RMA Breakfast Focused on MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

On 26 May, the CENTREPEACE project organised a workshop focused on sharing good practice and experience with preparing Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF) proposals. The aim of the event was to introduce participants to this prestigious grant scheme from different perspectives and to provide practical advice for preparing high-quality project proposals.

The first speaker was Veronika Mikitová from the Grants Office of the Rector’s Office at Masaryk University, who introduced the basic principles of MSCA PF grants. In her presentation, she explained how the scheme works, who it is intended for, and what its main requirements are. Participants thus gained an introductory overview of how MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships function within the broader context of European research funding.

The next presentation was delivered by Lucie Wanderburgová from the Research and Project Support Office of the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University. She focused on how project support works at the faculty level and offered practical recommendations for preparing both the proposal and the budget. Her presentation highlighted the importance of early communication between the applicant, supervisor, and support offices.

Another perspective was provided by Jakub Macek, who shared his experience with preparing MSCA PF projects from the role of a supervisor. He explained that supervisors usually contribute to proposal preparation mainly through consultations, practical advice, and support in formulating research activities. At the same time, they can help applicants with technical information about the host institution and with better embedding the project within its research environment.

The following speaker, Syed Asan Ali Shah, offered participants the perspective of an MSCA PF grant holder. He introduced his research project, its societal relevance, and the way his work is structured during the project implementation. He also shared concrete advice on writing the proposal and presented the timeline he followed when preparing his own application.

The final contribution was delivered by Eva Šlesingerová, who brought experience both as an MSCA PF grant holder and as an evaluator of project proposals. This combination allowed her to offer valuable insight into what matters during proposal preparation, as well as how projects are assessed during the evaluation process.

The workshop gave participants the opportunity to understand MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships from several perspectives. It brought together experience from project support, supervisors, successful applicants, and evaluators, and provided practical information that can help researchers prepare their own project proposals. The event thus contributed to strengthening competencies in international research funding and supported the exchange of experience within the academic community.