The MISCEA programme (Modelling and Interdisciplinary Science for the Ecological Transition: building the worlds of tomorrow) is a five‑year doctoral programme co‑funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions – COFUND (Grant Agreement No. 101126720).
Coordinated by the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ENPC) and running from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2028, the programme will establish a cohort of up to 18 doctoral researchers whose work tackles key scientific and societal challenges associated with ecological and energy transitions.
Humanity is confronted with accelerating climate change and the urgent need to reconfigure energy, infrastructure, and environmental systems. These transformations demand not only technological innovation, ranging from low‑carbon energy solutions to resilient infrastructure and advanced modelling of extreme events, but also a systemic understanding of their social, economic and environmental implications. MISCEA positions itself at this critical intersection. By mobilising modelling, environmental sciences, engineering, and complementary disciplines, the programme aims to generate new knowledge that can support coherent and sustainable transition pathways.
MISCEA pursues two overarching objectives: First, it contributes directly to ecological and energy transitions by advancing both fundamental and applied research across interconnected domains; Second, it trains a new generation of highly skilled doctoral researchers equipped to become scientific leaders and informed decision‑makers capable of addressing complex societal challenges. These ambitions rely on the scientific excellence of ENPC research laboratories and on strong engagement with private‑sector partners, ensuring intersectoral exposure, enhanced employability, and research that is both academically rigorous and societally relevant.
Fully aligned with Horizon Europe and the MSCA guiding principles, MISCEA promotes international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral training environments. It facilitates researcher mobility across institutions and countries, strengthens the European Research Area, and upholds open, transparent and merit‑based recruitment to foster excellence, diversity and inclusiveness within the doctoral cohort.
The expected impacts of MISCEA are significant in scale and multidimensional. Scientifically, the programme will reinforce research capacity in strategic fields central to Europe’s ecological and energy transitions. Societally and economically, it will strengthen academic–industry collaboration, support evidence‑based decision‑making, and prepare researchers to assume leadership roles in a rapidly evolving landscape. At the European level, MISCEA’s contributions align closely with strategic priorities for climate action, innovation, resilience and long‑term sustainability.
Through the combination of innovative research goals, structured training, and intersectoral engagement, MISCEA sets the stage for a new generation of researchers capable of shaping sustainable futures and contributing meaningfully to Europe’s responses to the climate and energy challenges of the decades ahead.
