Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

2024 marks 40 years since the launch of the EU's first funding programme dedicated to science, research and innovation. Over the last four decades, scientists, researchers and innovators have helped the EU maintain its competitive edge in the global economy. Learn how the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) have helped brilliant researchers develop their skills and achieve scientific breakthroughs, including 18 Nobel Prize laureate and 3 winners of the European Prize for Women Innovators.

• Read how MSCA has supported 18 Nobel Prize laureates
• Learn more about the scientific breakthroughs backed by MSCA
• Read the interview to Anne L'Huillier, 2023 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics and former MSCA beneficiary
• Read the interview to Rana Sanyal, winner of the 2024 European Prize for Women Innovators

Through Staff Exchanges, international partnerships of leading research institutions can boost innovation and knowledge transfer. The call will close on 5 February 2025 and is expected to fund approximately 90 projects that will promote international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration in research and innovation through exchanging staff. An information day for applicants will be organised on 15 November.

The Commission and the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have started a new co-funding initiative for MSCA Staff Exchanges. The CSIR will top up selected MSCA Staff Exchanges projects, enabling its institutes, laboratories and innovation units to carry out joint research projects with European and international partners. The co-funding will allow them to second their staff to European research organisations for training, skills and career development and knowledge sharing.

Submit your proposal for MSCA Doctoral Networks and COFUND doctoral and postdoctoral programmes as early as possible before the deadline expires to avoid last-minute problems.

Check the guidance and handbooks for applicants by MSCA National Contact Points to fine-tune your proposal.

• COFUND: deadline on 26 September, see our resources for applicants
• Doctoral Networks: deadline on 27 November, resources for applicants

The fourth call of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions-funded Postdoctoral Fellowships, part of the EU’s Research and Innovation framework programme Horizon Europe, received 10,360 proposals. By comparison, 8,039 proposals were submitted in 2023. This represents an increase of 29%. The European Commission is expected to fund about 1,700 projects, with an indicative budget of €417.2 million. This represents an increase of 60% of the budget compared to the last call.

The European Commission is giving current and past Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellows the opportunity to attend the next Lindau meeting on chemistry in summer 2025. About 600 young scientists from all over the world will get the chance to spend an inspiring week with Nobel Laureates to exchange experiences and establish valuable contacts.

• Apply for the meeting on chemistry by 30 September
• Apply for the meeting on economic sciences by 18 October

Are you a MSCA fellow or alumni passionate about your work? Ready to share it with the world? We have the best audience queuing up to see you: thousands of primary and secondary school pupils from across Belgium will be traveling to Brussels in March 2025 to visit our Science is Wonderful! science fair. We will pull them into the world of research through live experiments, games and any innovative format you can think of. Be prepared for younger and older pupils, for English, Dutch and French-speaking pupils, and for lots of unexpected questions.

The Commission has published a survey to gather inspirational examples of good supervision practice from across the MSCA community. The survey is targeted to researchers, supervisors and research staff who have been involved in MSCA projects. Selected stories will be featured on an evidence-based guidance document that will support the existing MSCA guidelines on supervision, while others will be used as case studies in training and promotion..

The European Research Executive Agency (REA) organised a webinar for current MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships researchers. Watch the recording to access several presentations and hands-on tips to make the most of your grant and implement your fellowship successfully.

The European Commission and the European Research Executive Agency (REA) have published new information packages for researchers and staff members taking part in projects supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie under Horizon Europe. These new publications provide useful, hands-on information on eligibility, rights and obligations, allowances, secondments and cross-cutting issues linked to the fellowship.

Navigating the wealth of information available for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) projects can be overwhelming - that is why we have gathered everything you need in one convenient place! From our recently updated information packages to the well-known guides for applicants, this article is your go-to resource for all MSCA-related questions, providing clear, concise, and comprehensive guidance.

On Firday 27 September, Europe is celebrating the European Researchers’ Night in 25 countries. It is the largest science communication and engagement event in Europe, allowing over 1.5 million children, youngsters and citizens every year to explore researchers' work through entertaining activities, including science shows, hands-on experiments, games and competitions. The event showcases the diversity of European research and innovation, as well as the impact it can have on citizens' daily lives. By shining a light on this valuable work, as well as the passion and dedication of the researchers behind it, young people get a unique chance to ask questions and explore research careers.

The European Commission has launched a new preparatory action supporting a European fellowship scheme for researchers at risk. This initiative backed by the European Parliament will develop procedures to assess the risks these researchers face and award around 60 two-year fellowships to non-EU nationals to enable them to continue their work safely at universities and research institutions across the European Union.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have launched a new call for applications for the 2025 European prize for women innovators. The prize celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s most groundbreaking innovations and is open to the MSCA community. Applications will close on 25 September 2024, 17.00 CEST.

Read the interview to the prize’s 2024 winner and MSCA fellow Rana Sanyal.

The Italian Ministry of University and Research has launched a new call to fund over 250 young researchers who submitted a high-quality proposal to MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships and received a Seal of Excellence certificate within the past 2 years won a Postdoctoral Fellowships or Individual Fellowships project and completed it in the past 5 years.