MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026

O čem je ta razpis?

The call funds doctoral programmes run by international partnerships of universities, research bodies and businesses that train doctoral candidates in research and transferable skills. Industrial and joint doctorates are encouraged.

Kaj ta razpis financira?

Scope

MSCA Doctoral Networks implement doctoral programmes through partnerships of universities, research institutions and research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other socio-economic actors from different countries in Europe and beyond. Organisations from third countries may take part, to foster strategic international partnerships for training and exchange of researchers. The programmes respond to well-identified needs in research and innovation areas, expose researchers to academic and non-academic sectors, and offer training in research skills and in transferable skills relevant to innovation and employability, such as entrepreneurship, commercialisation of results, intellectual property rights and communication. Proposals can reflect existing or planned research partnerships. Doctoral Networks are encouraged to lead to Industrial or Joint Doctorates.

Key features

• Recruitment: selection of doctoral candidates must be open, transparent and merit-based, in line with the European Charter for Researchers. Vacancies must be advertised widely internationally, including on EURAXESS, and must say whether published pay rates include all employer and employee taxes and contributions; the gross salary should be published if possible.
• Industrial Doctorates: candidates are jointly supervised by academic and non-academic organisations, which can be established in the same EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, and develop skills in industry and business.
• Joint Doctorates: a highly integrated international, inter-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration that leads to joint, double or multiple doctoral degrees recognised in at least one EU Member State or Associated Country.
• Supervisory board: each network should have a clearly identified board coordinating training, research and supervision across the network, following the guidelines for MSCA supervision.
• Training: activities should exploit complementarities between partners, follow the EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training and focus mainly on original research in personalised projects. Inter-sectoral secondments, including in third countries, are encouraged. Networks should provide substantial training modules on transferable skills, including digital skills such as generative AI, open science, knowledge valorisation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and research integrity.
• Supervision and career development: attention to quality of supervision, mentoring and career guidance. Joint supervision is mandatory for Industrial and Joint Doctorates. A Career Development Plan must be set up jointly by the supervisor and each candidate at the start of recruitment and should be revised within 18 months.
• RAISE Doctoral Networks, implemented through a horizontal activities annex, support networks focused mainly on the use of AI in science.

Expected outcomes

For doctoral candidates: new research and transferable skills that improve employability inside and outside academia, knowledge that allows ideas to become products and services, and better networking and communication. For participating organisations: better quality, relevance and sustainability of doctoral training and supervision, more cooperation and knowledge transfer between sectors and disciplines, closer integration of training and research, stronger research and innovation capacity, greater internationalisation and attractiveness, and regular feedback of research results into teaching.

Kdaj je rok za oddajo?

24. novembra 2026 (19 dni)

24 November 2026.