Biggest budget to date will see synergy and proof of concept grants return, with the first calls opening this week. Pandemic-related disruption of research will be taken into account when deciding the winners

After a year of uncertainty, Maria Leptin is set to lead the European Research Council from October. The new president has dedicated her career to basic research in molecular biology and has a long track record in science administration

A Dutch study of some 2014 European Research Council grantees claims to find ‘bias’ in their selection. But the agency disputes that, and an academic debate ensues

Details of the terms on which Israel, UK and Switzerland can join quantum and space projects are now public. But it’s not a done deal for the Commission which says negotiations are ‘ongoing’

European Innovation Council Pathfinder call extended by a week due to technical issues – and it’s not the first case of IT glitches blocking submission of research proposals this year

Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, president of Europe’s top science agency, discusses the challenges facing Europe’s top science agency in the aftermath of an EU budget that was less ambitious than hoped for

European Research Council is awarding €507M to 209 leading researchers. Despite Brexit, almost a quarter of the awardees are based in the UK - and more than half the awards go to just four countries

This is the first call from the European Research Council under the new Horizon Europe research programme

Leaked draft indicates there will be no open calls for synergy and proof of concept grants this year. About 980 projects will be funded, down from 1,213 in 2020

Researchers based in the UK secure the largest number of grants as the EU’s basic research funding body hands out €8.25 million for proof-of-concept projects