Background
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) is the mobility programme of Horizon Europe, offering funding for young and established researchers in various mobility projects. The MSCA include Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) for individual researchers, Doctoral Networks (DN), Staff Exchange, and co-financing of PhD- and PostDoc programs (CO-FUND). All MSCA instruments are based on fixed funding rates for remuneration of the MSCA Researchers.
UiO's arrangements towards MSCA Researchers
All MSCA Researchers will be employed at UiO with a regular contract of employment and receive payment as an ordinary salary from UiO, based on the principle that the position code and salary level should be at least equivalent to UiO-colleagues at the same level.
The salary includes monthly allowances provided by the European Research Executive Agency (EREA) as specified in the Grant Agreement (GA), comprising of Living Allowance and Mobility Allowance. The Living Allowance is adjusted by the country coefficient prescribed by the EREA at the time the GA was concluded.
If the MSCA Researcher before or during the MSCA project can document a legal relationship (marriage or equivalent) or dependent children, she/he is entitled to a Family Allowance as specified in the GA. In such a case, a Supplement Agreement between the MSCA Researcher and UiO will be signed. UiO will pay the Family Allowance as a taxable, separate monthly amount in addition to the monthly salary.
National statutory deductions for taxation and social security will be made from the gross amount of all allowances.
In case of any outstanding balance in favor of the MSCA Researcher at the termination of the project, UiO will undertake a corrective payment to compensate for the difference, ensuring that all monthly allowances after statutory deductions have been paid to the MSCA Researcher.
Budgeting salaries
Although the MSCA financial rates are adjusted by a country coefficient, the MSCA rates for remuneration are generally below the corresponding salary level in Norway. This means that units which take on MSCA Researchers may risk underfunding of the MSCA project, among other factors depending on the current exchange rate.
UiO has prepared a specific budget template for MSCA projects and thus showing possible difference between project revenues and costs. Please note that there are different budget templates for MSCA projects depending on the call year. The newest template is called "HE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions budsjettmal (WP 2021-2022) (excel)" and can be found at the web page Utabeide søknadsbudsjett (Norwegian).
The budget template recommends an exchange rate close to today's level to ensure that the MSCA Researcher receives a salary level that takes into account what each Researcher is entitled to from the MSCA programme, also to minimize the need of additional payment after the project period. This may, depending on the exchange rate, mean that the MSCA Researcher may receive a higher salary level than his colleagues.
Relevant documents for MSCA projects at UiO
The following documents should be used for MSCA fellows at UiO under MSCA-funded projects in Horizon Europe:
- Standard UiO employment contract adapted to MSCA Researchers (responsible: LOS/Personnel Support - contact your local personnel support)
- Supplement agreement for Family Allowance (responsible: LOS/EU-office)
- Researcher Agreement prepared for clarification of specific terms for the MSCA program with attachments:
- Career development plan (responsible: LOS/EU-office)
- Secondment agreement (responsible: LOS/EU-office)
- UiO Budget template for MSCA for budgeting of costs/salary for each MSCA Researcher (responsible: LOS/Finance and Business Management). Templates can be found at the web page Utarbeide søknadsbudsjett (kostnadskalkyle) (Norwegian)