In 1990 the ESF together with the CEC and several European learned societies started a Programme of European Research Conferences (EURESCO) modelled on the Gordon Research Conferences in the US. The Programme of EURESCO is consisting of top-level scientific discussion meetings in all areas of research, from mathematics and natural sciences to engineering sciences, social sciences and humanities.

This Programme promotes series of meetings, devoted to the same general subject, normally taking place about every other year. In the past, most conferences have been supported by the European Commission, on a case by case basis, as Euroconferences. Following peer review, the EURESCO Committee will draw up a shortlist of high quality conference proposals. Selected proposals, with the administrative support of ESF, to the European Commission for a Euroconference grant. Close to 330 conferences have been organised by EURESCO up to the end of 1999.

The aim is to stimulate free discussion to explore research frontiers. Younger researchers are especially encouraged to participate in discussions with leading experts in a specific field. There are no published proceedings. The ESF has decided to give a new impetus to the EURESCO scheme to continue the development of a high standard European Conference Programme which will set up a world-wide reference. The ESF is now inviting proposals for new conference series, as well as for the continuation of established ones, when justified.

The conferences are partially funded by the EuroConferences activity of the European Commission's Framework Programme. Increased financial backing from the Foundation’s member organisations combined with the ongoing support of the European Commission
Conference Chairpersons will be strongly encouraged to seek co-sponsoring from alternative sources (industry, trusts and foundations, various national sources...).

The practical organisation of all conferences is carried out by the EURESCO team in Strasbourg, venues are chosen from the list of EURESCO approved sites.

EURESCO stands for the Programme of European Research Conferences leaded by the European Science Foundation (ESF) since 1990, jointly with the Commission of European Communities and in association with several European Learned Societies. The programm was largelly modelled on the Gordon Research Conferences in the USA. The main features of these conferences are:

Each Conference consisted of a series of one-week long scientific meetings on one and the same general topic, spread over several years (typically one meeting every other year). These was discussion meetings at which scientists discuss new developments in their particular scientific discipline. This Programme intended to cover all domains of scientific research, from Natural Sciences to Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Chairman of each meeting had full responsibility for its scientific programme. A small organizing committee normally assisted him. Each Chairman had a Vice-Chairman (typically from another country), who should be prepared to organise the next meeting of the Conference a year or two later. Normally, the Chairman was not involved in matters relating to practical arrangements.

Although mostly Europeans, conference speakers and participants came also from other, non-European countries. Participation, by invitation upon application, was limited to about 80-100 or less in Social Sciences and Humanities. The Conference Chairmen, with the help of the Organising Committee, selected the participants from among the applicants. About 25 per cent of the participants was young researchers. Some grants was available for participants, in particular for young scientists, speakers, scientists from less developed European countries and those from Eastern Europe.

The Conferences were held all arround Europe. A Steering Committee (assisted by Advisory Panels) took full responsibility for the choice of conference subjects and chairmen. Professor H.Gg. Wagner, from Göttingen, was the first Chairman of the Steering Committee in November 1990.

The Office of the Programme at the ESF was responsible for all practical arrangements, payments and communication with applicants. During the first period of existence of EURESCO, it was managed from Strasbourg by Dr. Josip Hendekovic as Executive Secretary, assisted by Caroline Grimont as Programme Administrator. Both are then the main productors of these archival documents.