
  • General

Entry created by Philipp Brugner on March 7, 2014
Modified on March 7, 2014