Gender diversity of research consortia contributes to funding decisions in a multi-stage grant peer-review process

Abstract This study seeks to draw connections between the grant proposal peer-review and gender representation in research consortia. We examined implementation of a multi-disciplinary, pan-European funding scheme—EUROpean COllaborative RESearch Scheme (2003–2015)—and reviewers’ materials that this generated. EUROCORES promoted investigator-driven, multinational collaborative multiple scientific areas brought together 9158 Principal Investigators (PI) who teamed up 1347 international consortia were sequentially evaluated by 467 expert panel members 1862 external reviewers. found systematically unfavourable evaluations for with higher proportion female PIs. effect was evident evaluation outcomes both reviewers: applications from share scientists less successful selection received lower scores Interestingly, we systematic discrepancy evaluative language written review reports assigned reviewers works against participants. Reviewers did not perceive as being competent their comments, but they negatively sensitive high ratio within consortium when scoring proposed project.