NMBU MSCA PF Masterclass
NMBU is inviting prospective candidates to the call for Marie Skłodowska-
Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF)
The aim of the Masterclass is to attract and help highly motivated researchers to successfully apply for an MSCA PF with NMBU as the host institution. The Masterclass is also open for candidates applying for a Global Fellowship with NMBU as the return host institution.
We will offer a complete training package for MSCA-PF applicants free of charge.
NEW! The MSCA PF European Fellowship can be financed for up to two years by the European Commission. In addition, NMBU will offer especially talented researchers a third year financed by the university.
About NMBU
The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), is a recognized cutting-edge international centre of knowledge, focused on higher education and research within environmental and biosciences. Its seven faculties offer 64 study programmes to 5700 students. Approximately 17% of the students are from foreign countries. The university hosts about 500 PhD students.
NMBU's research is enabling people all over the world to tackle the global challenges regarding the environment, sustainable development, how to improve human and animal health, renewable energy sources, landscape architecture and planning, as well as land and resource management.
NMBU hosts three Centres of Excellence funded by the Norwegian Research Council and one Nordic Centre of Excellence funded by Nordic Council of Ministers. NMBU is the coordinator of several H2020 and Horizon Europe projects, including MSCA ITN/DN, MSCA IFs/PFs and ERC grants.
What is MSCA PF?
The goal of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) is to enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD, wishing to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to excellent researchers of any nationality, including researchers wishing to reintegrate in Europe, researchers who are displaced by conflict as well as researchers with high potential aiming for a career restart in research. The scheme also encourages researchers to work on research and innovation projects in the non-academic sector.
About the NMBU MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Masterclass
Through the masterclass we offer a complete training package for MSCA-PF applicants that intend to apply with NMBU as host institution. Prospective candidates must send an application, please see below. Talented postdoc candidates are selected by NMBU supervisors and invited to join the masterclass. Selected candidates will be given extensive training in the MSCA PF requirements and one or two pre-evaluations of their proposal.
The masterclass programme 2025:Selection of candidates:
- January 31st : Opening call for candidates to the masterclass
- March 25th: Deadline for applying to the masterclass program
- Applicants will be notified by April 2nd.
MSCA PF masterclass webinar April 8th-10th:
This is a main event and participation is obligatory. All necessary information regarding the proposal phase will be given.
- Day 1: How to apply (by Consultant)
- Day 2: Individual sessions with consultant. The candidate and supervisor works on the proposal the rest of the day.
- Day 3: Get to know NMBU/practical aspects about moving to Norway, IPR, ethics etc.
Proposal development:
- June 10th: Internal deadline to send us your first draft of the MSCA PF proposal in June. You will receive comments from the consultancy agency / the NMBU EU team. The most mature proposal (based on an assessment from the NMBU EU team, consultant and selected supervisor) will be offered a second review.
- August 5th: Internal deadline to send us your full proposal. Your proposal will be sent to the consultancy agency for a full pre-evaluation.
- Deadline of MSCA-PF call is expected to be September 10th 2025.
Eligibility
The postdoctoral fellows must hold a doctoral degree that was defended no longer than 8 years prior to the call deadline (September 10th 2025). Periods of inactivity in research (e.g. unemployment, periods of employment outside research, parental or sick leave) do not count towards the time of research experience.
The postdoctoral fellow may be of any nationality. No age restrictions apply.
The postdoctoral fellow cannot have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the three years immediately before the deadline.
The 2025 guidelines on the calculation of 8-years research experience in Postdoctoral Fellowships under Horizon Europe is not yet published. You may however look at the 2024 guidelines as we do not expect any change:
Submit your application to the masterclass
The deadline to apply to be included in the masterclass 2025 is March 25th 2025.
Submit your proposal here: https://nettskjema.no/a/488839
All requested information in the form must be filled in. In the form you must fill in your preferred supervisor at NMBU (see “List of supervisors and topics 2025).Please note that you cannot save the document and come back and work on it later. You can however delete your application and then submit a new version up until the call deadline.
In addition, you must upload (in one file, see template below):A document containing:
a) A presentation of the main research which will form the basis of the MSCA Postdoctoral fellowship proposal (max 2 p.) In the presentation you should:
- Briefly describe your research idea highlighting its novel aspects.
- Briefly phrase the underlying hypothesis / new approach you propose.
- Progress beyond the state of the art: How does this research idea compare to your prior work and to the current state of the art in the field.
b) Motivation to choose NMBU as future Host Institution (max 1 p.)
c) Your CV and track-record max 5 p.
Applicants will be notified about the result by April 10th.
Template: Main research to form the basis of the MSCA PF proposal and CV-track-record
Contacts:
