Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA) has consolidated its leadership in attracting European funding, achieving outstanding results in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and the Horizon Europe programme, thereby making a decisive contribution to strengthening Portugal’s presence in the European Research Area.
In the MSCA Doctoral Networks 2025 call, NOVA secured 9 funded projects out of 59 applications, reaching a success rate of 15.25%, well above the European average of 8.6%. This performance resulted in €4.47 million in funding, with the university coordinating 2 of the 5 networks approved in Portugal, positioning itself as one of the country’s key drivers in leading international scientific consortia.
Within the scope of Horizon Europe, NOVA researchers have accumulated 212 funded projects and €97.18 million in funding, of which 65 are coordinated by the institution. These figures place the university at the forefront among Portuguese higher education institutions, both in terms of total funding and coordination capacity – a consistent trajectory compared to its performance under Horizon 2020.
Beyond quantitative indicators, these results reflect the growing recognition of science produced in Portugal, highlighting the ability of national institutions to compete at the highest European level and to attract strategic investment in areas critical to economic and social development.
NOVA also stood out in the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025, with 13 grants awarded – a historic result that reinforces the attractiveness of the national scientific system for highly qualified talent and contributes to the renewal and internationalisation of research in Portugal.
“These results reflect the quality of the research carried out at NOVA and its growing recognition within the European Research Area,” said Cecília Roque, Vice-Rector for Research and Advanced Training.