Marie Curie Research Fellowship Programme has already provided funding to over 80 000 researchers. The programme, renewed for 2014-2020, supports researchers’ mobility and career development and is open to all research fields, to both private and public organisations, to all career levels, and to any nationality. This presentation focuses on two schemes: IF - Individual Fellowships and ITN - Innovative Training Networks.

1. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
on Skills, Training
and Career Development
Horizon 2020 National Contact Point
Luxembourg
July 2014

2. Her birthplace
in Warsaw.
La Sorbonne,
where she
studied
Physical
Science.
Her thesis
director,
Gabriel
Lippmann.
Pierre and
Marie Curie.
Maria Skłodowska…

3. EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation
Excellent Science Industrial Leadership Societal Challenges

4. MARIE SKLODOWSKA CURIE ACTIONS

5. Key features
Mobility of researchers
from all over the world
Both junior and senior, at
any career stage
Focus on training and
career development
Financing rate 100%
Allowances (for fellow)
and management/training
costs (for host)
Competitive calls
Independent evaluators
Subjects: all (bottom-up)
Type: all (From basic research
up to market take-up)
817, 40 m € in 2014
757,54 m € in 2015

6. Sectors: academic vs non-academic
Academic sector: public or private
HEI awarding academic degrees,
public or private non-profit
research organisations,
International European interest
organisations
Non-academic sector: any socio-
economic actor not included in the
academic sector definition

7. Beneficiary vs partner organisation
Beneficiaries signatories of the
grant agreement (with the EC/REA)
Partner organisations not signing
the grant agreement (but commit to
beneficiaries)

8. Early stage and Experienced Researchers
Early Stage Researcher
In the first 4 years (full-time equivalent) research experience of their
career and not awarded a PhD at the time of their recruitment.
Experienced Researcher
At call deadline, be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least
four years of full-time equivalent research experience.

9. Mobility rule
Researcher must not have lived, worked or
studied in the country of their host organisation
for more than 12 months in the 3 years
immediately before the recruitment.
That’s it. No restrictions based on nationality.
The case of Italy 

10. Associated Countries Albania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Faroe Island
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Iceland
Israel
Moldova
Montenegro
Norway
Serbia
Turkey
Changes since FP7
Croatia: Member State 
Liechtenstein: out
Third country status for Switzerland
Negotiations ongoing with Armenia +
Ukraine

11. MSCA: four major instruments
IF
Experienced
Researchers
Individual fellowship supporting experienced
researchers undertaking mobility
RISE
Exchange of
Staff
International and inter-sector cooperation through
research and innovation staff exchange
COFUND Co-funding of regional, national and international
programmes funding doctoral and postdoctoral
researchers
ITN
Early-Stage
Researchers
Innovative networks supporting early-stage training
(Including Industrial doctorates & Joint doctorates)

12. ITN: INNOVATIVE TRAINING NETWORKS

13. Innovative Training Networks
International network of partners. They recruit and host ESRs based on
joint research training or doctoral programme.
Training through individual research projects within the framework of
the overall research topic.
Involvement of “non-academic sector” strongly encouraged.
Typical project duration 48 months; recruitment: 3 – 36 months

14. ETN | European Training Network
A general training programme (no PhD training)
• At least 3 beneficiaries from at least 3 MS/AC (but:
6-10 recommended),
• Each recruits at least 1 ESR
• Partner organisations can associate themselves
• Participation of non-academic organisations
welcome!
Maximum of 540 researcher-months per Network
Budget: EUR 349,68m (2014)
ITN
ETN EID EJD

15. EJD | European Joint Doctorates
To promote cooperation between universities
• At least 3 beneficiaries, all entitled to deliver doctoral degrees
• Joint doctoral programmes
• Single degree by two or more institutions
• Double degree by two or more institutions
• Mandatory joint governance structure and supervision
Maximum of 540 researcher-months
Budget: EUR 30 m (2014)
ITN
ETN EIDEJD

16. EID | European Industrial Doctorate
ITN
A Doctoral degree in collaboration with the non-academic sector
• At least 2 beneficiaries from at least 2 MS/AC
• (More beneficiaries possible for “multiple EID”)
• At least 1 beneficiary entitled to award doctoral degree; at least 50%
of time spent in non-academic sector
• Joint selection, training and supervision
Maximum of 540 researcher-months
(Except if only 2 beneficiaries: 180 researcher-months)
Separate panel: EUR 25,5m (2014)
ETN EIDEJD

17. ITN | Funding
EU contribution based on unit costs
expressed in person-months, paid by
host institution
(Calculated automatically)
*Country Correction Coefficient (for
living allowance only!)
Family allowance: determined at
beginning and not changed during
project
Top-up possible.
Under-payment strictly forbidden!
Researcher Unit Cost
Person/month
Institutional unit cost
Person/month
Living
allowance*
Mobility
allowance
Family
allowance
Research,
training and
networking
costs
Management
and indirect
costs
3 110 600 500 1 800 1 200

18. http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/

19. IF – INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIPS

20. The Researcher
Looking for opportunities in or outside
Europe, for an independent project, to
help move forward (or resume) their
career
Experienced Researcher at time of
deadline, possess a PhD OR at least 4
years FTE (full time equivalent) research
experience
Any nationality

21. The Host Institution
Academic, non-academic, International
European Interest Organisation (IEIO)
Recruits the ER under conditions
established in Grant Agreement (contract of
employment)
Appoints the supervisor

22. European Fellowships
Coming from anywhere (MS,
AC, TC) to a host organisation
in Europe (MS/AC)
12-24 months
“Coming to or moving within
Europe.”

23. Global Fellowships
1
2
Outgoing Phase:
secondment to partner
organisation in Third Country
(TC)
12-24 months
outgoing
+ 12 months return
phase (mandatory)
Return period: to host
organisation (beneficiary) in
Member State (MS) or
Associated Country (AC)
“First go anywhere in the
world, but then come back
to Europe.”

24. Secondments as “default option” for European
fellowships
It is now much easier to include
secondments in the Individual Fellowship.
• They can last 3-6 months, depending
on the fellowship duration.
• They must be planned and described
at proposal stage already.

25. IF | Funding
Researcher Unit Cost
Person/month
Institutional unit cost
Person/month
Living
allowance*
Mobility
allowance
Family
allowance
Research,
training and
networking
costs
Management
and indirect
costs
4 650 600 500 800 650
EU contribution based on unit costs
expressed in person-months, paid by
host institution
(Calculated automatically)
*Country Correction Coefficient (for
living allowance only!)
Family allowance: determined at
beginning and not changed during
project
Top-up possible.
Under-payment strictly forbidden and
rigourously controlled

26. EVALUATION

27. Evaluation and Panels
8 main scientific panels
Chemistry (CHE), Social Sciences and Humanities
(SOC), Economic Sciences (ECO)
Information Science and Engineering (ENG), Life
Science (LIF), Mathematics (MAT), Physics (PHY)
2 multidisciplinary panels
For EF only Career Restart
Panel
Not active in research
for min. 12 months
Mobility rule: in host
country max 3 years in
last 5 years
Reintegration
Panel
Long-time resident or
national of MS/AC,
taking up a position in
MS/AC. If not
European, researcher
must have been active
in Europe for at least 5
consecutive years
before leaving Europe
No minimum period
outside Europe

28. Excellence
Quality, innovation and credibility of the research
programme
Quality of supervision and hosting
IF: Clarity and quality of transfer of knowledge
IF: Capacity of the researcher to reach a position of
professional maturity
ITN: Quality of the proposed interaction between the
participating organisations

29. Impact
Help individuals realize their potential, develop their skills,
provide them with career perspectives
Effective communication and dissemination of results
ITN: Help structure research training, strengthen the
European innovation capacity.
A contribution of the non-academic sector to the research
training
The development of joint doctoral degree structures (for
EJD).

30. Implementation
The work plan is coherent and effective, tasks and
resources are allocated appropriately
Management and procedure is appropriate, quality and risk
management are included
The institutional environment (infrastructure) is appropriate
The organizations complement each other, they are
committed institutionally

31. Scores and Weighting (an example)
Criterion Score Weight Weighted Score
Excellence 3 50% 1,5
Impact 4 30% 1,2
Implementation 3,5 20% 0,7
Total score expressed out of 5
(threshold 3,5)
3,4
Total score expressed out of 100
(threshold 70%)
68

32. Call schedules and funding envelopes
Programme Opens Closes Envelope
ITN
11/12/2013 09/04/2014 € 405,18 m
02/09/2014 13/01/2015 € 370 m
IF
12/03/2014 11/09/2014 € 240,5 m
12/03/2015 10/09/2015 €213 m
RISE
11/12/2013 24/04/2014 € 70 m
06/01/2015 28/04/2015 € 80 m
Download the iCalender file from the Participant portal for an
overview of all H2020 call deadlines in your Outlook calendar

33. "After all, science is
essentially
international, and it
is only through lack
of the historical
sense that national
qualities have been
attributed
to it."

34. Further reference
Horizon2020 Participant Portal – for all information, updates, etc
Work Programme Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, 2014-2015, URL
Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation, Reguation (EU) 1290/2013, URL
Model Grant Agreements, URL
Proposal Templates: ITN, IF
Standard Evaluation Forms: ITN, IF
From Face to Face, Portraits of Marie Curie Fellows, European
Commission, 2012, URL
Fact Sheet IP management in Marie Curie Actions, IPR Helpdesk,
August 2012, URL
Horizon 2020 Helpdesk (Research Enquiry Service)
Register as an Horizon 2020 evaluator

35. Contact
Luxembourg Horizon 2020 National Contact Point
T (+352) 43 62 63 – 1
Ncp.horizon2020@luxinnovation.lu
www.horizon2020.lu