CERCle actions (ERC Club)

The European Research Council (ERC) funds exploratory and high-risk research projects within the European Union. It is a “pure science” program dedicated to research at the frontiers of knowledge, where the sole selection criterion is scientific excellence.

On May 15, 2017, Aix-Marseille University and its partners—the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), and the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)—officially launched CERCle, the ERC Club, which was joined by École Centrale in 2018. Their goal is to promote a shared campus policy to support applications from faculty members and researchers to the European Research Council (ERC) program, a strong indicator of scientific excellence.

Objectives:

• Improve support for ERC candidates on campus, from identification through to the oral defense. Particular emphasis will be placed on researchers and faculty members in the humanities
• Ensure the coordination of CERCle—the ERC Club at the Aix-Marseille campus

Details:

• Preparation for the oral exam: engaging campus experts, panel members, PCN members, and external service providers. An oral exam preparation session will be organized on an as-needed basis if candidates are selected and express a need for it. Oral exams may be conducted remotely if bringing candidates to the site is too costly
• Support for the Humanities and Social Sciences : adaptation of the outsourced ERC training program, by mobilizing HSS grant recipients both on-site and off-site (ONR talent pool) and specialized service providers
• Training, events, promotion: strengthening existing support
• Organization of plenary sessions: continuing current practices, and where appropriate, strengthening communication efforts
• Communication: improving the visibility of the MER and site’s support offerings for external prospective ERC candidates by highlighting them on unit/laboratory websites

All events are conducted in english.

1. Info Sessions (Online – Registration Required)

Advanced Grants- Registration is now closed

📅 February 18th 2026 
🌍 Online
🔹 Overview of funding opportunities and key success factors
🎯 Target: Researchers who have defended their first PhD >15 years prior to call deadline
🔗 Registrations are closed

Starting Grants

📅 April 1st 2026 
🌍 Online
🔹 Overview of funding opportunities and key success factors
🎯 Target: Researchers between 0-10 years after their first PhD
🔗 Register here! 

Consolidator Grants

📅 September 7th 2026
🌍 Online
🔹 Overview of funding opportunities and key success factors
🎯 Target: Researchers between 5-15 years after their first PhD
🔗 Register here!

Synergy Grants

📅 Date to be determined
🌍 Online
🔹 Overview of funding opportunities and key success factors
🎯 Target: Researchers with a proposed research that cannot be carried out by a single PI working alone.
🔗 Registration link coming soon

2. Writing Workshops (In Person – Limited Spots)

Writing workshops are dedicated to researchers currently applying or wishing to apply to one of the research institutes in the Aix Marseille perimeter. Participants bring their own project proposals and ideas and learn to structure them in line with the ERC grant types. 

Requirements: to have a well drafted idea and proposal, to be engaged in an application process to an ERC upcoming call, to be eligible to that call, and to have sent the required written documents to the trainer a few weeks before the workshop (e.g., hypothesis, reply to some questions sent by the coach…). A selection of participants will take place a few weeks before the event, paying attention to achieve a reasonable balance among gender, topics, tutelles, other diversity aspects.

Advanced Grants - Registration is now closed

📅 April 7th 2026 
📍 Marseille, France
🔹 Hands-on guidance to refine your proposal
🎯 Target: Advanced-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Registrations are closed

Starting Grants

📅 June 1st 2026 
📍 Marseille, France
🔹 Hands-on guidance to refine your proposal
🎯 Target: Early-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Register here! (until May 17th)

Consolidator Grants

📅 October 16th 2026 
📍 Marseille, France
🔹 Hands-on guidance to refine your proposal
🎯 Target: Mid-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Register here! (until September 27th)

SHS focused workshop (Advanced and Starting Grants)

📅 June 1st 2026 
📍 Marseille, France
🔹 Hands-on guidance to refine your proposal
🎯 Target: Early and Mid-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Register here! (until May 17th)

Synergy Grants

📅 Date to be determined 
📍 Marseille, France
🔹 Hands-on guidance to refine your proposal
🎯 Target: Early and Mid-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Registration link coming soon

3. How to pick your panel: (Online – Registration Required)

Those workshops are open to prospective applicants for ERC calls and consist of a 1-hour online session. The “How to pick your panel” workshop is dedicated to questions about panel choice, ERC, free keywords, and finding funded ERC projects. It helps researchers strengthen their panel choice strategy and writing orientation. It is complementary to the writing workshop. 

Advanced Grants

📅 April 15th 2026 
🌍 Online
🔹 Panel analysis and guidance on choosing a strategic panel
🎯 Target: Advanced-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
 🔗 Register here!

Starting Grants

📅 June 10th 2026 
🌍 Online
🔹 Panel analysis and guidance on choosing a strategic panel
🎯 Target: Early-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Register here!

Consolidator Grants

📅 October 26th 2026 
🌍 Online
🔹 Panel analysis and guidance on choosing a strategic panel
🎯 Target: Mid-career researchers actively preparing a proposal
🔗 Register here!

4. ERC Masterclass (In Person – Limited Spots)

📅 Summer 2026 (To be confirmed)
📍 Marseille, France
🔹 Insights from ERC laureates, panel members & the former French ERC NCP coordinator, with exercises, round tables
🎯 Target: Researchers applying for the ERC grants
🔗 

Secure your spot now and boost your chances of success! 🚀

If you have any questions, contact us at: hugo.fresson@mission-europe-recherche.fr 

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📖 Consultez le Booklet du CERCle 2025 ICIPDF - 2.77 Mo - 10/12/2025 PDF - 2.77 Mo - 10/12/2025 

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