SIR – Scientific Independence
of Young Researchers

ABOUT SIR
The SIR Programme is designed to support young researchers in the early stage of their independent research activity. It aims to fund research projects with high scientific quality developed by independent research teams, under the scientific coordination of a Principal Investigator (PI). The PIs must be either of Italian or non-Italian nationality, resident in or moving to Italy and they must have been awarded their first PhD (or medical specialization) up to 6 years prior to the publication date of the call for proposals.

High scientific quality is the sole evaluation criterion.
Applications can be made for projects in any field of research within the three Research Domains determined by the ERC (LS – Life Sciences; PE – Physical Sciences and Engineering; SH – Social Sciences and Humanities); submission of the following will be favourably considered:
• proposals of an interdisciplinary nature which cross the boundaries between different fields of research;
• pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research;
• proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions.

WHO CAN GET FUNDING
The constitution of the research team is flexible. Depending on the nature of the project, the research team can involve researchers from the same host institution or researchers from different organizations, whether Italian or not.