A surge in international recognition is positioning Malta as one of Europe’s most dynamic hubs for research talent, with the country’s growing success in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) under the Horizon Europe programme, marking a turning point for its scientific and innovation landscape.Malta has steadily strengthened its participation in MSCA, the EU’s flagship programme for supporting researchers at all stages of their careers. These actions are designed to promote excellence, mobility, and international collaboration.This year, Malta achieved an impressive milestone: Twenty-two Seal of Excellence awards were granted to proposals submitted by researchers and institutions based in the country. The Seal of Excellence is awarded to high‑quality proposals that meet all MSCA evaluation criteria but cannot be funded due to budget limitations. Malta’s success in MSCA is part of a broader national effort to cultivate a sustainable, innovation-driven economy. The country is increasingly focusing on:Attracting and retaining top researchersEncouraging industry–academia collaborationSupporting early-career scientists through mobility and trainingLeveraging EU programmes to scale up national research ambitionsFurthermore, Malta has a welcoming ecosystem for mobility, compact size, English-speaking environment, strong links to European networks, and a dedicated support system make it an attractive base for researchers relocating from abroad. The National Contact Points at Xjenza Malta assists applicants with their proposals and organises a dedicated PF2MT masterclass every year. Furthermore, Xjenza Malta provides travel grant to international researchers for attending the masterclass. Find out more here.Prof. Stefano Moncada, University of Malta recognises the value of the training and stated ‘The Islands and Small States Institute was awarded a record three seals of excellence in 2026, already building on the success of the previous calls, and continuing to attract high quality researchers to Malta. PF2MT masterclass played instrumental role in the success.” Charanraj Mohan, who applied to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship call with the University of Malta and received a Seal of Excellence, highlighted the value of the initiative: “I am certain that without the PF2MT training and the dedicated and timely support provided, this achievement would not have been possible. I am very grateful for the guidance and assistance throughout the process.”Find out more about MSCA and Horizon Europe at the info session to be held on 26th March at Esplora Planetarium Hall, Kalkara. Details and registration can be found here: Horizon Europe Information Day – Xjenza MaltaIf you are interested to host international postdoc researchers at your entity, contact the MSCA National Contact Point at Xjenza Malta for further assistance: lili.vasileva@gov.mt Share with someone who would be interested in participating in Horizon Europe •