€800m to support training and mobility

The European Commission has published the first tranche of funding for research grants totalling €800m in 2014 under the new Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

The first calls are targeted at research organisations, universities, companies and NGOs. Overall, the MSCAs will receive more than €6bn during Horizon 2020.

The MSCA are under the responsibility of Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. She said: “We are building on a great success story since the launch of the MSCA scheme in 1996. In the next seven years we will be able to fund a total of 65 000 researchers, who will make a vital contribution to science and innovation in Europe.”

Research institutes, universities, companies and NGOs involved in research can apply for funding through the MSCA’s Innovative Training Networks, which are aimed at early-stage researchers without a PhD. The training provides experience outside academia to develop transversal skills to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship and employability Non-European organisations can also take part in the Innovative Training Networks (ITNs), enabling doctoral-level candidates to gain experience outside Europe.

ITNs have the largest share of the MSCA budget, awarding more than €400 million under this call. Of this amount, €25.5 million will be allocated to European Industrial Doctorates and €30 million to European Joint Doctorates.