The European Commission will fund 144 research projects in fields such as cancer, renewable energy and climate change through a €405 million fund. The initiative will involve 1,500 PhD students under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) calls for projects, the European Commission announced in a statement. “For years, the Doctoral Networks of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions have supported doctoral programmes worldwide by creating sustainable partnerships within and outside the academic world. I am pleased to see that today’s announcement is a further boost to transnational research cooperation and to the innovative training of a new generation of brilliant PhD candidates from around the world”, said EU Commissioner for Research and Culture Mariya Gabriel. PhD programmes are implemented through international partnerships, involving 1,160 organisations in 38 countries, with the participation of the private sector, small and medium-sized enterprises. Since 2014, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie calls have funded 1,080 doctoral programmes.