Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA)
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) provide grants for doctoral candidates and highly experienced researchers. The purpose is to encourage transnational, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary mobility. The MSCA enables universities, research centres, and companies to host talented foreign researchers and create strategic partnerships with leading institutions worldwide.
The MSCA is open to all domains of research and innovation, from basic research to market take-up and innovation services. Research and innovation fields are chosen freely by the applicant (individuals and/or organisations) in a fully 'bottom-up' manner. MSCA consists of five actions: Doctoral Networks, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Staff Exchanges, COFUND and MSCA & Citizens.
Doctoral Networks (DN)
Doctoral Networks support competitively selected joint research training and/or doctoral programmes, implemented by European partnerships of universities, research institutions, and non-academic organisations. The research training programmes provide experience outside academia, hence developing innovation and employability skills. Doctoral Networks include industrial doctorates, in which non-academic organisations have an equal role to universities regarding the researcher's time and supervision, and joint doctoral degrees delivered by several universities. Furthermore, non-European organisations can participate as additional partners in Doctoral Networks, enabling doctoral-level candidates to gain experience outside Europe during their training.
Doctoral Networks on the European Commission's webpage
Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF)
Postdoctoral Fellowships support the mobility of experienced researchers within and beyond Europe, as well as helping to attract the best foreign researchers to work in the EU. The grant usually covers two years' salary, a mobility allowance, research costs, and overheads for the host institution. Individual researchers submit proposals for funding in liaison with their planned host organisation. Proposals are judged on their research quality, the researcher's future career prospects, and the support offered by the host organisation.
Postdoctoral Fellowships on the European Commission's webpage
Supervise a Postdoctoral Fellow
The Research Support Office has prepared a guide for researchers interested in supervising an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow. The guide includes tips on how to find a postdoctoral candidate, writing the application and increasing your chances of being successful. Also, be sure to follow the KTH routine regarding applications for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.
Become a supervisor for an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow – step by step
Application routine and support for supervisors
Staff Exchanges (RISE)
Staff Exchanges support the short-term mobility of research and innovation staff at all career levels, from the most junior (post-graduate) to the most senior (management), including administrative and technical staff. It is open to partnerships of universities, research institutions, and non-academic organisations both within and outside of Europe. In worldwide partnerships, academia-to-academia exchanges are permitted.
Staff exchange on the European Commission's webpage
COFUND
The MSCA offer additional funding to regional, national and international programmes for research training and career development. COFUND programmes encourage the movement of researchers across borders and provide good working conditions. The scheme can support doctoral and fellowship programmes.
COFUND on the European Commission's webpage
MSCA and Citizens (European Researchers' Night)
The objective of the MSCA and Citizens action is to bring research and researchers closer to the public at large, with a focus notably on families, pupils, and students. It does so through the organisation of the European Researchers’ Night, a research communication and promotion event taking place across EU Member States the last Friday in September every year.
In Sweden, the Researchers' Night is called Forskarfredag and is coordinated by Public & Science (VA). The activities take various forms, such as hands-on experiments, science shows, debates, competitions, or quizzes.
MSCA & Citizens/European Researchers’ Night on the European Commission's webpage