In the spotlight
Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions announce €1.25 billion to support cutting‑edge research and a new ‘Choose Europe for Science’ pilot initiative
The European Commission has announced new calls under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) in 2025. This year, the MSCA will provide organisations and researchers with over €1.25 billion to fund doctoral and postdoctoral programmes and collaborative research and innovation projects through various calls supporting around 10,000 researchers.
In her recent speech at La Sorbonne, President von der Leyen underscored Europe's ambition to remain “a continent where scientific freedom is protected, where research talent is nurtured, and where innovation can flourish”. The new funding round puts that vision into action by introducing the MSCA ‘Choose Europe for Science' pilot, which will position Europe as a leading destination for researchers by offering excellent working conditions and strong career
See also : MSCA Choose Europe for Science pilot
MSCA News
MSCA and Frontiers for Young Minds publish call for abstracts for young fellows
The MSCA is looking for 12 excellent abstracts (between 200 and 300 words) that will later be turned into 12 engaging short papers (1500 words) with the help of young reviewers between the ages of 8 to 15. This is a unique chance to boost your science communication skills, while making your research accessible to a young audience.
The deadline for applications is 31 July 2025, 12.00 CEST.
See also : Application form
End-of-fellowship surveys reveal career paths of MSCA alumni
All researchers participating in MSCA projects must complete an evaluation questionnaire, immediately after the fellowship, and a follow-up questionnaire two years later. The European Commission regularly publishes the latest results of these two questionnaires.
The 2025 report notably looks at results according to different scientific fields, and provides insights into the experiences, skill development and career paths of MSCA researchers.
MSCA continue to boost research careers and EU competitiveness, according to Horizon Europe midterm evaluation
The European Commission’s interim evaluation of the Horizon Europe confirms the important role played by the MSCA in advancing excellent science, supporting research careers and strengthening the competitiveness of the European Research Area (ERA).
9 out of 10 surveyed researchers report that participating in the MSCA helped them obtain a research position with better career prospects.
MSCA awards €99.5 million for international research cooperation projects
The European Commission will fund 83 projects selected under the MSCA Staff Exchanges 2024 call, with a budget of €99.5 million.
These collaborative projects connect academic and non-academic organisations, allowing exchanged staff to gain new knowledge, skills and career development perspectives, while participating organisations increase their research and innovation capacities.
SAFE project to award 56 fellowships to researchers at risk
The “Supporting at-risk researchers with fellowships in Europe” (SAFE) project will provide up to 2-year fellowships for 56 international academics at risk to continue their research in the European Union.
The SAFE project is the latest EU initiative to support researchers at risk and test the feasibility of a European fellowship scheme in the future.
Funding opportunities
New MSCA Seal of Excellence scheme kicks off in Estonia
The Estonian Research Council (ETAG) has opened a new call for projects that were awarded an MSCA Seal of Excellence under the Postdoctoral Fellowships call and whose proposals have been evaluated with a score of at least 85% but failed to be funded due to budget constraints.
Deadline : 08/09/2025
MSCA opens €404.3 million call for Postdoctoral Fellowships
Postdoctoral Fellowships aim to improve the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD. They will help researchers acquire new skills, develop their careers, and gain international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral experience by working in another country.
These prestigious fellowships are also a stepping stone in researchers’ careers. They allow them to strengthen research cooperation with leading scientific teams and figures worldwide.
Deadline : 10/09/2025
See also : Tips and tricks to apply