“ERA Chairs” is a new measure to bridge the research and innovation divide in Europe. These grants are intended to help develop research excellence in EU Member States, Associated Countries and regions. Universities or other eligible research institutions with currently low levels of participation in the Framework Programme, with a demonstrated potential and a concrete plan for research excellence, will be selected by the Commission to appoint outstanding research leaders: the "ERA Chairs" and his/her research team. This will permit these institutions to develop, in a particular field, the level of excellence required to successfully compete internationally and effectively widen participation. An ERA Chairs pilot call, funded under FP7, is launched on 18 December 2012. Future ERA Chair calls will be published under Horizon 2020. More: http://ec.europa.eu/research/era/era-chairs_en.html