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30 years of MSCA, Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions

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Presentation

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) is the European Union’s flagship funding programme for research training and career development.

By supporting outstanding researchers across all disciplines and career stages, the MSCA has become the model of a European way of doing research: with openness, excellence, mobility and collaboration at its core.

To introduce the success stories and testimonials gathered in this publication, Commissioner Zaharieva’s foreword video offers a timely perspective on how the programme has shaped Europe’s research landscape over the past three decades and why its mission matters now more than ever.

Click through this publication and discover the stories of the programme’s projects and researchers as they showcase the MSCA’s geographic and thematic reach as well as its ability to propel careers, scientific knowledge and innovation.

1 About

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) began as a small fellowship scheme in the 1990s, supporting a few hundred researchers to train and work abroad.

Today, it is a comprehensive set of actions: doctoral programmes, postdoctoral fellowships and staff exchanges supporting around 8 000 scientists yearly.

2Then and Now

MSCA fellows past and present are changing the face of science. 

In this section, hear from Professor Jean-Sébastien Steyer, a leading palaeontologist, about how the MSCA intersects with his journey as he mastered new techniques and gained expertise as an independent researcher and a science communicator. And explore the story of future change-maker Judit Romero Pérez who is using her MSCA fellowship to answer fundamental questions about the universe while developing her own skills and career.

Jean-Sébastien Steyer

Portrait of Jean-Sébastien Steyer
© Jean-Sébastien Steyer, 2024

Senior Researcher in Palaeontology at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique

Science is not a straight line, it is a web of connections. Once you start exploring it is like a chain reaction, leading you whether by choice or by chance to new unexpected research ideas.

Access to interview

Judit Romero Pérez

Portrait of Judit Romero Pérez
© Judit Romero Pérez, 2021

Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Nova Gorica in Slovenia

The quest to unveil the nature of dark matter is one of the most important open questions in our understanding of the Universe. Galaxy clusters, in particular, pose unique challenges, pushing our ability to detect extremely faint gamma-ray signals that could reveal new physics. The MSCA fellowship has given me the freedom and resources to pursue this challenging research.

Access to interview

3Thematic Explorer

From rewriting the code of life to exploring the universe, MSCA-backed research has made a lasting impact. 

By giving talented researchers the freedom to pursue their bold ideas across disciplines, sectors and borders, the MSCA sparks new methods, fresh perspectives and early breakthroughs in fields that shape science, industry and society. 

Its training and networking opportunities also help build Europe’s expertise in key areas such as environmental sustainability, biotech, quantum and AI, equipping people with the skills needed to meet tomorrow’s challenges. 

In this section, explore the contributions of MSCA researchers to advancing strategic themes, from advanced materials to democracy, and from health to water and food resilience.

  • Advanced Materials

    Explore
    © Qiuni Fu, 2025
  • Aerospace

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    © NASA/Tony Gray, 2018
  • AI

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    © Shakra Mehak, 2024
  • Biotechnology

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    © Gabriele Giagu, 2025
  • Cybersecurity

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    © European Union, 2025
  • Democracy

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    © priscilladupreez, 2020 (via Unsplash)
  • Energy

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    © Vicente Alejandro Castro Henriquez, 2026
  • Environment

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    © Pau Costa Foundation, 2024
  • Health

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    © Toms Norde, 2025
  • Mobility & Smart Cities

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    © Viktor Skrickij, 2026
  • Quantum

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    © European Union, 2025
  • Water & Food Resilience

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    © María Nazaret González-Alcaraz, 2018