A total of 281 researchers from all over Europe have chosen the European Research Council (ERC) to finance their scientific work through the most recent cycle of Advanced Grants, totaling € 721 million. The list of researchers includes the Greek Director of Research Center of the Byzantine and Post -Byzantine Art Research Center, Olga Karagiorgou.

Ms. Karagiorgos’ research proposal to be funded is entitled “Agents of Cohesion in the Governance of An Empire: The Anthropogeography of Byzantium, 7th to 12th Centuries”. According to the proposal, the division of the Byzantine Empire into large administrative regions with their own army (the issues) sealed its provincial administration and has been decisive for its successful defense and survival. The long scientific debate about the exact time of appearance and the evolution of the institution of issues has been significantly renewed in recent years due to the valuable information provided by the inscriptions of Molybulbullers with which the Byzantines were sealing and certifying their correspondence.

“The plethora of unmistakable elements provided by Byzantine seals about the administrative structure of the empire and the portrait of both high -ranking and low -level, political and military officials, allow us to study in depth a special social group as well as a special social group. Employees and their uninterrupted succession to specific administrative positions were the main guarantee for the cohesion and prosperity of the empire, “Ms. Karagiorgou explains to RES-EIA.

Based on the Host Institute, Olga Karagiorgou, as a scientific manager of the research proposal that has been funded by the European Research Council for two and a half million euros for five years (2026-2031), will cooperate with four other research centers in Greece and overseas. The aim is to study the Byzantine anthropogenic anthropogenicism of Byzantium through cigilographic (molybil) and non-syllable sources. The evidence that will result during the project from the study of inscriptions, iconography, technology and the location of the seals, in combination with the testimony of other (non-syllable) sources, as well as the historical-geographical, archaeological and sigmographic profile of the “themes” Byzantine social history.

Funding of 11% of sentences

Advanced Grants, part of the Horizon Europe program, provide senior researchers the opportunity to implement ambitious projects that could lead to important scientific discoveries.

The competition attracted 2,534 proposals, which were examined by committees of internationally recognized researchers. It was selected for funding over 11% of these proposals.

Their work will cover a wide range, from the development of a preventive vaccine for breast cancer and exploring the way in which diet and exercise affect brain cells associated with aging until the creation of digital teaching and artificial intelligence.

Scientists funded are based in universities and research centers in 23 EU Member States and affiliated countries.

The scientists receiving Advanced Grants include researchers Anastasia Ailamakis, Professor of Informatics at the Federal Technical School of Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, Sotiris Pratsinis, Professor of Engineering at The Cyprus Institute Plants, and Arietta Papaconstantinou, Professor of Byzantine History at Aix-Marseille University.

Increase funding for researchers moving to Europe

These grants “are our commitment to make Europe a worldwide hub of excellent research. By supporting projects that have the potential to redefine entire areas, we invest not only in science, but also in the future well -being and durability of our continent. In the next rounds of the competition, scientists moving to Europe will receive even greater support for the creation of their laboratories and research teams here. This is part of our initiative “Choose Europe for Science”, which is designed to attract and preserve the world’s leading scientists, “the Commissioner for EU start -ups, EU research and innovation, Catherine Zachareva. It is noted that the funding of the European Research Council that supports new beneficiaries abroad to set up their laboratories or their research team in EU Member States or in countries linked to the Horizon Europe program is doubled by one million euros in two million euros.

It is also clarified in the same announcement that as the European Commission and the Swiss Government completed negotiations on Switzerland’s connection with the “Horizon Europe” program and the signing of the agreement is expected to take place in 2025, for the specific funding cycle for 2024, there will be no signature agreements. They are based in Switzerland they will only be able to receive funding if they transfer their proposed work to an eligible reception institution.