The working relationship with the European Research Council’s star appointment was difficult from the off, but few imagined it would unravel so quickly

The Scientific Council of the ERC, the European Commission and Horizon Europe rapporteur Christian Ehler react to Mauro Ferrari's resignation letter published by the Financial Times on Tuesday.

Mauro Ferrari quits after just three months at helm of EU research agency, citing “uncoordinated” COVID-19 response. But MEP Ehler denounces the move as ‘window-dressing’

Mauro Ferrari says scientists should get rid of ‘disciplinary goggles’ and combine expertise to create new fields of scientific research

Researchers will get funding to look into business opportunities, patent discoveries or build prototypes

Changes are part of plans for a smooth transition to the next EU research programme

Institutions in Germany, UK, France and the Netherlands will host more than half of the winners of €2 million consolidator grants for mid-career academics

Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, president of the European Research Council who became a forceful advocate for science in Brussels, tells researchers to stay scrappy. ‘There are more battles to fight,’ he says  

Winners in the European Research Council’s latest round of synergy grants describe the hurdles they faced and what it takes for researchers in central and eastern Europe to win these prestigious awards