The European Research Council and the academic profession: insights from studying starting grant holders

Abstract

Abstract The ERC grant system has had a significant impact on the academic profession in Europe, by enforcing norms about what constitutes a promising research career, increasing the autonomy of individual top scholars and facilitating competition between universities. Winning an ERC starting grant has a considerable effect on individual career prospects. A grant significantly increases the likelihood of promotion, and the effect seems to be robust to a potential “selection bias” or individual research performance. While the grant increases the negotiation position of the grant winner, moving to another university is rare. Increased visibility and prestige within the university seem to contribute to career progress.