About the programme

The MSCA Staff Exchanges action funds international and inter-sectoral exchange of staff involved in research and innovation activities in participating organisations associated in a consortium.

The objective of MSCA SE grants is to take up or develop cooperation between EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries as well as non-associated Third Countries through the exchange of staff between academic and non-academic (e.g. business) organisations.

Who can apply?

The call is open to consortia of universities, research institutions, SMEs, and other non-academic organisations.

A consortium must meet the following criteria:

- a consortium must include at least three organisations in three different countries. Two of them need to be located in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

- above this minimum, the participation of organisations from any country is possible.

- if all participating organisations are from the same sector (academic or non-academic), at least one must be from a non-associated Third Country.

- individual staff members are selected by their sending organisations to take part in the planned exchanges.

Requirements with regard to team members

The staff funded by Staff Exchanges can be researchers and other staff members at any career stage who have been employed at their sending organisation. Each staff member should return to their sending organisation after the secondment.

Detailed information concerning the team and the programme can be found in the HERE.

Project duration:

Up to 48 months with a maximum budget corresponding to 360 person-months.

Benefits from participation in an MSCA SE project:

for organisations:

• receiving attractive funding of 100% of the costs corresponding to the project objectives:
  • seconding staff and hosting staff from other consortium members,
  • taking up/developing international cooperation with various organisations (e.g. businesses, universities, research institutes),
  • strengthening cooperation between science and business,
  • exchanging knowledge and carrying out a joint research idea or innovation,
  • raising the competencies of and providing training for research, management, administrative and technical staff,
  • increasing the innovative and research potential;

for staff:

• developing professional international contacts and collaboration across Europe and beyond,
• gaining new knowledge, exchanging knowledge in the area of research and innovation with staff members from other sectors and in various domains,
• acquiring experience in the academic and non-academic sector – improving the career development perspectives,
• raising competencies,
• acquiring new soft skills.

Funding

The budget of an MSCA SE project covers the costs of the above activities through funding of the secondment of staff to other organisations within the project consortium (while maintaining the current remuneration and employment) and of the costs related to the implementation of joint research and innovation, in line with the description below:

Project implementation – secondment and mobility

The exchange of staff funded from the project’s budget takes place between organisations enjoying legal personality and covers at least one of the following three dimensions:

• inter-sectoral (academic ↔ non-academic),
• international (EU Member States and HE Associated Countries ↔ Third Countries),
• interdisciplinary.

The funding does not cover secondments between Third Countries or within one country.

Activities under a grant

A research and innovation project should be carried out by a consortium including at least three organisations based in three different countries, offering complementary competencies. The period of secondment of staff may be from one month to one year. The consortium may include the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC). The collaboration covers:

• implementing a research or innovative idea,
• networking,
• organising workshops, trainings, or conferences in order to exchange knowledge,
• raising competencies and skills and scientific supervision over the seconded staff.

How to apply?

Applications should be submitted via the website of the European Commission Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal.

Guidelines on how to apply can be found HERE.