Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
For whom?
Organisations, companies and knowledge institutes who want to employ researchers
For what?
Stimulating research talent and career opportunities
When
Multiple calls depending on the Marie Curie Action
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) is the leading programme in developing talent and advancing research. The programme is aimed at improving ‘human research potential’ by offering postdoctoral training and funding for excellent researchers at any career stage. The MSCA sets high standards, but offers a lot in return such as by supporting mobility of researchers between countries as well as effective supervision and career guidance.
For whom is MSCA?
MSCA aims to equip researchers with the necessary skills and international experience for a successful career, either in the public or the private sector. The grant programme responds to challenges sometimes faced by researchers, offering them attractive working conditions and the opportunity to move between academic and other settings. The MSCA calls are open to all domains of research & innovation, from fundamental research to market take-up and innovation services. Research and innovation fields are chosen freely by the applicants in a fully ‘bottom-up’ manner.
The types of Actions
There are four types of Actions, each with their own objectives and elements, but all with the same goal of helping researchers excel in their field of interest:
| Actions | Objective | Types | When to apply in 2024? |
| Doctoral Networks | To implement doctoral programmes that train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers | Doctoral Networks (DN) | 29 May until 27 November 2024 |
| Industrial Doctorates (DN-ID) | |||
| Joint Doctorates (DN-JD) | |||
| Postdoctoral Fellowships | To support the career development of postdoctoral researchers and foster excellence in research | European Postdoctoral Fellowships (EF) | 23 April until 11 September 2024 |
| Global Postdoctoral Fellowships (GF) | |||
| Staff Exchanges | To develop sustainable collaborative projects between different organisations from academic and non-academic sectors (particularly SME), based in Europe and beyond | 19 September 2024 until 5 February 2025 | |
| COFUND | To promote sustainable training and international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility for the next generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers | Doctoral Programmes (DP) | 23 April until 26 September 2024 |
| Postdoctoral Programmes (PP) |
Differences with the previous Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme
The most prominent change within MSCA is the strengthened focus on industry: the European Commission aims to stimulate synergy between academia and industry. As a result, within Doctoral Networks (previously known as ITN) the maximum number of fellows for Industrial Doctorates (DN-ID) and Joint Doctorates (DN-JD) is set at 15. The maximum number of fellows for DN (formerly ETN) on the other hand has decreased to 10. This means that, specifically within DN-ID, there’s more space to train PhD candidates who wish to develop their skills and step outside academia into industry and business.
Additionally, the fixed allowances in the Actions have been indexed, as well as the country correction coefficients. A major difference compared to the previous WP is that COFUND now only covers (a part of the) funding for the living allowance of the fellows, since funding for management costs is no longer included. The fixed amount for the living allowances has however increased by approximately 45%.
Realising ambitions: that is our main goal!
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Interested in the possibilities for your research activities or our services? Get in touch with us via 088 495 20 00 or info@hezelburcht.com! We would be pleased to help and advice you.
