Netherlands in top European research elite
The European Research Council (ERC) has met in the Dutch city of Utrecht for the first time. The ERC met earlier this week in the city at the invitation of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, with the gathering hosted by the Utrecht University. The meeting centered on the progress made for the preparations for Horizon 2020.
Attending the event as a special guest was Sander Dekker, Dutch State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science, alongside ERC President Professor Helga Nowotny, the members of the Scientific Council of the ERC and Robert-Jan Smits, Director-General of DG Research and Innovation in the European Commission.
Following the meeting, Smits said: “In the seven years since the creation of the ERC, nearly 4,000 top researchers throughout Europe have developed their best funded innovative ideas and shifted the boundaries of our knowledge. This will continue. The European Commission has proposed to significantly increase the ERC budget within Horizon 2020 to around €13bn. The ERC will continue to support the excellent fundamental research which is of particular importance for the growth of our economy. The Netherlands does very well at the highest level in Europe, a compliment to the quality of the Dutch researchers, their creativity and openness.”
Of the nearly 4,000 ERC laureates across Europe, 330 are active in Netherlands. The Netherlands has benefitted from almost €600m in ERC-grants, and is fourth place in total funding received after the UK, Germany and France.
