About this Course

If you are a researcher who wants to apply for ERC funding, and you think you would benefit from a step-by-step guide through the application and selection processes, and information on how to write a successful ERC proposal, as well as insight into a successful ERC application, this course is for you.

The main idea behind this course is to give every researcher access to information and tips and tricks on how to write a successful ERC proposal, with the hope that in the future, the number of ERC funded projects in countries like Croatia (often referred to as EU13 countries) will increase manyfold.

What you Will Learn and Gain Access to

In this course you will learn:

• what kind of ERC funding possibilities exist,
• how the application process works,
• what happens behind the scenes once your proposal is submitted, and
• what it takes to write a successful ERC proposal.

You will gain access to:

• over two hours of video lectures,
• all future updates of this e-course, and all new video lectures included,
• the B1 part of my ERC Starting Grant proposal "CoSMass",
• the B2 part of my ERC Starting Grant proposal "CoSMass",
• my "CoSMass" interview presentation before the ERC panel in Brussels (given on April 9, 2013),
• a full list of useful resources that will aid you through the application process,
• a dedicated "Questions and Answers" module, and
• a 45 minute one-on-one online session with me.

You can take a detailed look at the course content below, and view the sample modules to get a deeper insight in the course.

About me: Vernesa Smolčić

I am a full professor at the Faculty of Science University of Zagreb in Croatia, and I am the first holder of an ERC Starting Grant project ("CoSMass", 2014-2019) fully implemented in Croatia. Prior to returning to Croatia in 2013, I have conducted my research at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (Heidelberg, Germany, PhD), Caltech in the United States (1st postdoc), and the European Southern Observatory in Germany (2nd postdoc), and various institutes in Australia (visiting fellowships).

During my career, I have been awarded over 1.7 million € in grants for my independent research, and I have served in many committees deciding about financing and telescope time allocation to researchers.

Since my return to Croatia in 2013, through the large EU projects I was conducting there (Career Integration Grant and ERC Starting Grant), I have become very aware of the specific difficulties scientists in Croatia, and similar countries, referred to as EU13 countries, encounter in respect of applications for large EU based grants, as well as conducting such projects in their respective countries. With this course I intend to make the application process easier for all such researchers whose dream is to have an ERC project of their own.

I am happy to share my experience with you through this course, and in every step of your application process for ERC funding.