RCF President Paula Eerola appointed as member of ERC Identification Committee

The European Commission has announced the establishment of a high-level committee to identify new members for the European Research Council’s (ERC) governing body, the ERC Scientific Council. Paula Eerola, President of the Research Council of Finland (RCF), has been appointed as a member of the Identification Committee. In addition to Eerola, the Committee includes leading scientists from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Estonia and Austria.

The six-member Identification Committee will be responsible for preparing the reform of the ERC Scientific Council as part of the preparations for the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe 2028–2034.

The ERC Scientific Council defines the ERC's scientific funding strategy and methodologies. It has 22 members, who represent the scientific community in Europe. New Scientific Council members are appointed by the European Commission following recommendations by an independent Identification Committee.

The European Research Council (ERC) is one of the world’s most prestigious research funders. It funds investigator-driven research in all disciplines, and its funding decisions are based solely on scientific excellence.