Portugal receives record funding from Call European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks
Portuguese institutions received more than €12 million in the 2023 Call of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA DN), which corresponds to 2.73% of the total funding. A total of 1, 066 consortia of institutions applied to Call and 128 proposals were selected for funding. Five of the winning proposals are coordinated by Portuguese institutions: one from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, two from Universidade do Minho, one from Universidade Coimbra and another from ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. Overall, Portuguese institutions participate in 32 winning consortia.
MSCA DN is a Horizon Europe instrument for funding international doctoral programs, requiring consortia of at least three institutions from three different countries. Like the other Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, they aim to train and develop the careers of researchers through three dimensions of mobility: between countries, between the academic and non-academic sectors and between disciplines.
The funding raised by Portuguese institutions under this Horizon Europe instrument has been increasing consistently: in 2021 €6.61 million was raised, in 2022 €7.91 million and in 2023 €12 .09 million. The percentage of total funding raised has also increased, with 1.63% in 2021, 1.84% in 2022 and 2.73% in 2023.
The national success rate has also been getting closer to the European Union average. At Call in 2023, the success rate of Portuguese institutions was 12.50%, very close to the European average of 12.71%.
The next Call MSCA DN should be open between May 29 and November 27 this year. As it has done in previous years, FCT will be holding an information session on Call and then a proposal writing workshop for applicants. Both initiatives will be announced in due course via the FCTcontact list for Horizon Europe and the FCT news page.
FCT is responsible for promoting the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions in Portugal, holding regular information sessions and proposal writing workshops. It is also responsible for representing Portugal on the Configuration Committee of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Program at the European Union.
FCT News