MSCA programme in HE

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fund excellent research and innovation and equip researchers at all stages of their career with new knowledge and skills, through mobility across borders and exposure to different sectors and disciplines. The MSCA help build Europe’s capacity for research and innovation by investing in the long-term careers of excellent researchers.

The MSCA also fund the development of excellent doctoral and postdoctoral training programmes and collaborative research projects worldwide. By doing so, they achieve a structuring impact on higher education institutions, research centres and non-academic organisations.

The MSCA promote excellence and set standards for high-quality researcher education and training in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers.

There are 5 types of MSCA targeting different objectives.

  • Doctoral Networks (DN)
    Supporting programmes to train doctoral candidates in academic and non-academic organisations.
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF)
    Supporting career perspectives and excellence of postdoctoral researchers.
  • Staff Exchanges (SE)
    Encouraging collaborations between organisations through staff exchanges.
  • COFUND
    Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes.
  • MSCA and Citizens
    Bringing research and researchers closer to the public at large.

More information on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions is available here.

MSCA Doctoral Networks (DN) Projects

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) projects

MSCA Staff Exchanges (SE) projects

MSCA COFUND projects

European Partnerships create a platform for strengthened and structured collaboration and knowledge exchange between various actors in the European R&I system and enhanced coordination of strategic research agendas and/or R&I funding programmes. They are based on agreed objectives and a long-term vision, underpinned by Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas (SRIAs) to which all partners in the partnership commit. This is a key feature that distinguishes European Partnerships from other collaborative research instruments. Partnerships also enhance cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration and integration of value chains and ecosystems, improving integration of sectoral R&I policies, notably through more systematic and extended reach and engagement of stakeholders such as end-users and public authorities.

In Horizon Europe, there are three different implementation modes for European Partnerships.

Co-funded

  • Co-funding of joint programmes of R&I activities between R&I funders. They are based on a Horizon Europe Grant Agreement signed by the Commission and a consortium of partners, generally composed of R&I funders and other public authorities. 

Institutionalised partnerships

  • Joint Undertakings (JUs): long-term collaborations with private (sometimes also public) partners requiring a high degree of integration. 
  • Article 185 initiatives: long-term collaborations with public partners requiring a high degree of integration. 
  • European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) – Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs): Europe-wide innovation ecosystems that integrate education, research and entrepreneurship. They are established in compliance with the EIT regulation and the EIT strategic Innovation Agenda.

Co-programmed

  • Joint programming of R&I activities and mobilisation of additional activities by partners in line with the objectives of the partnership. They are based on a Memorandum of Understanding, generally with industry associations. The EU contribution is implemented through the Horizon Europe mechanisms (work programmes and their calls for proposals), and matching partners’ contributions are implemented under their responsibility.

The main differences between these forms of European Partnership are in their preparation and how they function, as well as in the overall impact they can trigger. The Co-funded and Co-programmed Partnerships are linked to the strategic plan and the Horizon Europe work programmes. Article 185 and JU Institutionalised Partnerships require the adoption of separate legislation and are subject to an ex-ante impact assessment. 

European Partnerships are established only if there is evidence that they will support the achievement of EU policy objectives more effectively than other Horizon Europe actions.

The Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 includes a list of new candidate Co-Funded and Co-programmed European Partnerships to be launched during the second half of Horizon Europe.

 

Participation of Spain

Spain currently participates in all of the European Partnerships, demonstrating the country’s global interest and commitment in all thematic areas. Spain's participation is carried out through different national (AEI, CEDTI, ISCIII, etc.) and regional funding agencies (Innobasque, SPRI, etc.) depending on the thematic area.

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Source: European Commission

MSCA and Citizens projects