© Eurac Research | Claudia Corrent
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Week
A tailor made online training event for researchers interested in applying for a MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship hosted at Eurac Research
Facts
& Figures
Since 2016, the Research Support Office has organized the MSC Week to offer postdoctoral researchers from across the globe the opportunity to work together with Eurac Research on their applications for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship. During the MSC Week, researchers develop their fellowship proposal together with senior researchers from Eurac Research, learn from current MSCA Fellows in Eurac Research, and are trained by MSCA experts and an MSCA evaluator on the dos-and-don'ts of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship proposal. After the MSC Week, the trainers accompany the researchers through the writing and fine-tuning of their fellowship proposals until the submission deadline.
The next Eurac Research MSC Week will take place ONLINE from May 16 to May 18, 2023. Please contact us at msc-week@eurac.edu if interested!
MSC Week 2023
MSC Week 2023 takes place ONLINE from 16 to 18 May 2023.
Over the course of the MSC Week training programme, the participants learn about the objectives of the MSCA Programme, the various parts of the MSCA-PF proposal, and best practices in writing a competitive MSCA-PF proposal. Participants also have the opportunity to discuss their planned project with their expected supervisors, receive feedback on their initial project ideas from experts in Eurac Research, and learn from and engage with current MSCA Fellows in Eurac Research.
MSC Week - Who can apply
The programme is open to PhD-degree holders who want to apply for the Postdoctoral Fellowship with Eurac Research as a Host. To be eligible for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship, a researcher must hold a PhD degree, have maximum 8 years of research experience, and comply with the “mobility rule” (as defined in the Work Programme ). For a detailed overview of the eligibility conditions of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship grants, please also consult the Guide for Applicants.
We are looking for postdoctoral researchers with excellent CV and promising research track record. Applicants are expected to be open minded and willing to collaborate with Eurac Research and our institutes when defining their proposed projects.
MSC Week - How to apply
Before submitting their application, researchers interested in participating in the MSC Week should familiarize themselves with the various Institutes and Centers in Eurac Research and ask a researcher from one of the Institutes or Centers to serve as their supervisor. The support of a supervisor is necessary for submitting an application to participate in the MSC Week.
Please contact us at msc-week@eurac.edu for more information. You can find the privacy policy of the MSC Week here.
Timeline
The MSCA-PF Fellowship Application Process at Eurac Research </em>
Eurac Research as a Host for MSCA-PF
Eurac Research is a private research centre, founded in Bozen in 1992. The Eurac Research’s initial focus was on the areas of language and law, minorities and autonomies, and the Alpine environment. However, over time the centre has extended its research into other disciplines, attracting researchers from all over the world and opening up new facilities. Eurac Research’s goal is to improve life for future generations. Often, in response to regional problems, the centre develops concrete solutions that can be applied globally, and explores new avenues of scientific research to meet people’s needs. Eurac Research is part of several international research networks with partnerships in more than 50 countries. The centre collaborates with the Alpine Convention, the Carpathian Convention, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), as well as with several space agencies. Today, about 600 collaborators from over 45 countries work at Eurac Research. Our research is concerned with three major themes: regions fit for living in, a healthy society, and diversity as a life-enhancing factor. We pursue these objectives with determination: ∙ Mitigate and adapt to climate change ∙ Manage resources responsibly ∙ Reduce risks associated with natural hazards ∙ Understand and prevent illnesses, towards personalised medicine ∙ Prevent accidents and optimise rescue operations ∙ Understand better the development of humankind ∙ Preserve biodiversity ∙ Encourage political participation and social integration ∙ Promote multilingualism ∙ Take advantage of the opportunities created by the digital transformation
Seal of Excellence Funding
All proposals submitted to MSCA-PF which score 85% or above in the evaluation but are not funded due to a lack of budget are automatically awarded the Seal of Excellence . This is a quality label awarded to project proposals by the European Commission to help these proposals find alternative funding.
The Province of Bolzano offers funding for the implementation of MSCA-IF proposals that have been awarded the Seal of Excellence. To receive funding from the Province of Bolzano, such projects must be implemented at one of the local research performing institutions (eg. Eurac Research). Project proposals that were prepared and submitted for evaluation with a host institution outside the Province of Bolzano and received the Seal of Excellence are also eligible for this provincial funding if the fellow finds a suitable host institution and supervisor in the province.
Testimonials of current and past MSCA fellows and Seal of Excellence recipients in Eurac Research
"My project, STEMCo, is a 36-month participatory action research project focused on language-in-education policies and ideologies in Italian secondary schools. It is both my first postdoctoral project and my first research project funded by the European Commission. After having been outside of academia for over a year while at home with a new baby (overlapping with the start of the pandemic), I was unsure about how I would invest the necessary time and energy to dreaming up a research project, finding a new host institute in a foreign country, writing a proposal, and generally re-entering the academic world. However, I was fortunate enough to have found both the team of researchers at the Institute for Applied Linguistics, who have provided an intellectual home for my project, and Eurac’s Research Support Office (RSO), to whom I credit much of the success of my proposal. Now a year into my project, I continue to feel supported by the convivial nature of exchange at the Institute, by the experience and expertise of the RSO, and by the nature of the MSCA funding scheme which grants me freedoms and opportunities I would not have obtained via other postdoctoral collaborations." -- See more about Andrea Leone Pizzighella's project here.
"When I first heard about MSCA proposals I was intimidated by the high number of applicants and low chances of being funded. Attending the MSC Week, however, gave me the background knowledge and crucial information needed to succeed in the application process. During the writing stage, the MSC Week-team provided great help and precious hints to improve my proposal and address all key-elements required for an excellent evaluation. In return for the intensive proposal writing, I am now rewarded with a project tailored perfectly to my career needs: my ongoing MSCA-Fellowship at the institute of Alpine Environment is giving me the chance to expand my expertise on soil microbial ecology by two novel aspects, ecological field surveys and soil faunal biodiversity. Together with the host’s local partners and my secondment host I am joining these disciplines through the investigation of microbial and faunal activities in alpine soil habitats and the resulting soil respiration rates." Find out more about Magdalena Nagler's project here, or on the project website.
"I was looking for an institution that could support my grant proposal for coming back to Europe after a postdoc in North America and I stumbled upon the MSC Week offered by Eurac Research. I already had some broad ideas on topics for a research project but the participation to the MSC Week was pivotal to concretize my plans. Beyond receiving critical support for the writing of the proposal, the event was also a fine opportunity to know the host institution and to receive key feedbacks by the potential supervisor and colleagues. Exchanging ideas and experience with peers was also a stimulating occasion to boost my motivation for applying and committing myself into writing a solid research application for such competitive MSCA fellowship. Thanks also to the MSC Week, I now can develop my line of research at the Institute of Alpine Environment through the REINFORCE project. This MSC Action combines my expertise in forest ecology and dynamic modelling with the institute’s knowhow on landscape ecology and ecosystem service to assess integrated forest management strategies in mountain forests under global change." You can check out Marco Mina's project here
“When I participated in the MSC Week in Eurac Research, I already had a clear project idea and an understanding that the Institute for Renewable Energy was the right host for my research project. The MSC Week allowed me to build on that basis and elaborate a proposal that showed the perfect match between my project and the host and addressed also the main objectives of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships program. The competences in proposal writing I learned during the MSC Week allowed me to refine my proposal to the effect that today I have been awarded funds to pursue my project ADAPTIVE HOUSING: Solutions for Adaptive and Resilient Low-Energy Housing under Climate Change Scenarios. Besides the imparting technical proposal writing knowledge, the Research Support Office also created a pleasant and highly stimulating environment during the MSC Week and proposal preparation." -- Linda Toledo
“My journey to discover genes related to chronic kidney disease has been fully supported by the Seal of Excellence funding offered by the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano. This project started from my MSCA individual fellowship application and the MSCA Week was important for putting that together. The Research Support Office provided us an intense and interactive five-day course about MSCA fellowships, including a detailed explanation of the proposal contents. Although I already had experience in obtaining research funding in Japan, this course was very useful and stimulating. The most interesting aspect was to realize the importance of matching the expertise of the applicant and the host. This was, and continues to be, beneficial in terms of reviewing my own strengths and considering my future research plans. I am very grateful to all the staff involved in MSCA application and my host researcher in Eurac Research, Dr.Cristian Pattaro." -- Ryosuke Fujii
"MSCA Fellowship has provided an excellent framework for realizing my interests in interdisciplinary research, merging my core competence in cartography and visual analytics with the Eurac’s expertise in Big Data infrastructure and data-driven solutions. Within my fellowship, I aim to extend the visual analytics approach with a structural way of data organization (ontologies), data mining, and visualization techniques to retrieve knowledge from the agricultural and environmental data, e.g., the apple variety testing program in South Tyrol. Close cooperation and focus on two-way knowledge transfer allow me to gain new expertise through in-house seminars and extend my scientific network with the host’s local (Laimburg Research, UniBZ) and international partners (MISTEA INRA, France). Although my fellowship had started during the lockdown period, which applied certain restrictions on the mobility plan, I could dedicate more time to establish closer cooperation with the local partners and become involved in field campaigns. I am grateful for the excellent support during the MSC Week Week at Eurac Research, and it gave me all the knowledge and confidence for the grant application." You can check out Ekaterina Chuprikova my project here
"While working interdisciplinary in regional research after my PhD, I had an idea brewing for a research proposal on the institutional aspect of innovation in peripheries, which hadn’t yet been addressed in EU funding calls. I was always attracted to the openness and excellent conditions of the MSCA programme, and saw it as the best option for seizing the opportunity to research this topic. I was also aware of Eurac’s experience and reputation in similar EU funded projects, and considered South Tyrol to be an attractive and interesting location to study innovation in peripheries. When I found the advertisement for the MSCA Week, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to develop the research concept within a well structured programme, take advantage of Eurac's support and advice, and set a timeline and goals for completing the grant application. The external review and feedback from experienced grant evaluators was also instrumental in polishing the application, leading to its success. The overall process was motivating and rewarding." Read more about Bradley Loewen's project here
“The MSCA-Week allowed me to learn more about preparing a high-level project proposal, to meet my supervisor, and to tailor my idea in a concrete project proposal. My project TEMPLINK is focusing on predicting the ground surface temperature based on numerical modeling and satellite images. The MSC Week brought together researchers working on an impressive range of topics and created a remarkable environment where everyone learned from everyone. The support continued for the entire preparation period and I received helpful feedback that improved my proposal and allow me to achieve the Seal of Excellence and receive Seal of Excellence funding from the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano." You can check out Raul Serban's project here.
“The Bolivian Mummy project ‘MUMBO’ is the first systematic bioarchaeological study of mummified remains from Bolivia. The interdisciplinary project combines Computer Tomography scanning, ancient DNA and metagenomics analyses of ancient Bolivian mummies to provide the scientifically best possible historical overview of these precious pre-Columbian remains. ‘MUMBO’ would not have been possible without the training, support, and guidance during the MSC Week at Eurac Research and the Seal of Excellence funding I received from the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano. I feel privileged to work in collaboration with the Institute for Mummy Studies, the worldwide only research institute with focus on the analysis of mummified human remains. My research combines the institute’s expertise in a unique platform to address fundamental questions for the future preservation of Cultural Heritage in my country." -- Guido Valverde
I decided to apply for an MSCA fellowship because it offered the opportunity to design and shape my own research project, and to boost my career experience, skills and connections, building new (and more stable) opportunities for the future. The first step was to find a host institution with the knowledge, experience, resources, and interest to work on the project with me. I got to know about the MSCA Week at Eurac Research and it seemed to me like a promising indicator of Eurac’s exceptional support, resources, and atmosphere. The opportunities and support I have benefited from at Eurac, and at the Institute for Renewable Energy in particular, since the MSCA Week in 2019 have gone well beyond my expectations. These experiences have been key for my professional development, and for my project “ARTEMIS – An integrated approach to improve the environmental performance of smart cities.” See more about Joana Basto's project here. This project concluded on March 30, 2023.
“Snowline4DailyWater aims on improving the understanding of the changes in water supply from glacier melt in Central Asia. A region that lakes detailed in situ observations, especially for the past 2-3 decades. During my PhD studies in applied glaciology, I realized how tying a link to remote sensing experts could improve the data availability for such regions. Having the chance to participate in the Marie Curry Week and interact with earth observation experts in Eurac Research, helped to shape my research project. The Research Support Office then helped me bring those ideas to paper and acquire the Seal of Excellence funding from the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano. In Eurac Research, I have had the chance to focus on my own research, to dive into the research questions and be creative. I have broadened my research skills through modern remote sensing techniques and also improved my communication and project management abilities. For me, this research stay in Eurac Research is an important step in growing my scientific independence and strengthening my career ambitions.” -- Martina Barandun; This project concluded on January 10, 2023.
“The MSCA individual fellowships promote knowledge exchange and interdisciplinarity. It was the perfect opportunity to bring my growing expertise in pain neurobiology to the Institute of Biomedicine, while acquiring new technical and project management skills. Face-to-face meeting with my supervisor during the MSCA Week helped to define my project outline and I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the European Commission’s Horizon grants, including that it is not just about the science! These insights will benefit my future funding applications. Throughout the drafting of the proposal, I also received feedback from the Research Support Office, which substantially improved my proposed project. I was awarded a Seal of Excellence and received funding from the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano to pursue my project about determining the role of genetic variants in a potassium channel on pain processing in humans. Eurac Research provides a supportive, friendly and social environment for my research." -- Larissa de Clauser; This project was concluded on May 31, 2023.
"I am extremely grateful for the support by the EU H2020 which allowed me to join the lab at the Institute for Biomedicine at Eurac Research. The MSCA Fellowship gave me the opportunity to gain several new organizational skills and, furthermore, to study the pathogenetic mechanisms of the Parkinson’s disease by which we are seeking to identify novel therapeutic targets for this devastating neurological disorder. This project is alive only thanks to the professional team of MSCA Week. They teach you how to write the proposal for MSCA fellowship, help you and instruct you extensively during proposal phase to make sure the proposal is in good shape and finally work with you to take care of the project after receiving the award." You can check out Roman Vozdek's project here. The project concluded on September 1st 2021.
"In my research project Alpine Community Economies Lab I mobilize participatory design methods to support alpine communities in addressing cross-cutting concerns of sustainable socio-economic development outlined in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region and in the Alpine Convention. My research is hosted at the Institute for Regional Development, which is a place with a rich mix of senior and junior researchers working on applied regional development projects from an interdisciplinary and locally-embedded position. The Institute itself, and Eurac Research at large, offer an inspiring context in which researchers can enhance their skills in multiple directions, from management to policy making, public engagement to grant writing, while growing a multidisciplinary and multi-sectorial network for future collaborations. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Week at Eurac Research has been key for the success of my funding application: I came to Eurac from a very different, and in the institution not yet represented field (namely design research), and the week had been instrumental in helping me to figure out how my research interested could meet the interests of the institution in mutually beneficial ways." You can check out Bianca Elzenbaumer's project here. The project concluded on December 10th 2021.
“My project would not have materialized if it were not for the MSC Week. During the Week, I learned to write a competitive MSCA fellowship proposal, getting insights from grant experts, evaluators and past fellows. This experience allowed me to get to know my host institution, meet my supervisor and get inputs from colleagues; it was decisive for winning the Seal of Excellence. Thanks to this recognition, I received Seal of Excellence funding from the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano for my project about equalization mechanisms as a tool of territorial integration in multilevel states facing secessionist challenges. My stay at the Institute of Comparative Federalism has not only allowed me to develop my project but to enhance my overall subject-expertise and made me grow as a researcher." -- Francisco Javier Romero Caro; This project concluded on October 4, 2022.
"CliRSnow is about providing high-resolution projections of snow cover in the Alps. This is achieved by combining the Institute for Earth Observation’s strengths in remote sensing and machine learning with my expertise in statistics and climate sciences. While we had some rough idea before, the detailed project plan was developed during the Marie-Curie-Week while talking face-to-face to the people at the institute. Thus, besides learning the fundamentals of a Marie-Curie-proposal, the MSC-Week is a great opportunity to get to know your potential host." You can check out Michael Matiu's project here. The project concluded on September 12th 2021.
"I arrived at Eurac Research in the summer of 2018 after winning a MSCA-IF based on a project that examines intergovernmental relations in divided societies. Hosted by the Institute for Comparative Federalism, an internationally leading institute in the areas of comparative federalism, I examine how institutions and processes of intergovernmental relations have been used to help manage communal tensions. With a focus on societies that are divided along ethnic, linguistic or religious lies and countries that have adopted autonomy arrangements to deal with those same divisions, my project seeks to identify and develop innovative integrative institutions and processes of intergovernmental relations that can be used to manage communal tensions. The MSC Week was key in formulating a winning proposal. It did not only gave me an opportunity to sit my with prospective supervisors and identify an area of research that aligns with my interest and that of the host institute, it was also a week that gave me insights into what makes a convincing and winning MSCA-IF application. It would not be an exaggeration to say that my potential application would not have been optimized to meet the tough competition had it not been for the discussions I had and the insights I received during the MSC Week." You can check out Yonatan Fessha's project here. The project concluded on August 1st 2021.
Further information available at
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: Developing talents, advancing research
[[Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships]](https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships)
[[Horizon Europe Work Programme for MSC Actions]](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-2-msca-actions_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf)