Marie Curie 2014-2020: The new structure

I know many of you are preparing your Marie Curie applications for August and can’t bear to think about 2014! For those of you who are interested in making an application to the Marie Curie scheme in 2014 and beyond, an insight into how these will look will be helpful.

So far Britain has had the most success with the scheme so far receiving  almost €800m in funding covering almost 3, 000 successful applications in a range of subjects.  BU is amongst this number and we hold more than 10 Marie Curie grants.  We have seen the benefits of Marie Curie Fellowships, just as other successful award holders have; with a recent study finding that 95% of Marie Curie fellows stay in touch with their international hosts actively after 5+ years.  86% confirmed that participating in Marie Curie projects had strengthen existing collaborations with the international partner organisation, so this scheme really is a great one to be involved in.

The  good news is that the strands will pretty much exist as they are, although the overarching labels and title are changing slightly which may leave you confused! The Marie Curie Scheme will be called Marie Skłodowska- Curie Actions in 2014 and will fall under the ‘Excellent Science’ pillar of Horizon 2020; this represents a new increased focus on the excellence of the host and candidate in Marie Curie actions moving forward. The aims of the scheme will remain the same and the budget is a healthy €5.75b (2014-2020).

The COFUND and ITN schemes will remain unchanged and the other schemes will be condensed into two – Individual Fellowships and RISE.

  • The ITN scheme is dedicated to early-stage researchers and involves a wide partnership of institutions from academic and non-academic sectors. It addresses the triple ‘I’ dimension of mobility – international, innovative, interdisciplinary – and combines scientific excellence with an innovation orientated approach. It focuses on developing entrepreneurship and skills matching research and innovation labour market needs and aims to enhance the employability of researchers in their chosen career.
  • Individual Fellowships will provide opportunities’ for international and intersector mobility of researchers to facilitate career moves. It encompasses intra-European, incoming, outgoing mobility as well as re-intergration and under Horizon 2020 there will the opportunity to undertake inter-sector secondments.
  •  The Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) scheme is a new type of exchange action to stimulate knowledge transfer. The scheme will be flexible allowing European and international exchanges of highly skilled research and innovation staff based on a common research project.
  • COFUND has regional, national and international programmes designed to foster excellence by spreading best practices of Marie Curie actions in terms of international mobility, research training and career development. It will be extended to doctoral training and will build on the experience of FP7 COFUND.

When I receive more information on this scheme, I will share it but in the meantime if you have any questions on the Marie Curie scheme, do get in touch.

5 Responses to “Marie Curie 2014-2020: The new structure”

  1. Jeyannathann Karunanithi

    I am pursuing my M.S in Chemical Engineering in India and would like to apply for Marie-Curie ITN program for Doctoral studies. Would like to know about the changes to expect . In addition to that , am interested in pursuing doctoral in Water/Waste Water/ Remediation/Water management.

    Hoping to hear about the possibility of new Marie Curie programs in this field and also about the Erasmust Mundus Doctoral programs of 2014.

  2. ana

    Thank you for sumerizing the information regarding to new strucure of MSCA
    I am planing to apply for the individual fellowship (IIF) within Marie Cuire Actions.
    As I understood there are some changes or updates comparing to previous years.
    I do not understand if an individual can apply for RISE as well. Which one is better the IIF or RISE for an individual career.

    Please, what means …… Horizon 2020 there will the opportunity to undertake inter-sector secondments.

  3. corrina

    Hi the IIF would be best. and intersectoral means moving between industry and academia. best of luck with your application!

  4. Katherine

    Wow, I was getting geared up to submit an international outgoing fellowship proposal, and since this is still advertised on the website, I foolishly assumed the call would be round about now and the deadline in August – as last year.

    Which of the new schemes is equivalent to it IOF? I am in contact with a potential outgoing lab in the US and a return host in europe. Is this how any of the Skłodowska- Curie Actions are structured now?.

    I would really appreciate any advice, but fear it may be too late this year

    Thanks,

    Katherine

  5. Mike

    Are there any updates for the Marie Curie Individual Fellowship, 2014? For example, does any one know the number of MSCA applicants relative to last year? I heard there were less when I was applying. The potential of receiving this funding mechanism is weighing on my decision for which postdoc to take in my home country (ie. a temporary or more permanent position). Thank you!