European Commission calls for nominations to the ERC Scientific Council

Today, the European Commission is inviting the European research community to nominate outstanding candidates for membership to the Scientific Council, the governing body of the European Research Council (ERC).

Members of the Scientific Council are appointed by the Commission based on recommendations from the independent Standing Identification Committee, which has the mandate to select the candidates. With nearly a quarter of the current council members due to be replaced in the next 12 months, this is a crucial moment for institutions to recommend top-tier candidates from diverse scientific fields to continue fostering Europe's research, competitiveness and sustainability goals.

Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, said:

"The ERC's strength lies in the independence of its Scientific Council, which has long set the course for excellence, transparency, and bold scientific leadership. Now, we invite the scientific community to nominate extraordinary researchers who will take up the challenge, uphold our commitment to scientific excellence and innovation, shape our strategy, and drive discoveries that will leave a lasting mark on Europe's future."

Background

The Scientific Council, the independent governing body of the ERC, defines the ERC's scientific funding strategy and methodologies. It is composed of 22 members, all eminent scientists and scholars, who represent the scientific community in Europe.

The ERC Standing Identification Committee consists of six highly respected personalities in European research.

The mandate of the Identification Committee is twofold: to identify members for the renewal of the ERC Scientific Council membership and to maintain a pool of candidates for future membership in the Scientific Council.

Practical information

• This call for nominations is addressed to European research organisations seeking to nominate potential candidates. The selection process is detailed in a "statement of methodology" uploaded to the "nomination form".
• This process requires a two-step approach including a call for nominations followed by a candidate application process.
• Nominating organisations must complete the online "nomination form" and submit it within the deadline. All mandatory fields must be duly completed.
• It is important to confirm that the candidate has agreed to be nominated before filling out the mandatory fields.
• Each candidate proposed by nominating organisations will require a separate "nomination form".
• Members of the Scientific Council are appointed for a four-year term of office, renewable once.
• The Commission will approach eligible candidates, nominated in the current call for nominations, and request submission of more detailed applications in a separate stage.
• The Independent Identification Committee will evaluate all submitted applications and create a pool of candidates from which it will recommend candidates for membership of the ERC Scientific Council.

Nomination form

(deadline for submission is 23 June 2025 at 12:00 CET).

Self-nominations and nominations submitted after the deadline will be deemed ineligible.

Press contact:

EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation