Portugal secures record funding in Call Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks Call

Portuguese institutions secured more than €12 million in Call Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA DN), corresponding to 2.73% of the total funding. A total of 1,066 consortia of institutions submitted proposals to Call, with 128 proposals being 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 DNs are a Horizon Europe instrument for funding international doctoral programs, requiring consortia with a minimum of three institutions from three different countries. Like the other Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, they aim to train and develop researchers' careers through three dimensions of mobility: between countries, between the academic and non-academic sectors, and between disciplines.

Funding obtained by Portuguese institutions under this Horizon Europe instrument has been increasing steadily: €6.61 million was obtained in 2021, €7.91 million in 2022, and €12.09 million in 2023 . The percentage of total funding raised has also increased, from 1.63% in 2021 to 1.84% in 2022 and 2.73% in 2023.

The national success rate has also been approaching the European Union average success rate. In Call 2023 Call the success rate of Portuguese institutions was 12.50%, very close to the European average of 12.71%.

The next Call DN Call is expected to be open between May 29 and November 27 this year. As in previous years, FCT will hold an information session about this Call , subsequently, a proposal writing workshop for applicants. Both initiatives will be announced in due course via FCT's Horizon Europecontact list and FCT's news page.

The FCT is responsible for promoting Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions in Portugal, regularly holding information sessions and proposal writing workshops. It is also responsible for representing Portugal on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Program Configuration Committee, within the European Union.