The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the EU flagship programme for the training, mobility and career development of researchers in all scientific domains (‘bottom-up’), at all stages of their careers and from all over the world. They encourage transnational, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility with a specific focus on skills fostering innovation, employability and entrepreneurship. The MSCA also support excellent doctoral programmes and networks, including industrial doctorates and joint doctorates. The MSCA are at the crossroad between the European Education Area and the European Research Area.
The applicants to MSCA can be individual researchers or institutions managing programmes, depending on the action. Academic organisations account for 74% of the total participation in MSCA in all Member States countries and universities represent 57% of all participation. Overall, 56% of the total MSCA budget is dedicated to Innovative Training Networks, i.e. to doctoral programmes mainly implemented by universities.
The MSCA have supported since its creation 25 years ago almost 140,000 researchers and will have supported near 65,000 researchers just for Horizon 2020 (since 2014), including 25,000 PhDs, and have funded over 1000 excellent international doctoral networks. They effectively train excellent, creative and innovative researchers contributing to important scientific breakthroughs. Evidence shows that the MSCA have a positive impact on individual researchers by promoting their international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary (“3-i”) mobility. But the MSCA also have a positive impact on organisations and at the system level. The MSCA have a structuring effect on Europe’s research and innovation capacity and practices by inspiring institutional reforms at the national level, making Europe an attractive and competitive global location for researchers.
News:
- Six Western Balkans universities involved in new European Universities Alliances (Erasmus+ 2024)
- 60 new COST Actions approved in May 2024
- The new Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) Board includes the Former Chair of the Western Balkans Chapter
- The POLICY ANSWERS Western Balkans Mobility Scheme for Early-Career Researchers is Waiting for Your Application!
- Visegrad Fund and Western Balkans Fund launch Joint Fellowship Programme
- Pre-Announcement of the POLICY ANSWERS Western Balkans Mobility Scheme for Early-Career Researchers
Events:
- MSCA Success Stories from the Western Balkans: Regional Awareness Raising Event
- Marie Curie Alumni Association Conference 2025
- Call info day: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks 2024
- Research Management and Administration (RMA) Network: V4+WB Training School in Banja Luka
- COST Call 2024 Info Day – Montenegro
Calls:
- Western Balkans-Visegrad Fellowships 2024
- Western Balkans Mobility Scheme: A POLICY ANSWERS Pilot Programme – Call for Experts (Closed)
- Call for bilateral projects: Montenegro – Slovenia (2025-26)
Documents:
- [Focus Article] Researcher Mobility in the Western Balkans – Raising Awareness in the Region
- Western Balkans Mobility Scheme: A POLICY ANSWERS Pilot Programme – Guide for Applicants