Secondments
A secondment under the MSCA Staff Exchanges action is a short-term physical mobility of eligible staff members from one participating organisation to another.
The goal is to build sustainable partnerships between organisations from both academic and non-academic sectors within Europe and internationally.
Who can be seconded?
- Researchers at any career stage, including PhD candidates
- Administrative, technical, and managerial staff involved in research and innovation (R&I) activities
- Individuals of any nationality
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be actively engaged in R&I activities at the sending organisation for at least one month before the start of the secondment
- Must return to the sending organisation after completing the secondment
Duration
Each secondment must last a minimum of 1 month and can extend up to 12 months per staff member over the lifetime of the project. Secondments are going up until 31 December 2028
What does the funding cover?
Secondments are reimbursed based on unit costs (1 person-month = 1 unit). Funding is only provided if the secondment takes place. Cancelled or incomplete secondments are not eligible for reimbursement.
- For each completed unit (1 month), you will receive from your institution a Top-Up Allowance of €2,300. The allowance must be used to cover travel, per diem, and lodging costs.
- Research, training, and networking contributions: This is a fixed amount of €1 300 per person-month of the secondment
- Management and indirect contributions: This is a fixed amount of €500 per person-month of the secondment in order to cover the host institution’s costs of involvement in the project
Initiate a Secondment
- Verify if you are eligible
- Discuss your proposition with the scientific contact of your institution
- Review the list of potential institutions where you can complete your secondment
- Once your secondment has been approved, coordinate with the host institution regarding work facilities, legal procedures, and lodging arrangements
- Make sure you have valid travel and health insurance for the duration of your secondment and in the country where it will take place
- Contact the administrator at your European home institution to arrange the payment of the research allowance
- Send the round-trip flight ticket to your home institution‘s contact and the Project Officer Coordinator
- Draft the Mobility Declaration in the EU portal
During a Secondment
- Complete and sign the Declaration of Secondment and send it to the contact of your institution and the Project Coordinator
- Send a scan of your outbound boarding pass to your home institution‘s contact and the Project Officer Coordinator
- Send a scan of the proof of lodging to your home institution‘s contact and the Project Officer Coordinator
- Send a scan of the university’s identity card to your home institution‘s contact and the Project Officer Coordinator
- Deliver scientific outputs and report them
- Acknowledge EU funding in all scientific outputs related to the SeaDream project
- For all questions and problems related to your secondment contact your home institution‘s contact and the Project Officer Coordinator
After a Secondment (30 days deadline)
- Send a scan of your outbound boarding pass to your home institution‘s contact and the Project Officer Coordinator
- Finalize and Submit the Mobility Declaration in the EU portal
- Write a secondment report of the activities done during the time spent in the host institution (including all the scientific outputs)
- Based on Article 18. of the grant agreement, funded MSCA fellows are requested to submit two questionnaires about their experience: one immediately following the completion of the fellowship (“Evaluation Questionnaire“) and one two years later (“Follow-up Questionnaire“). Please note that, as a MSCA Staff Exchange participant, you should complete each form only once, immediately after and two years after your last secondment
- After your secondment you can obtain a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Certificate. With this certificate, you can join the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Alumni association.