The ERC was the first pan-European organisation dedicated to funding original and ambitious academic research. Since then, over €12 billion in research grants has been allocated to more than 6,500 projects to encourage research at the frontier of knowledge and also to boost the careers of excellent researchers.

ERC operates according to a 'curiosity-driven', or 'bottom-up', approach, allowing researchers to identify new opportunities in any field of research. Accordingly, the portfolio of ERC-funded projects spans a wide range of topics and questions across science, technology and the humanities.

It also can allow for external experts to be brought into universities, enhancing the research environment and encouragnig an international approach to research.

To acknowledge the importance of ERC, Queen’s is showcasing the work of Dr Ian Campbell, Professor Cathy Craig, Professor Stephen Smartt and Professor Caroline Malone  - four of the University's PIs (Principal Investigators) who are in receipt of significant ERC grants.

Find out more about ERC and Queen's groundbreaking research funded by it.