European Science Foundation

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ESF headquarters in Strasbourg.

The European Science Foundation (ESF) is an organisation intended to promote scientific research in Europe through conferences, communication and the funding of research programmes. It was founded in 1974 and comprises learned societies, funding agencies and research performing agencies. Today, there are 74 member organisations in the European Science Foundation. It holds offices in Strasbourg, France (headquarters) and Brussels, Belgium.

The ESF provides a platform for foresighting and research networking on a European and global scale to the ESF member organisations. According to its mission and strategic plan the European Science Foundation runs foresighting programmes in science, programmes to enhance science synergy (i.e.: research networking programmes and collaoborative research projects for European scientists) and activities dedicated to science management (such as providing administrative services to independent scientific committee and other organisations). ESF provides the management structure and administration for the European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technological Research COST. The ESF networking and foresighting activities are carried through 5 Science Units:

Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences(LESC)
Humanities (SCH)
Medical research (European Medical Research Council, EMRC)
Physical and Engineering Sciences (PESC)
Social Sciences (SCSS)

The ESF conferences unit runs conference series on selected topics together with a European partner as co-funder. Regular ESF instruments are:

Forward Looks (Foresight studies)
Exploratory Workshops (Scientific Workshops on emerging sience fields and new topics)
Research Network Programmes (RNPs, 4-5 year network projects containing a series of schools, conferences and workshops, accompanied by exchange grants and short term visits for scientists)
European Collaborative Research Projects, (EUROCORES)
ESF Research Conferences

The European Science Foundation awards the annual European Latsis Prize.

ESF Presidents