The IGNITION recruitment call attracts an outstanding level of international interest from early-career researchers worldwide
The recruitment call for the IGNITION Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network, coordinated by Dr. Lidia Sabater, has officially closed on the 1st of April 2026, following two months of intense international interest. Open from the 2nd of February, the call attracted an exceptionally high number of applications, confirming the strong appeal of the project and its doctoral training programme.
In total, 560 applications were submitted for 13 fully funded PhD positions, with an average of 91 applications per position. Candidates applied from 64 different countries, with particularly strong representation from Europe and Asia, highlighting the global reach of the IGNITION network.
A highly competitive and diverse applicant pool
The majority of applicants are recent graduates or candidates completing their degree in the summer of 2026, reflecting the relevance of IGNITION’s research topics for early-career researchers at a key transition point in their academic paths. The call also achieved a solid gender balance, with 60% of applications submitted by women and 40% by men, in line with the network’s commitment to equal opportunities.
Overall, the number, diversity and quality of the applications received underscore the visibility of IGNITION within the international research community and its attractiveness as a training environment for doctoral candidates.
Selection process is underway
Following the closure of the call, the recruitment process has now entered the evaluation phase, with Selection Panels for each of the 13 PhD positions currently assessing the candidates who selected the respective position as their first, second or third priority.
All applications are being evaluated in a fair, open and transparent manner, based on pre-established and publicly available selection criteria, in full alignment with MSCA principles and the European Charter for Researchers.
Candidates ranking highest in the evaluation will be contacted in the coming weeks and invited to online interviews, which are expected to take place during the last week of April and the first week of May 2026. Applicants who are not shortlisted will also be formally informed about the outcome of the process.
A strong response from the international research community
The IGNITION consortium would like to thank all applicants for their strong interest in the project and for the time and effort invested in submitting their applications. The high level of engagement received through this call is a clear indication of the scientific relevance and training potential of the IGNITION Doctoral Network.
