H2020: Pillar 1 – Excellent Science

Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions

The Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions fund the development of researchers and research mobility across the EU and beyond. Innovative Training Networks (ITN) are international and intersectoral networks of HEIs and partners for training new Early Career Researchers (ECR). International Fellowships (IF) are individual fellowships for postdoctoral researchers to travel to a host institution either within the EU or elsewhere. Research and Innovation Staff Exchanges (RISE) are intersectoral and/or international staff exchanges.

For more details on eligibility, applicant profiles, and the application process, see the Work Programme for MSCA available here.

See the Research Professional listing of MCSA opportunities.

Marie Skłodowska Curie Individual Fellowships

Marie Skłodowska Curie Individual Fellowships are an excellent opportunity for researchers of any age, nationality or discipline to obtain and transfer new knowledge and to work on research in a European context or outside Europe. Here at WIT we actively welcome expressions of interest from suitable candidates who would like to work with our researchers to apply to become a Marie Curie Fellow.

WIT was the first Institute of Technology in Ireland to receive the "HR Excellence in Research" designation, identifying us as a provider of a high standard working environment for researchers. Internally, the Research Support Unit has a dedicated EU Research Programmes officer to assist all researchers in identifying and applying for future funding opportunities.

Types of MSCA Fellowships

There are 2 types of fellowships:

• European Fellowships are held in EU Member States or Associated Countries and are open to researchers either coming to Europe or moving within Europe for a period of 12 to 24 months.

• Global Fellowships: This action enhances the international dimension of European researchers’ careers by financing research projects to be carried out in two different countries. This action is based on a secondment to a third country (from 12 to 24 months) and a mandatory 12 month return period to a European host institution.

 Eligible Researchers

• The researcher must be an Experienced Researcher: s/he must, at the deadline for the submission of proposals, be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience.

• The researcher may be of any nationality.

• The researcher must comply with the following mobility rule: the researcher must not have resided or carried out the main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the deadline for submission of proposals. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.

Note: In the Career Restart Panel (CAR) and Reintegration Panel (RI) the researcher must not have resided or carried out the main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organisation for more than 3 years in the 5 years immediately prior to the deadline for submission of proposals

MSCA Innovative Training Networks

The Innovative Training Networks (ITN) aim to train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers (PhD students), able to face current and future challenges and to convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit. ITN will raise excellence and structure research and doctoral training, extending the traditional academic research training setting, and equipping researchers with the right combination of research-related and transferable competences. It will provide enhanced career perspectives in both the academic and non-academic sectors through international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility combined with an innovation-oriented mind-set.

A typical Innovative Training Network (ITN) is a consortium of host organisations from the academic and non-academic sectors, including organisations based in Member States and Associated countries. If necessary, the ITN can also include participants from host organisations outside Europe. For more information click here.

MSCA National Contact Points
	Geraldine Canny - MSCA Support for SFI Centres [email protected] 01-7996028

Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions: Career-FIT+

Career-FIT PLUS aims to enhance the training and mobility of Experienced Researchers through the undertaking of individually-driven, market-focused research projects which will be centered around the domain areas of the designated Technology Centres and Technology Gateways.

Two calls for proposals will award a total of 50 Fellowships to highly skilled researchers to conduct a research project of 36 months in Ireland, including a secondment opportunity in an enterprise partner of the Technology Centre/Gateway.

The Career-FIT PLUS Fellows will have the unique opportunity to carry out research in areas of clear industry focus and gain first-hand experience in a company.

Researchers awarded a Fellowship will be hosted and employed by a Third Level Institution associated with a Technology Centre/Gateway in Ireland.

Fellows will be guided by an experienced Academic mentor as well as a Company mentor who are concerned not just for their scientific progress but also their training and development in line with the agreed career goals.  They will further benefit from participation in a structured development training programme that targets enhancement of personal effectiveness as well as competencies relating to innovation management. For more information on the current calls visit: https://www.horizon2020.ie/career-fit-plus/ 

Career-FIT PLUS National Contact Points
	Micol Martinelli - Enterprise Ireland [email protected] 01-7272984