“Coin toss” competition for prestigious EU grants leaves many excellent projects unfunded, scientists say
Photo credits: O.Farion / BigStock
The latest funding round for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) postdoctoral grants has left scientists frustrated after an influx of applications lowered the chance of winning a grant to 9.6%, down from 16.4% the previous year.
With many more eligible applications coming in, bids that scored as high as 97 out of 100 points were left unfunded by the EU’s stretched budget for its prestigious postdoctoral fellowships.
Out of 17,000 applicants, the European Commission, which manages the grants, could only award grants to 1,610 researchers, accounting for a budget of €404.3 million. In 2024, there were 10,360 proposals. The Commission puts the 64% increase down to a higher number of applicants from researchers based outside the EU.
Luca Fontanesi, a professor in the department of agricultural and food sciences at the University of Bologna, said he submitted eight…
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