18.02.2026
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Kalmer Lauk
Grant Office
Statistics and Analysis
Analyst of Research and Development
statistics and analysis of research and development activities, confirming ETIS publications and coordination of funding for research collections, research funding database Pivot-RP
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Estonia sees rising success of women researchers in ERC grant calls

Women in science
Author: Maarja Liiv

Estonia is witnessing a significant rise in the participation and success of female researchers in European Research Council (ERC) funding calls – a shift that is reshaping the country’s research landscape and expanding its talent base.

On 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science was celebrated around the world. On that day, universities and organisations celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in science, raising awareness that research and gender equality must advance together to address the world’s major challenges.

Growing participation boosts outcomes

At the University of Tartu, female researchers have become increasingly active participants in ERC Starting Grant calls. In the 2025 call, all six University of Tartu applications were submitted by women, with one proposal securing funding. The success rate for that call reached 16%, higher than the university’s long-term ERC average of 10–11%.

Figure 1. The overall success of the University of Tartu in ERC calls and the share of applications submitted by female researchers (results of the 2026 call are still pending).
Figure 1. The overall success of the University of Tartu in ERC calls and the share of applications submitted by female researchers (results of the 2026 call are still pending). . Author: Kalmer Lauk, grandikeskus

Early indicators from the 2026 call show that women are again leading the field, representing 64% of applicants – a marked shift from earlier years and a reflection of changing institutional support structures.

Long-term structural change pays off

According to the University of Tartu’s data, the sustained increase in women’s applications signals broader transformations in both Estonia’s academic culture and the systems designed to support researchers seeking competitive grants. These institutional adjustments give more women researchers the confidence and opportunity to bring their ideas to Europe’s most prestigious funding body.

The trend is also reflected in longer-term performance: over the past decade, the share of women submitting ERC proposals from the university has steadily increased, reaching a point where their participation is strengthening institutional success overall.

Evidence of equal scientific performance

University of Tartu and Estonian data aligns with international studies1, 4, showing little gender differences in ERC overall success rates: since 2021, men and women at the University of Tartu have had near equal success rates – 11% and 12%, respectively. This pattern reinforces global findings that scientific merit, rather than gender, determines outcomes in competitive research funding. But in reality, it is only a facade.

Table 1. Estonia’s success in ERC calls by gender
Table 1. Estonia’s success in ERC calls by gender . Author: Kalmer Lauk, grandikeskus

When the data is broken down by fields, a clearer pattern begins to emerge. Beneath the overall success rates lies an uncomfortable truth: historical expectations of linear academic careers – and the difficulty of aligning them with life events such as parenthood – have disproportionately constrained female researchers in certain disciplines1. This is visible also at the University of Tartu: female researchers in physical sciences and engineering have submitted notably fewer ERC grant proposals, and have secured no ERC grants so far. As a result, significant scientific potential has remained untapped in fields where career barriers have been slowest to change – mainly in physical sciences and engineering.

Why it matters for Estonia’s innovation ecosystem

The growing presence of women researchers at the frontier of European research has implications far beyond academia. As noted in international studies2 and the analysis done at the University of Tartu3, the impact of female researchers expands the national pool of scientific talent, improving both economic prospects and social wellbeing.

This momentum suggests that Estonia’s targeted efforts to broaden participation in research are beginning to pay off. If the trend continues, the country could strengthen its position in European research even more while ensuring that excellence is driven by the widest possible range of contributors. Achieving this, however requires changes to include fields that are still struggling to involve female researchers.

1. Núria Bautista-Puig, Carlos García-Zorita, Elba Mauleón, European Research Council: Excellence and leadership over time from a gender perspective. – Research Evaluation 2019, 28(4).

2. Isabelle Kingsley, Eve Slavich, Lisa Harvey-Smith, Emma L. Johnston, Lisa A. Williams, Women are awarded more team than solo grants and lead more gender-balanced teams than men. – Science and Public Policy 2025, 52(1).

3. Kalmer Lauk, Teadus edeneb siis, kui kõik saavad särada, Sirp, 6, 2026

4. Karen B. Schmaling, Stephen A. Gallo, Gender differences in peer reviewed grant applications, awards, and amounts: A systematic review and meta-analysis. – Research Integrity and Peer Review 2023, 8(2).