The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are a European Commission Funding programme which supports researchers across all research disciplines and in all employment sectors.
MSCA fund excellent and innovative research training as well as attractive career development and knowledge-exchange opportunities through cross-border and cross-sector mobility of researchers, to better prepare them for current and future societal challenges. This funding aims to reinforce cooperation between academia and all types of non-academic organisations (companies, CSOs, hospitals, public bodies etc.) in terms of research training, career development and knowledge transfer.
All funding in MSCAs is bottom-up; there are no thematic calls or priority areas that are supported. Depending on the Action, the budgets available range from €50,000 to €10 million.
MSCA Doctoral Networks train innovative, creative and entrepreneurial PhD students able to face current and future challenges. The program will equip researchers with the right combination of research-related and transferable competences and provide them with enhanced career perspectives in both the academic and non-academic sectors through international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility combined with an innovation-oriented mind-set.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships enhance the creative and innovative potential of PhD researchers and acquire new skills through international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility. The scheme also encourages researchers to work on research and innovation projects in the non-academic sector and is open to researchers wishing to reintegrate in Europe, to those who are displaced by conflict, as well as to researchers with high potential who are seeking to restart their careers in research.
MSCA Staff Exchange 2023 promotes international, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaborations in research and innovation through the exchange of personnel and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.
MSCA Staff Exchanges 2024 promotes innovative international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration in research and innovation through exchanging staff and sharing knowledge and ideas at all stages of the innovation chain. The scheme fosters a shared culture of research and innovation that welcomes and rewards creativity and entrepreneurship and helps turn ideas into innovative products, services or processes. It is open to research, technical, administrative and managerial staff supporting R&I activities.
MSCA COFUND 2023 co-fund new or existing doctoral programs and post-doc fellowship programs at national, regional or international level. There are two actions: a) Cofund Doctoral programme and b) Cofund Postdoctoral programme.
MSCA Doctoral Networks 2024 will raise the attractiveness and excellence of doctoral training in Europe.
MSCA Researchers at Risk 2024 is build on the available results of past and on-going Researchers at Risk initiatives further support is envisaged towards national and international organisations working with researchers at risk and aiming to enhance and professionalize their activities.
European Researchers’ Night and Researchers at Schools 2024-2025 brings research and researchers closer to the public at large, to increase awareness of research and innovation activities and to boost public recognition of science and research education. It will show the role of the researcher for the society and economy, as well as the impact of researchers’ work on citizens’ daily lives. It also aims to raise the interest of young people in research and scientific careers.
MSCA International Cooperation 2024 fosters international cooperation in MSCA in Horizon Europe, through a dedicated support action to complement and ensure coordination between existing promotion channels at local level, and ensure consistency with formal R&I policy dialogues at bilateral and regional levels.
