ABOUT MSCA
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Developing talents, advancing research
Marie Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, MSCA for short, are part of Horizon Europe and are the European Union’s flagship funding programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. The MSCA is managed by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) on behalf of the European Commission.
2026 marks a key milestone for MSCA. 2026 is the 30th anniversary of the MSCA! You can visit the anniversary website here.
MSCA’s objective is to fund excellent research and innovation equipping researchers in different career stages developing their skills and knowledge through mobility across borders, sectors and disciplines. The MSCA aims to help build Europe’s research and innovation capacity by investing in long-term careers of outstanding researchers.
In addition the MSCA funds the development of excellent doctoral and postdoctoral training programmes and collaborative research projects worldwide. The MSCA promotes excellence and set standards for high-quality researcher education and training in accordance with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers.
The MSCA programme leans on the following principles:
- Excellence
- Mobility
- Bottom-up and open to the world
- Excellent recruitment, working conditions and inclusiveness
- Effective supervision and career guidance
- Open Science and responsible research and innovation
- European Green deal
- Synergies
You can read more about the MSCA here.
Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA)
Bridging minds, building futures. An alumni network beyond research
MCAA is an international non-profit organisation and alumni community for those who currently benefit or have before benefitted from the EU’s MSCA research funding.
The MSCAA community brings together MSCA alumni from varied career stages, disciplines and sectors. MCAA emphasises diversity and the positive impact to be spread through research in all areas of society. They offer their members professional development, networking and advocacy opportunities.
MCAA has 24 000+ members and 50+ chapters and working groups
The MCAA was established and is supported by the European Commission but it mostly run by volunteer members.
Their vision: To create an inclusive and sustainable research environment that enables knowledge to benefit society.
Mission: To bring together the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) community, support the career development of present and past MSCA beneficiaries at all career stages, and be a voice for researchers across regions and disciplines.
Read more about the MCAA from their website.
Finland Chapter
Finland has their own MCAA chapter founded in 2025! They invite you to join their chapter if interested in networking, increasing awareness and visibility of the MCAA in the region and supporting new MCAA members as they settle into life and research in Finland.