Support to individual researchers should be open to all domains of research and innovation and aligned with the general objectives and principles of the MSCA, including scientific excellence, skills and career development, inter-sectoral mobility, equal opportunities and inclusiveness, attractive working conditions, work/life balance, while fostering open science, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Support will include training activities that should respond to well-identified needs in various research and innovation areas, with appropriate references to inter- and multidisciplinary fields. They should be primarily focused on developing new scientific knowledge through original research on personalised projects. Complementary training should also be provided to develop key transferable skills and competences common to all fields, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and promote and (where appropriate) reward Open Science practices.

Short-term secondments of researchers to other organisations than those recruiting them, especially based in Ukraine if conditions allow, and including in third countries non-associated to Horizon Europe, are encouraged when relevant, feasible and beneficial for the researchers and in line with the research objectives. Inter-sectoral secondments are particularly encouraged to increase the employability of the researchers outside academia.

Particular attention will be paid to the quality of supervision and mentoring arrangements as well as career guidance.

Supported researchers can be either doctoral candidates (i.e. already enrolled in a doctoral programme leading to the award of a doctoral degree) or postdoctoral researchers (i.e. in possession of a doctoral degree). They must be either Ukrainian nationals, stateless persons, or nationals from third countries other than Ukraine, residing in Ukraine, who have been displaced on or after 24 February 2022.

Eligible third parties that will recruit researchers include any academic or non-academic organisations established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Other organisations, including those established in non-associated third countries can host researchers for short-term secondments.

If conditions allow, organisations based in Ukraine are encouraged to host displaced researchers thus supporting their reintegration back into the country.

The duration of each individual fellowship is to be determined by the beneficiaries in agreement with the recruiting organisations, with a maximum duration of 2 years.

Secondments to other organisations are eligible for up to one third of the fellowship duration.

Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants based on unit contributions, as stipulated in the Decision of 11 March 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions and unit contributions for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions under the Horizon Europe programme. The same unit contributions as in MSCA Doctoral Networks and MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, under the same eligibility conditions, will be applied for doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers  respectively. Consequently, and given the need to act rapidly in the context of the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and the uncertainty related to its resolution, the maximum amount to be granted to each third party is €2.00 million (covering the recruitment of several researchers).