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ERC training as never done before

Our ERC trainings lead to a transformation experience and immediate results

We believe that an ERC training should be a unique learning experience that stimulates the brain as well as emotions and eventually reveals your potential. We aim at creating the most fulfilling learning experience for each participant. We combine the best trainers, with an unique teaching approach based on years of experience. . Our face-to-face ERC training courses do not only create eye-opening knowledge for our participants of any expertise level but also equip them with the energy, the confidence and the step-by-step strategy to apply this knowledge. We personally guarantee that!!
​Seats are limited course for achieving a unique learning experience for each individual irrespectively to their expertise (beginners, advanced or experts).

Our ERC training is 100% satisfaction guaranteed

​100% Satisfaction Guarantee: We are the only training organization that our approach is based on results and not on effort. We are so confident of the high value of our ERC training that we personally guarantee on its quality, effectiveness and distinct value. In case, after our ERC training, you  believe you haven't managed to experience the transformation we promise you, then we will not get paid!! That confident we are on the quality of our training and the transformation experience we can create!
Even if some of the participants have already participated in a similar training session, we are committed to deliver an eye-opening session for all participants from novices to senior experts in the developing a successful proposal under ERC since we apply unique teaching approaches. We will help you find and polish your core concept that suits the requirements of ERC.

Our ERC trainings certify and  develop the profiles of the Principal Investigators

As you know one key winning factor in ERC grants is to show that the Principal Investigators have the proper leadership skills and the capacity to coordinator a European funded projects such as ERC ones. However, this may be quite challenging especially for early stage researchers that haven't got so far the opportunity to have any leadership or coordinator role in their career.  Therefore, our courses are the only ones in the whole world in the area of EU funding  and grants that will provide a specialisation certificates  on "Planning European research projects" to all participants issued by a world-wide vocational award body, City and Guilds/Institute of Leadership and Management.  Funding Expert Academy via Key Innovations Ltd company  has been approved  by the Institute of Leadership and Management, part of City and Guilds group, the international vocational education awarding body, as an ILM Recognised Provider. This recognition is the result of the high quality of courses that the organisation offers.
Therefore,  all participants in our face-to-face courses will get awarded a specialisation certificate on "Planning European Research Projects 
issued by the Institute of Leadership and Management, part of City & Guilds Group. This certificate is  an asset for showing leadership and skills in managing an ERC project.

Our ERC trainings are based on well-proven step-by-step strategies

​​We believe learning should be effective and immediately applicable. Therefore, we have structured this ERC course and the teaching methodology to provide step-by-step strategies that can be quickly and effectively applied.  We also know that success leaves clues, therefore, this ERC course have been structured based on the strategies, methodologies and resources that ERC grant winners  have been applying extremely successfully for years. In addition, we deliver our ERC training courses based on continuous interactions with our audience and based on “recipes” and practical steps that allow our participants to absorb easily what they should master and achieve extraordinary results very quickly. 

Our ERC trainings and services are structured to be time-, cost- and value-effective

In order to achieve a unique learning experience for the principal investigators and the research support staff in the least possible time and with the highest value we have designed four packages: There are options for group  training, evaluation, interview and for personal coaching. Your organisation one or more of them according to your needs.
Our services consist of four different packages that some of them can be also combined.
  1. One full day training and up to 5 ERC proposal evaluations and one-to-one consultations
  2. Personal coaching to the PI for building confidence, accountability and excelling in ERC
  3. Remote ERC proposal evaluation and one-to-one consultation with the PI
  4. Preparation for the Interview for the SoG, CoG and Synergy Grant candidates selected for an interview by the panel
ERC TRAINING PACKAGE

One full day training & up to 5 ERC proposal evaluations and one-to-one consultations 

 This package contains the following services delivered in one day:
  • f2f training on ERC beyond on what is currently available on public guides and includes key topics based on examples, previously submitted proposals and step-by-step guidance on:
  • How to validate a breakthrough  research idea
  • How to select your panel and what to complete and not complete in the forms
  • How to make your CV look more impressive
  • How to formulate high-risk/high gain and ground breaking objectives
  • How to describe the best methodology that is novel but at the same time the most appropriate for reaching your research objectives
  • How to target your reviewers as well as the members of your panel
  • How to impress your reviewers and the panel members with your B1 section of the ERC proposal and with your abstract at stage 1
  • How to write convincing   B2 part for stage 2
  • How to understand and exploit the ambiguity on the ERC evaluation criteria.
Extra First Bonus! In addition to the f2f training, up to 5 PIs will have their proposal pre-evaluated  in advance and discussed on-to-one either f2f the next half day  or remotely right after the training with the trainer. 
Extra Second Bonus! All participants that have attended the training will receive also a specialisation certificate on "Planning European research projects" issued by the world-wide recognised vocational award body City & Guilds/Institute of Leadership and Management. This qualification is very important for the principal investigator for showing leadership and coordination skills as part of his CV/profile in the application. 
ERC EVALUATION PACKAGE

​Remote ERC proposal evaluation and one-to-one consultation with the PI

Outside the evaluations included in our training package, we offer also separately evaluation service of an ERC proposal and discussion via one-to-one consultations. After reading and evaluating the proposal, we either discuss it remotely but in real time with the PI via skype/zoom.us or we provide our comments on the word proposal that we have received.  This service includes just one meeting or one evaluation. If additional one(s) are desired by the PI, this is still possible and we can arrange it accordingly. 
ERC COACHING PACKAGE

Personal coaching to the PI for building confidence, accountability and excelling in ERC

 Our coaching consists of up to three one-to-one live and remote meetings that take place via zoom.us/skype
1st Meeting - duration up to one hour
In the first meeting, we discuss the idea, the profile of the Principal Investigator and the candidate panels. We focus a lot on what is the profile of the winning ERC proposals under the candidate panels  with emphasis on the high risk/high gain and breakthrough element and we agree on the follow-up steps till our next meeting.
2nd Meeting - duration up to one hour
At the second meeting the principal investigator is expected to have good  drafts of parts B1 or B2 that the coach has already read. We discuss the nature of the groundbreaking objectives and their relation with the state of the art, the methodology, the resources needed as well as the time plan. We discuss also any illustrations/figures that may be needed further.  We agree on the follow-up steps till our last meeting
​3rd Meeting- duration up to one hour
At the last meeting, the principal investigator is expected to have the final draft of the whole proposal prepared that the coach has already read. We discuss the final details of making the proposal great for both parts B1 and B2 by always considering the expectations of the panel.  We go through the proposal from the beginning till the end and we discuss what should be highlighted and clarified further and anything that could be revised or eliminated. Finally, we discuss the  cover page abstract.
Extra Bonus! In addition, the PI will receive also a specialisation certificate on "Planning European research projects" issued by the world-wide recognised vocational award body City & Guilds/Institute of Leadership and Management This qualification is very important for the principal investigator for showing leadership and coordination skills as part of his CV/profile in the application. 
ERC INTERVIEW PACKAGE

​Preparation for the Interview for the SoG and CoG candidates selected for an interview by the panel

As soon as you are invited for an interview after applying for a SoG and CoG , you have approximately 40% chances to receive the grant. Since it is still  60% possible to fail receiving the grant mainly due to the fact that you haven't impressed the panel members during your interview, it is of paramount importance to get prepared for winning the impressions. It is not unusual to see an expert trying to convince the rest of the panel that their favourite project is more deserving than your favourite project. In the ERC you have a unique chance to help out the experts on your side, by pitching your talk to the nonexperts. We will train you on what you say (your words), how you say it (your voice) and how you look (your body language) based on our O.W.N. T.H.E. R.O.O.M. formula.  Click the button for more info on O.W.N. T.H.E. R.O.O.M.™ Formula
O.W.N. T.H.E. R.O.O.M.

Our ERC trainings are delivered by trainers with PhD experience

Our trainers and the ones that run the one-to-one consultation are PhD holders or PhD researchers that have first hand experience on the challenges in conducting a breakthrough research with outbreaking objectives and dealing with the high-risks that emerge from novelty research.  Combining this with the many years experience as trainers and research consultants or specialists, we have a great mix of training background.

Key trainer

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Mr. Nikolaos Floratos (PhD Researcher): Nikolaos has a multidisciplinary education with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from City University London, a Bachelor of Humanities in Greek Civilisation from Open Hellenic University, a master of science in Telecommunications and Signal Processing from Imperial College, London and he is currently a PhD researcher in Humanities on student engagement in massive open online courses from Open University of Catalonia. After his undergraduate and postgraduate studies with distinction as engineer in London (Imperial College, City University), UK, has been working for a number of consultancy and Information Technology companies as consultant and project manager across Europe. He has also an MBA (Master in Business Administration from National Technical University of Athens and Athens University of Economics and Business) and the last 21 years he is involved in planning, managing and evaluating large and small projects in the area of research, education, ICT (Information Communication Technologies), social inclusion, entrepreneurship, standardization and consumer issues.  As a funding expert, personal trainer and coach, he has supported hundreds of individuals and organisations mainly from Europe but also from all over the world on managing state funding (e.g.  from European Commission, National Funds, etc) and receive support for deploying their business idea or mission and he has proved that anyone can become a great proposal writer or project manager of european funded projects through proper guidance, training and coaching. He is an expert on behalf of the European Commission on evaluating and reviewing projects and proposals since 2003 and  currently, he researches through a PhD how eLearning courses can increase students' engagement and motivation. 
He is the creator of the Funding Expert Transfomation Process™ system that can transform anyone to a great proposal writer and project manager of european funded projects.  He has received more than 500 recommendations and endorsements at his linkedin profile (www.linkedin.com/in/floratos) as a funding expert, coach and trainer.   He is also listed in the top first three search results by google as "Funding expert". ​

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