ERC Proposal Development Initiative (ERC-2025-CoG)

Overview

The ERC Proposal Development Series is for ERC applicants intending to apply with Warwick as the host institution to provide them with bespoke and individual support with their application to the ERC 2025 Consolidator Grant call (ERC-2025-CoG)Link opens in a new window.

The Series aims to increase attendees’ knowledge of the ERC scheme guidance and evaluation criteria and to offer personalised proposal development support. The overall aim of the initiative is to increase the number of ERC proposals and enhance their quality, leading to more successful ERC proposals at Warwick.

As a pilot, the initiative is focusing exclusively on the ERC Consolidator Grant scheme (ERC-2025-CoG), with deadline 14 Jan 2025.

Format

The ERC Proposal Development Series will consist of three Sessions all delivered online (Teams), with an optional Session 4:

Overview of the ERC COG (Webinar Recording followed by Q&A session)
Pitch your proposal idea
Feedback on proposals

If applicable/ only for candidates invited to interview:

4. Interview preparation

Attendance at session 1 (i.e. having at least viewed the webinar recording) is mandatory to be eligible for Session 2 (Pitch your proposal idea). It is also expected that attendees complete Session 2 before progressing to Session 3 (Feedback on Proposals).

Two iterations of the same session will be run on different days. For sessions 2 and 3, 2 cohorts apply (max 5 attendees/ cohort). Attendees are encouraged to stick with the dates for their cohort wherever possible (see 'Session schedule').

Attendees

The Series can support a maximum of 10 attendees for the ERC-2025-CoG call, to be split into two cohorts, at 5 attendees/ cohort.

Attendee eligibility:

Be committed to apply to the ERC-2025-CoG scheme, with deadline 14 Jan 2025, University of Warwick as host institution.
- Check the call guidance to ensure you are eligible.
Commits to meet the preparation requirements by the deadlines/ dates of the webinars and is available to attend all the sessions for at least one of the cohorts (see 'Session schedule' below).
Willing to share their proposal draft with up to 5 individuals in their cohort and to give and receive feedback on presentations and proposal drafts.

Selection is on a first-come-first-served basis. If you meet the above requirements, complete the sign-up formLink opens in a new window to join (deadline to register interest: Fri 18 Oct, 2pm). Preference will be given to candidates who have not applied to the ERC CoG call before.

Please note that the first session- comprised of a webinar recording and Q&A session on the ERC Consolidator Grant call- has no attendance restrictions, so if you want to join please complete the sign-up form. However, please only register your interestLink opens in a new window for the entire Series (i.e. additionally, Sessions 2 and 3) if you are committed to applying to the ERC-2025-CoG call due to a limited number of places being available. Deadline to sign up: Fri 18 Oct, 2pm (no late registrations accepted).

Session content

1. Overview of the ERC COG (Webinar Recording and Q&A session)

Eligibility criteria and extensions of the eligibility window
PI Profile
The ERC Research Project: Novel, ambitious, non-incremental
The ERC Budget
The online submission system & online forms
ERC evaluation criteria
The evaluation process and review panels

The above content will be included in a recording, which will be made available to attendees two weeks before the Q&A session. Attendees are expected to have watched the recording prior to attending the Q&A session. The Q&A session will then provide an opportunity to ask questions on the ERC COG more generally and to clarify any information presented in the recording.

The webinar recording will be up to 1h 30 min, and the Q&A session will be up to 30 min. Up to two Q&A sessions will be run. The recording and Q&A session can also be made available more widely to other Warwick attendees not participating in the Series.

2. Pitch your proposal idea

Introduce your proposal idea to peers and get feedback.

With the option to use up to 5 slides. Up to 5 presentations, 3 min/presentation, 7 min feedback/ presentation. Total time: 1h to 1h30/session.

Session to also be attended by ‘reviewers’ in the same/ similar area of expertise to give feedback on the pitch. To make this possible, each attendee is to invite or nominate (for R&IS to invite) an expert in their area that can attend Session 2 and 3 and give feedback on the pitch and proposal, respectively. The expert can be either from Warwick or external.

Where attendees do not invite or nominate an expert in their area for Sessions 2 and 3, they will be paired with another attendee from the same Faculty/ similar area of expertise to make giving feedback on the science and its novelty more feasible.

3. Feedback on proposals

Obtain feedback on the draft proposals
Draft proposals to be made available to the group and the respective invited reviewer at least one week before the session.
Up to 5 proposals per session, 10 min feedback/ proposal. Total time: 1h to 1h30/session.

Sessions 2 and 3 will be limited to a maximum attendance number of five/ session. The five attendees should ideally be from departments in the same Faculty to ensure closeness of disciplinary areas for feedback purposes.

If applicable:

4. Interview preparation (likely over summer 2025):

Only for applicants invited to interview on an as-needed basis.
Overview of the interview process and requirements, best practice advice.
Mock panels including Warwick panellists and where possible, external panellists.

Session schedule

	Timeframe	Activity
Deadline	Friday 18 October 2pm	Deadline to register interest to join the Series
	w/c 21 October	Confirmation of selections & attendees receive welcome and info email on the Series
Only attend one date	Tues 22 Oct & Fri 25 Oct	Introduction to the Series (up to 30 min, online) - recording weblink to be provided
	w/c 28 Oct and w/c 4 Nov	Attendees watch the recording
Deadline	Friday 8 November	Deadline for attendees to invite/ nominate reviewers for Sessions 2 and 3
	w/c 11 Nov	Where reviewers are to be invited by R&IS, invites to be sent this week, with deadline to respond end of the week
Only attend one date	Tues 12 Nov & Fri 15 Nov	Q&A session on the recording (up to 30 min, online)- must have watched the recording in advance

Cohort 1- Session 2 and 3 dates:
	Tues 19 Nov	Session 2: Pitch your proposal idea (1h- 1h 30m)- up to 5 pitches; per pitch: 3 min to pitch, 7 min feedback
Deadline	Tuesday 3 December	Deadline to send Lelia your draft proposal (for distribution to the cohort/ your reviewer(s))
	Tues 10 Dec	Session 3: Feedback on proposals (1h- 1h 30m)- up to 5 proposals, 10 min feedback/proposal

Cohort 2- Session 2 and 3 dates:
	Fri 22 Nov	Session 2: Pitch your proposal idea (1h- 1h 30m)- up to 5 pitches; per pitch: 3 min to pitch, 7 min feedback
Deadline	Thursday 5 December	Deadline to send Lelia your draft proposal (for distribution to the cohort/ your reviewer(s))
	Thurs 12 Dec	Session 3: Feedback on proposals (1h- 1h 30m)- up to 5 proposals, 10 min feedback/proposal

	Dec 24- Jan 25	Not formally part of the Series, but attendees are expected to use the remainder of Dec and early Jan to finalise their proposal drafts, obtain additional feedback, finalise budgets and institutional approvals and complete the application form ready for submission.

Deadline	Tuesday 14 Jan 2025	Deadline to submit to ERC-2025-CoG: aim to submit a couple of days before the deadline