34 Volume 7 | Research News, Dublin Institute of Technology
New EU funding opportunities
In the last European Framework programme (FP7) researchers could apply for funding to support their movement from one country to another, from one HEI to another and within and between academia and industry as well as other schemes designed to help them make a career out of research. This programme was known as the Marie-Curie Programme and it has been brought into the Horizon 2020 programme largely unchanged but with a new name.
Marie Curie Actions are now known as Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) recognising the renowned scientist’s Polish nationality—she was born in Warsaw. MSCAs come under the “Excellent Science” pillar of Horizon 2020 and over €6bn will be available for funding over the lifetime of Horizon 2020. The objective of the MSCA is to support the career development and training of researchers—with a focus on innovation skills—in all scientific disciplines through worldwide and cross-sector mobility.
For this, the MSCA provide grants at all stages of researchers’ careers, from PhD candidates to highly experienced researchers, and encourage transnational, intersectoral and interdisciplinary mobility. The MSCA will become the main EU programme for doctoral training, funding 25,000 PhDs. Several MSCA initiatives promote the involvement of industry and other organisations in doctoral and postdoctoral research.