Researchers based in the US have seen a significant jump in representation among this year’s European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grant recipients, with the number of successful projects involving US-based grantees almost doubling from 12 in 2024 to 21 in the latest call.

The rise comes as the European Union seeks to recruit scientists fleeing the Trump administration’s attacks on research and higher education through the “Choose Europe for Science” initiative. Earlier this year, the for relocating scientists to set up a European laboratory from €1 million (£880,000) to €2 million.

ERC Synergy Grants are designed to “foster collaboration between outstanding researchers”, offering teams of two to four academics up to €10 million over six years to “combine their expertise, knowledge and resources to push the boundaries of scientific discovery”.

One principal investigator per team may be based outside of the EU or the countries associated to the Horizon Europe framework programme. while teams may hire researchers based anywhere in the world.

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This year, the ERC selected 66 research teams, comprising 239 scientists, to receive funding totalling €684 million. The successful projects will be hosted across 26 countries. Germany, as in 2024, tops the list, with 28 projects involving German-based grantees, while the UK places second with 24, and the US and France are tied in third with 21.

“Twenty-eight of the 66 newly selected teams include a researcher based outside Europe, mainly in the United States, but also Canada, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa and Singapore. Europe’s frontier research has never been so international,” said EU research commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva in a statement.

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“This global collaboration strengthens European science, gives our researchers access to world-class expertise and infrastructure, and brings leading scientists from around the world closer to Europe.”

In a press release, the ERC noted that “six projects will include principal investigators in countries that have so far hosted relatively few ERC grants”, listing Czechia with three, Portugal with two and Cyprus, Estonia and Hungary all with one. Two fifths of projects have principal investigators from outside the EU or countries associated to Horizon Europe.

The proportion of women among the successful projects has dropped slightly, from an all-time high of 32 per cent in 2024 to 25 per cent this year. Fewer than 10 per cent of applications were successful, with the number of proposals rising by almost 30 per cent from 548 to 712.

“The competition was fierce, with many outstanding proposals left unfunded,” said ERC president Maria Leptin. “With more funds, the ERC could fully capitalise on this wealth of first-class science. Such scientific endeavours are what Europe needs to be at the real forefront.”

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emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com