The MSCA Co-funding of regional, national, and international programs (COFUND) 2023 call seeks to foster excellence in researcher training and mobility through co-partnership mechanisms. With an allocation of 95.6 million euros, it promotes new or existing doctoral programs and postdoctoral fellowship programs to disseminate MSCA best practices.

Generally speaking, proposed programs may address any research discipline, but in some cases, they may also focus on specific subjects. This is the case of "RIS3 Strategies" programs, based on national or regional research and innovation strategies for smart specialization. In this case, the range of particular subjects should allow researchers reasonable flexibility in defining their topic.

More specifically, the COFUND action offers  additional financial support for doctoral or postdoctoral programs administered by entities based in EU member states or Horizon Europe-associated countries. Participating organizations encompass public bodies, regional authorities, funding agencies, universities, research institutions, and companies. Each COFUND project can last up to 5 years and involves recruiting at least 3 researchers.

The European contribution, capped at 10 million euros per recipient institution, will cover researchers' expenses, such as salary, training, and research costs. The facility, in detail, provides:

• a "COFUND allowance" equivalent to the minimum salary researchers should receive;
• a long-term leave allowance and, if necessary, a special needs allowance.

Applications scoring 85 percent or higher, yet unable to secure funding due to budget constraints within the call, will be awarded the Seal of Excellence. This distinction enables recipients to explore alternative funding sources at the European and national levels.

The call for proposals begun to receive application since October 10th, 2023. You may find any further detail in the COFUND webpage.