Ministry of Science
and Higher Education

During the event, issues such as increasing the participation of Polish researchers in obtaining ERC grants were discussed. There was also a discussion about the importance of basic research and the actions taken by Poland to increase our participation in EU scientific programs, especially in the context of the upcoming Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union. Also discussed was the vision of the ERC’s development for the coming years and the safety of scientific research.

“We are committed to international cooperation and the use of EU funds for research and development. Funds that will be used by Polish scientists and Polish institutions in cooperation with partners from other countries. We are committed to ensuring that the participation of Polish scientists in the use of these funds will be much greater in the future. During the talks, we identified areas that are particularly important for the development of science across Europe, namely climate change, agriculture or defense. These are the areas in which we need to intensify international scientific cooperation,” Minister Dariusz Wieczorek said at a press conference after the meeting with the president of the European Research Council.

“We also want these issues of research, development and scientific cooperation in Europe to be among the most important matters to be discussed during the Polish presidency. We have tentatively agreed to meet to propose solutions for the future regarding the use of funds at the disposal of both European institutions and the European Research Council,” the head of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education added, expressing thanks for attending the meeting.
Prof. Maria Leptin addressed representatives of the Ministry of Science, stressing the importance of cooperation in the field of scientific research. “We have come to Poland to meet with the research community – including scientists who have already received ERC grants and policymakers – to discuss the future of research in Poland and Europe. We are here to increase Poland’s involvement,” said Prof. Maria Leptin, inviting Minister Dariusz Wieczorek to continue the talks in Brussels. “This meeting was very inspiring. We agree on many issues. I am glad that research is at the center of the ministry’s goals,” the ERC chairwoman added.

European Research Council

The European Research Council (ERC) is an institution that has been established in 2007 within the European Union to support scientific research. It provides support to the best scientists, engineers and academics, regardless of discipline. The Polish member of the council is Prof. Leszek Kaczmarek, head of the Neurobiology Laboratory at the Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and chairman of the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC).