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Strategic Analysis
A winning proposal under this call must construct an exceptionally cohesive training and research programme combining scientific excellence with structured inter-sectoral secondments. Competitive proposals will explicitly integrate emerging core competencies (generative AI, Open Science, and knowledge valorisation) with institutionalised adherence to the MSCA Supervision Guidelines and the MSCA Green Charter.
Implement doctoral programmes by partnerships of universities, research institutions, research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other socio-economic actors across Europe and beyond.
Carry out open, transparent and merit-based selection procedures for doctoral candidates in line with the European Charter for Researchers, including advertising vacancies internationally on EURAXESS with clear gross salary/tax indications.
Optionally implement Industrial Doctorates or Joint Doctorates with joint supervision and/or joint, double or multiple doctoral degree delivery.
Establish a clearly identified supervisory board co-ordinating network-wide training, research and supervision activities in line with the Guidelines for MSCA supervision.
Organise training activities focused on developing new scientific knowledge through original research, inter-/multidisciplinary fields, and transferable skills (digital, generative AI, Open Science, knowledge valorisation, entrepreneurship, research integrity), aligned with EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training.
Facilitate inter-sectoral secondments of researchers to other participating organisations, including in third countries, when relevant and feasible.
Establish and regularly update a Career Development Plan jointly between supervisor(s) and each recruited doctoral candidate within 18 months.
New research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects within and outside academia;
New knowledge allowing the conversion of ideas into products and services, where relevant;
Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as with the general public that will increase and broaden the research and innovation impact.
Improved quality, relevance and sustainability of doctoral training programmes and supervision arrangements;
Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines;
Increased integration of training and research activities between participating organisations;
Boosted R&I capacity;
Increased internationalisation and attractiveness;
Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education at participating organisations.
Strengthen Europe's human capital base in R&I by training highly-skilled doctoral candidates;
Improve the attractiveness of researchers’ careers notably through better working and employment conditions of doctoral candidates in Europe;
Enhance talent and knowledge circulation across the R&I landscape, through international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility;
Increase Europe's attractiveness as a leading research destination;
Enhance the quality of R&I contributing to Europe's sustainable competitiveness;
Establish sustainable collaboration between academic and non-academic organisations;
Foster the culture of open science, innovation and entrepreneurship.
European Charter for Researchers
highThe European Charter for Researchers sets out the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers and their employers to ensure attractive research careers and fair working conditions across the European Research Area.
It provides core principles for open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R), career development, and institutional support.
Evaluators expect doctoral network proposals to clearly commit to the principles of the Charter, describing open and transparent recruitment processes, fair working contracts, social security coverage, and healthy work-life balance for all recruited doctoral candidates.
EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training
highThe EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training define seven core principles to modernize doctoral education in Europe, emphasizing research excellence, attractive institutional environments, interdisciplinary research options, exposure to industry, international networking, transferable skills training, and quality assurance.
Evaluators look for structural integration of these seven principles into the joint training programme, notably structured transferable skills training, cross-sectoral secondments, interdisciplinary supervision, and international collaboration mechanisms.
Guidelines for MSCA supervision
highThe MSCA Guidelines on Supervision outline best practices to ensure high-quality mentoring and guidance for researchers funded under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
They establish mutual responsibilities between supervisors and researchers, promoting continuous professional development, mental health, and structured supervisory arrangements.
Evaluators expect a dedicated supervision strategy, including clear supervision arrangements, regular monitoring milestones (such as Career Development Plans), supervisor qualifications/experience, and institutional conflict-resolution procedures.
MSCA Green Charter
highThe MSCA Green Charter promotes sustainable research practices and environmental responsibility across all MSCA-funded projects.
It encourages consortia to minimize environmental impact, reduce travel emissions, implement green procurement, and raise awareness of sustainability.
Evaluators expect concrete, credible measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the network, such as sustainable travel policies, hybrid consortium meetings, green lab practices, and embedding environmental awareness in researcher training.
European Commission Code of Practice on industry-academia co-creation for knowledge valorisation
highThis Code of Practice promotes structured and sustainable partnerships between academic institutions and private industry to co-create innovation and facilitate knowledge transfer.
Evaluators expect balanced cross-sectoral engagement, demonstrated by well-structured non-academic secondments, joint industry-academia supervision, and co-designed research tasks reflecting mutual value creation.
Council Recommendation on the guiding principles for knowledge valorisation (EUR-Lex - 32022H2415)
mediumThe Council Recommendation establishes a common policy framework to maximize the societal and economic transformation of research and innovation outputs across the EU.
It encourages a broader understanding of valorisation covering open science, intellectual property management, multi-stakeholder co-creation, and citizen engagement.
Evaluators assess whether the proposal goes beyond academic dissemination to outline a robust pathway for valorising research results into societal, economic, or policy impacts, involving relevant non-academic partners.
European Commission Code of Practice on the management of intellectual assets for knowledge valorisation
mediumThis Commission Recommendation provides operational guidance to research organisations and researchers on managing intellectual assets, including IP rights, data, and know-how, within collaborative research activities.
Evaluators expect clear consortium governance concerning intellectual property ownership, access rights, background, and foreground management, alongside targeted IP training for doctoral candidates.
European Commission Code of Practice on citizen engagement for knowledge valorisation
mediumThis Code of Practice provides guidelines on engaging citizens, communities, and civil society actors in research and innovation processes to improve societal uptake and alignment of research results.
Evaluators expect well-defined public outreach, science communication, or participatory research activities that equip doctoral researchers with skills to involve society and diverse stakeholders effectively.
Choose Europe for Science initiative
mediumThe Choose Europe for Science initiative is an EU strategic effort aimed at attracting and retaining global scientific talent by showcasing the benefits and opportunities of European research careers.
Evaluators look for active international recruitment strategies aimed at drawing high-potential candidates worldwide to Europe, paired with institutional support structures for onboarding and mobility.
European Commission Code of Practice on standardisation in the European Research Area
lowThis Code of Practice offers guidance to researchers and project coordinators on identifying, integrating, and exploiting standardization opportunities from R&I projects.
Where research outputs touch upon standard-setting domains, evaluators look for concrete plans to link project findings to relevant standardisation bodies, pre-standardisation activities, or standardisation literacy training for researchers.
Specific requirements
Beneficiaries
At least 3 independent legal entities as beneficiaries, each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, at least one of them in an EU Member State.
Doctoral degree awarding
At least one participating organisation is entitled to award a doctoral degree. If no beneficiary is, a university or a consortium or grouping of academic or research institutions entitled to award a doctoral degree must be added as an associated partner or an associated partner linked to a beneficiary. DN-JD: at least 3 independent legal entities entitled to award doctoral degrees, at least one of the institutions conferring the joint, double or multiple degree established in an EU Member State or Associated Country, with a pre-agreement to award the degree provided at submission.
Recruitment by every beneficiary
Every beneficiary recruits at least one doctoral candidate and hosts and supervises the recruited researchers at its premises, or uses associated partners linked to it to do so.
Affiliated entities
Affiliated entities are not allowed to participate, as they cannot claim costs in MSCA Doctoral Networks.
40% rule
Not more than 40.0% of the EU contribution may be allocated to beneficiaries in the same country or to a single International European Research Organisation (IERO) or international organisation.
540 person-months
The overall EU contribution for an MSCA Doctoral Network is limited to a maximum of 540 person-months.
Durations
The action lasts at most 48 months from its starting date, including the time needed to recruit and select the doctoral candidates (60 months for Joint Doctorates). Each fellowship lasts 3 to 36 months on the basis of full-time employment (up to 48 months for Joint Doctorates).
Joint supervision
Joint supervision of the researchers is mandatory for Industrial Doctorates (by academic and non-academic organisations) and for Joint Doctorates, which also set up a joint governance structure with joint admission, selection, supervision, monitoring and assessment procedures.
Resubmission restriction
All proposals must indicate if they are resubmitted from the previous MSCA Doctoral Networks call. A proposal submitted to the previous call and scored below 80% must not be resubmitted the following year; a proposal involving 70% or more of the same recruiting organisations as such a proposal is assessed for resubmission, whatever the self-declaration.
Gender Equality Plan
Public bodies, higher education institutions and research organisations from EU Member States and Associated Countries need a Gender Equality Plan before grant signature.
Excluded participants
Eligibility to participate is subject to the restrictions for the protection of European communication networks and to the condition on the participation of Chinese universities linked to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), General Annex B.
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described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Described in the MSCA part of the Work Programme.
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
are described in MSCA part of the Work Programme.
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Specific MSCA evaluation process is described on the MSCA section of the REA website.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. See exceptions and specific conditions in the MSCA part of the Work Programme.
described in the MSCA part of the Work Programme.
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE MSCA DN)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
HE MSCA DN Guide for Applicants
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Evaluators will prioritize the quality and originality of the joint research programme alongside the tangible integration of the supervisory and training arrangements. They will scrutinize the credibility of individual doctoral projects, the depth of inter-sectoral immersion (mandatory or meaningful non-academic secondments), open recruitment protocols via EURAXESS, and the actionable execution of tailored Career Development Plans.
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Implement doctoral programmes by partnerships of universities, research institutions, research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other socio-economic actors across Europe and beyond. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Carry out open, transparent and merit-based selection procedures for doctoral candidates in line with the European Charter for Researchers, including advertising vacancies internationally on EURAXESS with clear gross salary/tax indications. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Optionally implement Industrial Doctorates or Joint Doctorates with joint supervision and/or joint, double or multiple doctoral degree delivery. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Establish a clearly identified supervisory board co-ordinating network-wide training, research and supervision activities in line with the Guidelines for MSCA supervision. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Organise training activities focused on developing new scientific knowledge through original research, inter-/multidisciplinary fields, and transferable skills (digital, generative AI, Open Science, knowledge valorisation, entrepreneurship, research integrity), aligned with EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC6Facilitate inter-sectoral secondments of researchers to other participating organisations, including in third countries, when relevant and feasible. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC7Establish and regularly update a Career Development Plan jointly between supervisor(s) and each recruited doctoral candidate within 18 months. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1New research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects within and outside academia; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2New knowledge allowing the conversion of ideas into products and services, where relevant; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as with the general public that will increase and broaden the research and innovation impact. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO4Improved quality, relevance and sustainability of doctoral training programmes and supervision arrangements; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO5Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO6Increased integration of training and research activities between participating organisations; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO7Boosted R&I capacity; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO8Increased internationalisation and attractiveness; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO9Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education at participating organisations. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Open Science culture and FAIR data management trainingDoctoral networks should foster the culture of Open Science and adequately prepare doctoral candidates for increased research collaboration and information-sharing, including opening access to publications and research outputs and FAIR data management. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research training integrationProposed training activities should respond to well-identified needs across R&I areas with appropriate references to inter- and multidisciplinary fields. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3International cooperation and third-country participationNetworks are open to the participation of organisations from third countries to foster strategic international partnerships and may include secondments of researchers to third countries. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Societal engagement and citizen science integrationDoctoral training should prepare candidates for societal engagement, citizen science, and events aimed at opening science and research to citizens. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5Institutionalised adherence to the MSCA Green CharterCompetitive proposals will explicitly integrate institutionalised adherence to the MSCA Green Charter to ensure environmentally sustainable project implementation. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ6Mandatory joint supervision for Industrial and Joint DoctoratesJoint supervision of doctoral candidates is mandatory for Industrial Doctorates and Joint Doctorates, involving supervisors across academic and non-academic organisations. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| EI1Strengthen Europe's human capital base in R&I by training highly-skilled doctoral candidates; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI2Improve the attractiveness of researchers’ careers notably through better working and employment conditions of doctoral candidates in Europe; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI3Enhance talent and knowledge circulation across the R&I landscape, through international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI4Increase Europe's attractiveness as a leading research destination; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI5Enhance the quality of R&I contributing to Europe's sustainable competitiveness; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI6Establish sustainable collaboration between academic and non-academic organisations; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI7Foster the culture of open science, innovation and entrepreneurship. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1european charter for researchersThe European Charter for Researchers sets out the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers and their employers to ensure attractive research careers and fair working conditions across the European Research Area. It provides core principles for open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R), career development, and institutional support. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL2eu principles for innovative doctoral trainingThe EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training define seven core principles to modernize doctoral education in Europe, emphasizing research excellence, attractive institutional environments, interdisciplinary research options, exposure to industry, international networking, transferable skills training, and quality assurance. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL3guidelines for msca supervisionThe MSCA Guidelines on Supervision outline best practices to ensure high-quality mentoring and guidance for researchers funded under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. They establish mutual responsibilities between supervisors and researchers, promoting continuous professional development, mental health, and structured supervisory arrangements. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL4msca green charterThe MSCA Green Charter promotes sustainable research practices and environmental responsibility across all MSCA-funded projects. It encourages consortia to minimize environmental impact, reduce travel emissions, implement green procurement, and raise awareness of sustainability. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL5european commission code of practice on industry-academia co-creation for knowledge valorisationThis Code of Practice promotes structured and sustainable partnerships between academic institutions and private industry to co-create innovation and facilitate knowledge transfer. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
Beneficiaries
At least 3 independent legal entities as beneficiaries, each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, at least one of them in an EU Member State.
Doctoral degree awarding
At least one participating organisation is entitled to award a doctoral degree. If no beneficiary is, a university or a consortium or grouping of academic or research institutions entitled to award a doctoral degree must be added as an associated partner or an associated partner linked to a beneficiary. DN-JD: at least 3 independent legal entities entitled to award doctoral degrees, at least one of the institutions conferring the joint, double or multiple degree established in an EU Member State or Associated Country, with a pre-agreement to award the degree provided at submission.
Recruitment by every beneficiary
Every beneficiary recruits at least one doctoral candidate and hosts and supervises the recruited researchers at its premises, or uses associated partners linked to it to do so.
Affiliated entities
Affiliated entities are not allowed to participate, as they cannot claim costs in MSCA Doctoral Networks.
40% rule
Not more than 40.0% of the EU contribution may be allocated to beneficiaries in the same country or to a single International European Research Organisation (IERO) or international organisation.
540 person-months
The overall EU contribution for an MSCA Doctoral Network is limited to a maximum of 540 person-months.
Durations
The action lasts at most 48 months from its starting date, including the time needed to recruit and select the doctoral candidates (60 months for Joint Doctorates). Each fellowship lasts 3 to 36 months on the basis of full-time employment (up to 48 months for Joint Doctorates).
Joint supervision
Joint supervision of the researchers is mandatory for Industrial Doctorates (by academic and non-academic organisations) and for Joint Doctorates, which also set up a joint governance structure with joint admission, selection, supervision, monitoring and assessment procedures.
Resubmission restriction
All proposals must indicate if they are resubmitted from the previous MSCA Doctoral Networks call. A proposal submitted to the previous call and scored below 80% must not be resubmitted the following year; a proposal involving 70% or more of the same recruiting organisations as such a proposal is assessed for resubmission, whatever the self-declaration.
Gender Equality Plan
Public bodies, higher education institutions and research organisations from EU Member States and Associated Countries need a Gender Equality Plan before grant signature.
Excluded participants
Eligibility to participate is subject to the restrictions for the protection of European communication networks and to the condition on the participation of Chinese universities linked to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), General Annex B.
5 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
Evaluators will rigorously scrutinize the depth of inter-sectoral immersion across the network. Proposals must design meaningful, well-integrated non-academic secondments rather than treating them as optional add-ons, as this directly impacts the assessment of the training arrangements.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Competitive training modules must explicitly incorporate emerging core competencies, specifically generative AI and knowledge valorisation. Proposals that fail to embed these specific digital and entrepreneurial skills into their transferable skills curriculum will misalign with the expected outcomes.
Source: Scope
The evaluation explicitly scrutinizes open recruitment protocols, requiring all vacancies to be advertised internationally on EURAXESS. Furthermore, the vacancy notices must transparently detail whether published rates include all employer and employee taxes, ideally displaying the full gross salary.
Source: Scope
Evaluators will look beyond the mere existence of a Career Development Plan to assess its actionable execution. The proposal must outline a clear timeline where these plans are established jointly at recruitment and formally revised within 18 months.
Source: Scope
Proposals must establish a clearly identified Supervisory Board to coordinate network-wide training. Evaluators expect this board to enforce institutionalised adherence to the Guidelines for MSCA supervision, ensuring tangible integration of supervisory arrangements across all participating organisations.
Source: Underlying policies
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