As recipient of two grants from the European Research Council (ERC), Søren Hauberg knows better than anyone how funding of this caliber can impact a researcher’s career.
“ERC grants can be a game changer and it certainly has been the case for me,” says Søren Hauberg, Professor of machine learning at DTU.
He received his first grant—an ERC Starting Grant of EUR 1.5 million—in 2017 and a further ERC Consolidator Grant of EUR 2 million for his latest research project.
Prestigious European grants
ERC grants are highly sought after, partly because they are awarded for independent research and partly because they indicate high-quality and internationally recognized research.
“The grants are awarded to promising talents from around the world. The requirements are sky-high and the competition fierce, but you don’t have to be a star researcher. The most important thing is that the project is considered to be of high scientific quality and with potential for significant advances within the relevant field of research,” says Søren Hauberg.
In his role as Danish ambassador for the ERC, Søren Hauberg will not only be an advocate for these prestigious European grants, he will also work to improve the conditions for the distribution of research funding in Denmark.
Better peer review
Søren Hauberg believes there is a structural problem with peer review in Denmark, particularly in relation to the panels and committees that assess funding applications and determine which research projects to support.
“I’d like to have more subject-specific panels and committees, to make the evaluation of individual research projects more qualified and relevant to the specific subject area,” says Søren Hauberg. He continues:
“Personally, I have had grant applications rejected on the grounds that it was unambitious to choose to look at data because I had looked at data before. But I’m a computer scientist and all my research revolves around analysing data, so it's a bit like telling a biologist to stop wearing rubber boots because you’ve done that before,” Søren Hauberg mentions as a concrete example.
Søren Hauberg highlights the ERC as an internationally leading authority in research evaluation and recommends that Danish foundations follow the ERC’s focus on international reviewers who work within the relevant subject area. He also believes that Danish funding should be allocated to research projects that have received positive evaluations, but no funding from the ERC.
Longer time frames
As the ERC’s Danish ambassador, Søren Hauberg will also argue that researchers who deliver at a high level should be given better conditions and stability to enable them to plan for the long term.
“Top-level research requires a longer time frame and stability, which we often lack in Denmark,” says Søren Hauberg.
This is because many Danish grants from both government and private foundations typically have a time frame of around three years, which corresponds to the length of the PhD study the grant is funding.
“The short time frame makes it difficult for researchers to plan long term and requires frequent applications for new funding which again could lead to a constant feeling of being pressured and stressed,” Søren Hauberg points out. He adds:
“Researchers may end up using funds less optimally because they have to rush to use them before the grant expires, which again could result in less effective research projects.”
Game changer for researcher careers
ERC grants are awarded for a five-year period. The two ERC grants that Søren Hauberg received in 2017 and 2024, respectively, have been essential for his research and career.
“The ERC grants have enabled me to have longer periods where I haven’t had to apply for new funding, which has given me peace of mind to focus on my research,” says Søren Hauberg.
The AI expert believes that ERC grants can help other researchers in the same way. In his role as ambassador, he will work to encourage more Danish researchers to apply for ERC grants.
“Many researchers underestimate their chances, but ERC grants can be a game changer for their careers,” Søren Hauberg concludes.
Overall—according to Søren Hauberg—an ERC grant can improve researchers’ working conditions by removing financial worries and increasing the chances of scientific breakthroughs.
