The mid-term evaluation of Horizon Europe indicates that while MSCA funding is academically beneficial, it is accompanied by several administrative burdens.
Promoting young talent and making the EU an attractive place for next generation researchers is a declared aim of the European Commission. It is also among the many topics covered by the Horizon Europe mid-term evaluation. This comprehensive analysis, recently published by the European Commission, brings together a large number of quantitative and qualitative data analyses. It therefore also provides some insight into the current state of implementation of European funding for the support of early career researchers, most prominently through the evaluation of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). After all, MSCA is the European Union’s reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. The evaluation shows that MSCA instruments are beneficial to early career researchers but are associated with administrative efforts and time costs for applicants and beneficiaries.
Under Horizon Europe, the MSCA is expected to support a total of 65’000 researchers, including 25’000 doctoral candidates. The qualitative assessments provided by the mid-term evaluation indicate that MSCA Postdoctoral Fellows particularly appreciate the freedom to pursue their individual research agendas (91%) and the opportunity to engage in fundamental research (86%). Additionally, 87% of participating researchers report that the programme has helped them secure research positions with improved career prospects. Moreover, 89% of MSCA beneficiary organisations state that their involvement in the programme (through MSCA Staff Exchanges, COFUND, and Doctoral Networks) has significantly strengthened their ties with leading research institutions across Europe and beyond. Through its 25 million euro MSCA4Ukraine scheme launched in 2022, the MSCA has supported displaced Ukrainian doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, enabling them to continue their work in EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries while maintaining links with Ukraine’s research community. A 10 million euro top-up was added in 2024, bringing the total number of fellowships for Ukrainian researchers to 175.
These are some positive figures which the evaluation highlighted for the MSCA. However, surveys conducted across the whole Horizon Europe programme also reveal some difficulties applicants and beneficiaries experience in the various phases of receiving Horizon Europe research funding – from application to implementation and reporting.
Regarding the application process, surveys show that the evaluation of proposals was sometimes perceived as lacking in quality, particularly with regard to the final ranking scores. Furthermore, the fact that resubmitted proposals were sometimes evaluated less favourably than in their initial submission raises concerns among some applicants about the consistency and objectivity of the evaluation process. This concern appears to be particularly pronounced among MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants: of the 14 reported cases of inconsistency across the entire programme, 10 involved Postdoctoral Fellowship proposals. The evaluation considers this figure anecdotal given the scale: 15’400 proposals were submitted to the 2021 and 2022 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship calls, nearly all were evaluated, and 2’994 applicants completed the survey. Nonetheless, the feedback is seen as a prompt to explore whether a broader systemic issue may be present.
Concerns about inconsistencies in the proposal evaluation process relate to another issue raised in the mid-term evaluation: The idea to introduce partial randomisation via the introduction of lotteries. Applicants from across programmes have mentioned this option in their feedbacks. One MSCA Doctoral Networks applicant suggested that all proposals reaching a certain threshold (e.g. 85% or 90%) be entered into a funding lottery. Another suggestion was to use a lottery for proposals just below the funding line, such as for those awarded a Seal of Excellence.
Another key concern the evaluation presents relates to the availability and clarity of information during the application process. MSCA applicants reported a high administrative burden and difficulty navigating the extensive information provided. Application guidelines were seen as insufficiently tailored to specific calls. Implementation guidance was also described as unclear by some MSCA applicants. What is more, successful applicants faced substantial paperwork, which, according to some, reduced time available for research. Lump-sum grants are intended to ease this burden, and MSCA beneficiaries expressed particularly strong support for this measure.
Looking ahead, there are several upcoming MSCA funding opportunities to keep in mind. Those interested in funding regional, national, or international programmes for training and career development can still apply for MSCA COFUND until 24 June. The 2025 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships call is open until 10 September, and MSCA Staff Exchanges until 8 October. Applications for MSCA Doctoral Networks are open from the end of May until 25 November, while MSCA Citizens runs from 17 June to 22 October.
Additionally, the recently published 2025 Work Programme confirms the launch of a new pilot call as part of the Choose Europe for Science initiative. The call will be open from 1 October to 3 December 2025. The initiative encourages organisations to offer postdoctoral researchers employment perspectives beyond the project duration. It therefore responds to a need repeatedly expressed by early career researchers: the improvement of working conditions and the creation of long-term career prospects for postdoctoral researchers.