The MUR (Ministry of University and Research) online platform is now active for participation in the call dedicated to young researchers who have obtained an ERC Starting Grant or ERC Consolidator Grant and are currently working abroad. The initiative targets those working in universities or research centers outside Italy who wish to relocate or return to our country to develop their projects.

The call is funded with 50 million euros. This funding is part of the first measures outlined in the plan launched by the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, to enhance the attractiveness of the Italian academic and research system.

"With this plan, we will indeed fund the return or arrival of many researchers. In Italy, they will find a system of cutting-edge infrastructure, continuously updated. This is the most virtuous way to make a leap in quality, combining experience, talent, and innovation."

The 50 million euro fund provides, for each project proposal, a maximum contribution of one million euros and a duration of no more than 36 months. A portion of the total funding, 40%, will be specifically allocated to projects in the Southern regions of Italy. The fund is financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The call is reserved for winners of the ERC Starting Grants or ERC Consolidator Grants, programs funded by the European Research Council, designed for researchers of excellence of all ages and nationalities who wish to carry out frontier research in EU Member States or associated countries.

Projects must be submitted in English through the dedicated online platform (https://www.gea.mur.gov.it/). The window for receiving applications will remain open until the available resources are exhausted, and no later than 12:00 on June 4, 2025.