About us
Advancing high-quality research through expert management and support
ESF, Your Partner in Science
ESF (European Science Foundation) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation committed to advancing high-quality research across Europe and beyond since 1974. With established records in all disciplines, ESF offers expert, independent management and support throughout the entire research lifecycle—from conception and implementation to evaluation, sustainability, and impact.
With a dynamic, highly qualified international team, ESF is a key player in providing independent support to research endeavours, ensuring that scientific networks and organisations have the resources they need to focus on impactful research and collaboration.
ESF’s expertise
Discover our lines of action
With expertise across all disciplines, ESF engages in four lines of action:
Research Assessment & Grant Evaluation
Providing rigorous and independent assessments for research funding and talent selection, with up to 5000 proposals assessed per year
Managing Research Funding Programmes
Supporting the design, implementation, distribution and monitoring of research funding
Hosting & Supporting Scientific Structures
Enabling dynamic scientific collaborations by providing a comprehensive operational base, with dedicated support in administration, finance, operations, and communication
Managing & Supporting EU-funded projects
Strengthening the impact of projects and programmes by managing, coordinating, communicating, and actively participating in project proposals and execution
Your Partner in any Scientific Discipline
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Our Values
At ESF, we place a strong emphasis on integrity, partnership, excellence, and inclusivity. Guided by these core values, we maintain a politically neutral and globally oriented approach in everything we do, shaping how we work and how we engage with partners and stakeholders.
Integrity
We maintain trust in our work by providing accurate and specific information about our procedures, decisions and actions. This also includes managing potential conflicts of interest and maintaining transparency about income and affiliations. As such, integrity underpins every aspect of what we do.
Partnership
We aim to build long-term partnerships, advancing science through effective and sustainable collaborations. Since our foundation in 1974, we build trusted relations and connect stakeholders through our growing network.
Excellence
Our expert staff and validated processes ensure excellent scientific support and management. We integrate scientific methods in our work and base our decisions on data-driven insights. As such, we enable excellent scientific results.
Inclusivity
We maintain trust in our work by providing accurate and specific information about our procedures, decisions and actions. This also includes managing potential conflicts of interest and maintaining transparency about income and affiliations. As such, integrity underpins every aspect of what we do.
Check out related news
The ACCTING project comes to an end
The ACCTING project, Advancing behavioural change through the European Green Deal has concluded, leaving
Roadmapping Distributed Research Infrastructures in Europe Workshop 2025
9 – 10 June 2025 in Krakow, ESF and Europlanet Society are co-organising a two half-day workshop, just before the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI).
