The excellence of U.Porto’s frontier research has translated into a significant increase in ERC Grants awarded over recent years, reflecting European recognition of its scientific ecosystem.
At the national level, between 2007 and 2025, Portugal secured a total of 201 ERC grants, of which 25 were awarded to U.Porto researchers across various schemes: 11 Starting Grants (StG), 8 Consolidator Grants (CoG), 5 Advanced Grants (AdG), and 1 Synergy Grant (SyG), representing approximately 12% of the national total.
In recent years, U.Porto’s share has grown exponentially: between 2022 and 2025 alone, at publishing time, a total of 12 grants were awarded, representing around 23% of ERC grants in Portugal during this period. Notably, 2022 set a record with 5 ERC grants awarded to researchers from U.Porto’s scientific ecosystem.
Since the first application submitted by U.Porto’s Organisational Units in 2009, there has been a marked upward trend in both the number of applications and their conversion into funding and success rates. In the last three years (2022–2025), the number of applications increased by 26%, reflecting the maturity and dynamism of U.Porto’s scientific community.
The grants obtained are mainly in the scientific fields of Life Sciences (48%), followed by Physical Sciences and Engineering (44%). Other fields are also represented, including Materials Engineering and Social Sciences and Humanities, reflecting the diversity and interdisciplinarity of research at U.Porto.
Access the publication ERC Grantees @ U.Porto to learn more about the grant holders and their projects.
Created in 2007 to support the highest-quality research, the European Research Council (ERC) offers attractive funding for researchers across all scientific fields, enabling them to form teams, develop infrastructure, and lead ambitious frontier projects, where the sole selection criterion is scientific excellence.
The University of Porto’s strategic focus on cutting-edge research and its commitment to excellence-driven funding programmes have helped consolidate frontier research “made in U.Porto,” strengthening international collaborations and enhancing the University’s global scientific impact.
The U.Porto Research and Projects Office (SIP) supports researchers interested in applying for ERC grants by running dedicated information sessions, workshops on proposal writing and evaluation, and providing guidance. Visit the SIP website for more information.
Copyright 2025 © Research and Projects Office of the University of Porto.
All rights reserved.