Meeting Summary Note of Joint Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Event

UKRO, Universities UK International (UUKi) and the European Commission were delighted to welcome participants to an in-person event on the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA).

Held on Wednesday 26 June at University College London, the event aimed to communicate the range of MSCA funding opportunities and encourage increased participation in these schemes for researchers and innovators based in the UK.

The following report summarises the meeting sessions, with a list of resources and presentations at the end.

Celebrating the UK’s Association to Horizon Europe

The first plenary session highlighted the UK’s association with Horizon Europe, with contributions from key figures including Professor Christopher Smith (Executive Chair for AHRC and UKRI International Champion), Claire Morel (Head of the MSCA Unit, European Commission), and Cyril Robin-Champigneul (Research and Innovation Counsellor, EU Delegation to the UK). The speakers underscored:

  • The UK is in a strong position due to sustained engagement during the non-association period and the delivery of the UKRI Horizon Europe Guarantee.
  • The UK’s exemplary performance in the Horizon 2020 MSCA programme, which secured EUR 1.6 billion across diverse disciplines.
  • However, participants were encouraged to increase engagement across all MSCA schemes to maximise the benefits of the UK’s renewed association.

The Marie Skłodowska Curie funding scheme is the only Horizon Europe funding scheme named after an individual. Marie Skłodowska Curie, a Polish national, moved to France to study Physics and Mathematics under strenuous circumstances. Despite her struggles, her commitment to research never wavered.  Her discoveries of radioactivity and the new elements Polonium and Radium won her Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry. The ethos of MSCA schemes reflect this extraordinary woman’s achievements and her dedication to contribute to science through training at a new location.

MSCA Implementation – Key aspects of applications

In the second session, speakers addressed the implementation of MSCA, with a view to equipping participants with key basic knowledge on MSCA and the available UK mechanisms to support the recruitment of MSCA-funded researchers and their UK visa application process.

Diana Shugay Grybovska (European Commission) outlined the key steps for a MSCA application, provided an overview over the MSCA novelties and explained the MSCA background policies.

Gabrielle Newson (Global Mobility Team, UKRI) outlined the Global Talent Visa process for incoming MSCA researchers, while Oonagh Collins (EURAXESS) introduced the EURAXESS platform for finding MSCA opportunities and support resources for early- stage researchers (ESRs).

Deep dive into the different Actions

The third session offered in-depth views on various MSCA funding streams, with a focus on supporting doctoral and postdoctoral training and cross-sector mobility. Key speakers included:

  • Doctoral Networks: Audrey Arfi (Research Executive Agency) discussed the three types of Doctoral Networks (Standard, Industrial, and Joint), along with eligibility and application tips. Previous awardees under this scheme, Prof. Carsten Welsch and Dr. Richard Mole, shared their experiences in managing networks and crafting successful applications.
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships: Fredrik Olsson Hector (REA) reviewed the scheme, noting UK’s high success rates in securing funding, particularly in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Former fellows, Dr. Jason Stafford and Dr. Magda Theodoridou, highlighted the scheme’s role in advancing their careers through training and research.
  • Staff Exchanges, COFUND and Citizens Schemes: Monika Holik (REA) described the Staff Exchanges scheme, emphasising its knowledge exchange and collaboration benefits. Svitlana Surodina (SME SKEIN) shared insights from participating in two Staff Exchanges projects from the industry perspective. Anne Nierobisch provided clarity on the MSCA COFUND scheme and addressed common misconceptions. In particular, she highlighted that the COFUND scheme does not require a specific co-funding contribution from those applying and any contribution from participants could also take the form of monetized ‘in-kind contribution’ such as the use of facilities or supervision.

This session ended with a list of UK-specific resources for those interested in applying to the MSCA scheme, and we were also reminded that the UK MSCA National Contact Points provide free advisory services to UK-based applicants and could be contacted via mariecurie-uk@ukro.ac.uk.

There is support available for UK researchers from all sectors interested in applying to the MSCA funding schemes. It doesn’t matter whether you are a first-time applicant with no prior experience of Horizon Europe or a veteran applicant; which research discipline or sector you belong to – the UK MSCA National Contact Points are happy to support your application. 

The ongoing benefits from holding an MSCA Award

The final session explored the long-term benefits of MSCA funding, including the impact on the UK research landscape and international collaborations.

Dajana Dzanovic (UK Universities International)  highlighted the impact of the MSCA schemes on the UK Research and Innovation landscape and advocated for continued UK engagement in MSCA schemes.

Quentin Loisel and Maria Magdalena Razalan represented the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), with 22,000 members worldwide, organised in 36 geographical chapters and several working groups. The MCAA is an international non-profit organization established and supported by the European Commission. They highlighted the benefits of being part of the broader MCAA community as MSCA awardees, and the instrumental role that MCAA plays in supporting researchers in their careers.

In summary – celebrating a positive future outlook

The in-person nature of the event allowed participants to network and meet with representatives from the European Commission, UKRI, UUKi and other key stakeholders of the UK MSCA ecosystem. Time spent in breaks and networking was full of lively and fruitful discussions about future opportunities and collaborations and the value of MSCA as a funding and training mechanism for the UK research and innovation sector.

Every Euro invested in this scheme is an investment in the future of R&I, through investing in people and giving them the best training, research as well as cross-sectoral mobility and other experiences necessary to become well-equipped researchers.

We warmly thank all our speakers and participants for being a part of such a vibrant event, and look forward to supporting your future applications to MSCA schemes.

Presentations

The recordings of the different sessions will be uploaded once available.

Celebrating the UK’s Association to Horizon Europe

MSCA Implementation – things you should know before starting your applications

Deep dive into the different Actions

MSCA Doctoral training networks 

The MSCA Doctoral Networks Schemes, Audrey Arfi, Head of Sector for MSCA Doctoral Networks, Research Executive Agency.
MSCA Doctoral Networks Case study 1, Prf. Carsten Welsch, University of Liverpool.
MSCA Doctoral Networks Case study 2, Dr. Richard Mole, University College London.

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

Opportunities and capacity building through Staff Exchanges (and briefly, COFUND, MCSA Citizens Schemes)

The ongoing benefits from holding an MSCA Award

Support for Applicants

Applicants can contact the UK MSCA NCP for free advice at mariecurie-uk@ukro.ac.uk.

Interested parties are also invited to check out the resources indicated below.

Further Reading/Resources

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

MSCA Doctoral Network

We also invite you to check out our previous case studies who presented at our MSCA Doctoral Networks 2023 webinars .

MSCA Staff Exchanges

MSCA COFUND

 

Tags: MSCA