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MSCA Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN)

Aims to train creative, entrepreneurial, innovative and resilient doctoral candidates, able to face current and future challenges and to convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit.

What is MSCA-DN?

The MSCA Doctoral Networks programme (MSCA-DN) implements international partnerships from the academic and non-academic sectors and provides training and intersectoral mobility opportunities to highly skilled doctoral candidates. The MSCA-DN focuses on career development plan, supervision, training, research, and transferable skills.

The MSCA-DN raises the attractiveness and excellence of doctoral training in Europe, equips researchers with the right combination of research-related and transferable competencies, and provides them with enhanced career perspectives on both the academic and non-academic sectors through international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral mobility combined with an innovation-oriented mind-set.

Types of MSCA-DN programmes:

  • Standard (DN-ST): Training of doctoral candidates both in academic and non-academic organisations, with academic supervision.
  • Industrial Doctorates (DN-ID): Training of doctoral candidates both in academic and non-academic organisations with joint-supervision. Both organisations can be in the same EU Member State country or Horizon Europe Associated Country (e.g. Israel).
  • Joint Doctorates (DN-JD): Training of doctoral candidates both in academic and non-academic organisations with joint selection and supervision by the participating entities leading to joint/multiple doctoral degrees. Training will take place in different countries and in different disciplines; Pre-agreement for joint degrees is required.

Who can apply?

  • At least three independent legal entities ("Beneficiaries"), each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country (e.g. Israel), out of which minimum of one beneficiary from an EU Member State country. On top of this minimum, any entity from any other country in the world can join as "Associated Partners", without being eligible for receiving EU funding.
  • The consortium can consist of universities, research institutions and research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other socio-economic actors.
  • DN-ID: At least one beneficiary should be from the academic sector and at least one beneficiary should be from the non-academic sector.
  • For DN-JD: At least three independent legal entities must be entitled to award doctoral degrees, out of which, at least two institutes conferring a joint/multiple degrees must be established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Target group:

  • Doctoral candidates, i.e. researchers without a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment, of any nationality, that enrolled in a doctoral programme in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country during the project.

Duration:

  • Up to 360 person-months 
  • For DN-ID and DN-JD: Optional 180 additional person-months - a total of up to 540 person-months
  • The entire action duration is up to 4 years (48 months)
  • The duration of fellowship for each researcher is 3 - 36 months
  • For DN-ID: At least 50% of the fellowship duration will be in the non-academic sector
  • Secondments duration: Up to 1/3 of the entire researcher's fellowship duration
    • For DN-ID: The secondment can be in the same country as the academic host organisation

Conditions:

  • For DN-JD: At least three independent legal entities must be entitled to award doctoral degrees, out of which, at least two institutes conferring a joint/multiple degrees must be established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
  • The consortium will submit and recruit the doctoral candidates upon proposal approval. A minimum of 1 researcher recruitment per beneficiary with a total of up to 10 researchers for the standard programme - DN-ST, and up to 15 researchers for DN-ID and DN-JD.
  • For each recruited researcher, the supervising organisations together with the researcher will prepare a career development plan that will include the researcher's training plan, planned publications, teaching, career needs, and participation in conferences. The plan, established upon the researcher's recruitment, will be revised (and updated if needed) within 18 months.
  • Mobility Rule: 
    • Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.

Funding:

  • Contribution for the recruited researcher per person-month:
    • Living allowance: EUR 3 400 (total salary)*
    • Mobility allowance: EUR 600
    • If applicable, allowances for family, long-term leave, and special needs
  • Institutional unit contribution per person-month:
    • Research, training, and networking contribution: EUR 1 600
    • Management and indirect contribution: EUR 1 200

* Country correction coefficient is added to ensure equal treatment. Applicants hosting in Israel will add 7.2% to the living allowance - See country list for all correction coefficients.

Up to 40% of the grant budget can be allocated to beneficiaries from the same country.

For more information please refer to the MSCA-DN Applicable unit Contributions.

Calls:

  • 2024: 29 May – 27 November

* Resubmission Restrictions: Proposals with 70% or more of the same recruiting organizations in a prior MSCA Doctoral Networks submission under Horizon Europe that had a score of less than 80% will be assessed for resubmission. External evaluators will analyze objectives and scientific approach similarity

 

For more information on the call please refer to the full MSCA-DN work programme, the MSCA-DN Guide for Applicants and How to Apply to Horizon Europe MSCA.

 

Call Information

How ISERD can assist you:

  • Applicants may submit to the ISERD MSCA team their proposals to receive detailed evaluation feedback to improve their offer. Applicants may submit only full proposals, at least one month in advance of the call deadline.
  • Applicants may contact the ISERD MSCA team for guidance in the eligibility and submission requirements.
  • Partner Search: Search and post partner matching opportunities.

 

Further Information:

 

Contact Us

For questions regarding the call and its submission requirements please contact the MSCA team at ISERD.