Excellent Science

Excellent Science is the first priority of Horizon 2020. The aim of this priority is to raise the level of excellence in Europe's science base by supporting the best ideas, developing talent within Europe, providing researchers with access to priority infrastructure and to make Europe an attractive location for the world's best researchers.

This Priority includes four strands; the European Research Council (ERC); Future and Emerging Technologies (FET), Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA - Formally Marie Curie action); and Research Infrastructures (including e-infrastructure). The proposed funding for this Priority is around €22 billion between 2014 - 2020:

European Research Council (ERC) - Frontier research by the best individual teams	€13,095M
Future and Emerging Technologies - Collaborative research to open new fields of innovation	€2,696M
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) - Opportunities for training and career development	€6,162M
Research Infrastructures (including e-infrastructure) - Access to world-class facilities (see below)	€2,488M

Research Infrastructures

Activities funded within this area of Excellent Science foster the innovation potential of research infrastructures, for example by reinforcing partnerships with industry, transfer of knowledge and other dissemination activities, use of research infrastructures by industrial researchers, and involvement of industrial associations in consortia or in advisory bodies. UKRO have produced a fact sheet on Research Infrastructures which can be found here.

The calls for Research Infrastructures have now been published, including 'e-Infrastructures', 'Support for Innovation, human resources, policy and international cooperation', and 'Integrating and opening research infrastructures of European interest'. the call pages and deadlines for all these topics can be found here.

If you would like to know more about any of the schemes under the Excellent Science Priority please contact the EU Team within RED: Tom Bowker, Helen Jordan or Tiernan Williams.

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