ERC grantees visits represent superior quality of research exchange at world renowned researchers and in state-of-the art scientific environments.

European Research Council (ERC) announced on September 1st 2016 the launch of the “ERC Fellowship to Visit ERC Grantee”. ERC in its press release announced that five countries (Slovenia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland) and the the Belgian region of Flanders were the first to respond to the ERC’s initiative from January this year. More countries are expected to join.

ARRS has immediately after the visit of the President of the ERC Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignonin Slovenia in June started preparation of the national mechanism in co-operation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (MIZŠ). The national ARRS-ERC Fellowship call is expected to be published in November 2016. ARRS will in co-operation with MIZŠ provide for 240.000 euros.

About the ERC Fellowship:

ERC Fellowship allows for three- to six-months ERC grantees visits. National calls will be implemented by national research funding agencies and will provide funding covering ERC grantees visits. ERC has informed some 2800 of its grantees about a call for expression of interest regarding the new fellowship programmes, encouraging them to host visitors.

ERC Fellowship is the initiative put forward by the ERC Scientific Council's Working Group on Widening European Participation. The Working Group aims to contribute to an inclusive European culture of competitiveness in science by way of strengthening the participation of researchers in ERC calls from Europe less research-performing regions.

Objective of the ERC Fellowship:

The main objective of visiting fellowship programme is cooperation between potential ERC candidate (Visiting researcher) and one of the ERC grantees abroad (Host researcher) who currently undertake research project funded by the ERC. These visits should last for a minimum of three months and up to six months. The ultimate objective of this programme is that within specified time of the visit's conclusion, Visiting researcher has to apply for one of the three types of ERC grants (Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced grant).

National Call ARRS – ERC Fellowship:

Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) has adopted the specific programme (ARRS-ERC Fellowship) setting out in greater detail the objectives, priorities, and the timetable for implementation of this programme.

The national call is expected to be published in November 2016. The budget earmarked for visits in 2017 stands at 240.000 euros, enabling approximately 20 visits to be funded.