"Many researchers strongly opposed the changes, which might have meant some unsuccessful applicants having to wait up to 4 years before they could apply for funding again. The council's plan was '3000% the wrong direction', wrote Anthony Guihur, a molecular biologist at the healthcare company Labcorp, in Geneva, Switzerland."
"An open letter that quickly gathered more than 1,000 signatories argued that longer exclusion periods risked discouraging bold ideas and pushing talent away from Europe."
"The ERC's swift response and willingness to listen to feedback is reassuring, says Johanna Joyce, a cancer biologist and geneticist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, and one of the organizers of the open letter."
"At least a dozen funders have seen submissions rise since 2022, which many suspect is the result of researchers using artificial intelligence models to write applications more easily."
The European Research Council (ERC) reversed a policy that restricted reapplication timelines for funding after significant backlash from researchers. The initial plan aimed to manage increasing applications and a static budget but faced criticism for potentially delaying funding opportunities for unsuccessful applicants by up to four years. An open letter with over 1,000 signatures highlighted concerns that longer waiting periods could stifle innovation and drive talent away from Europe. The ERC acknowledged these concerns and decided to revert the changes, although pressures on the funding system persist.
Read at Nature
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