NSERC-French Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) call for proposals on quantum technologies

Sponsor

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and French Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR)

For More Information

Program call: NSERC-French Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) call for proposals on quantum technologies

Canada's National Quantum Strategy

Alliance Grants: Equity, diversity and inclusion in training plans

NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: ORS Quick Resource Document for Researchers

U of G Guide for Completing the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ Risk Assessment Form - NSERC Alliance

NSERC Alliance Grants - National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships

Upcoming Information Sessions:

Description

This call for research proposals aims to foster scientific collaborations and knowledge exchange between leading-edge researchers in Canada and France, driving advancements in the rapidly evolving field of quantum technologies. This call aims to support collaborative research projects that address fundamental challenges and explore cutting-edge applications in the field of quantum technologies. 

This collaborative opportunity with ANR is open to scientific challenges in quantum science that aim to advance the National Quantum Strategy (NQS) – Mission: Make Canada a world leader in the continued development, deployment and use of quantum computing hardware and software by advancing research in any of the following areas of quantum technologies or a combination thereof:

• Quantum algorithms/encryption, including post-quantum cryptography
• Quantum communications
• Quantum computing
• Quantum materials
• Quantum sensing

Proposals may also combine any of these quantum technology thrusts with other research topics in the natural sciences and engineering. Proposals that do not address the NQS Mission: Make Canada a world leader in the continued development, deployment and use of quantum computing hardware and software and that do not have a primary research focus in the above areas of quantum technologies may be removed from consideration. Questions about the appropriateness of a proposal should be directed to NSERC.

Eligibility

If you are a Canadian university researcher eligible to receive NSERC funds, you can apply independently or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers. You are limited to one application as either a Canadian principal applicant or co-applicant.  You are encouraged to collaborate with academic researchers in fields other than the NSE. Such researchers may be co-applicants if they meet NSERC’s eligibility criteria for faculty. Research costs for these collaborations can represent up to 30% of the project costs and must be specifically identified in the budget justification. 

You must include at least one academic collaborator from France who meets ANR’s eligibility requirements. For any application limits applying to French collaborators, please consult with ANR.

For this collaborative call for proposals, collaborators and partner organizations (industry, public, not-for-profit) from outside academia are not permitted.

Funding Availability

For the call, NSERC will provide up to $4.5M CAD in funding over three years, with a maximum of $300,000 CAD per project for a three-year project to support the research of eligible Canadian applicants. ANR will provide up to €3M in funding over three years, with a maximum of €200,000 per project for a three-year project to support the research of eligible French applicants. Canadian applicants are only eligible to receive funding from NSERC, and French applicants are only eligible for funding from ANR. The respective national funding body will provide funding to each principal investigator (Canada)/scientific coordinator (France), subject to national rules and budgetary availability. The estimated number of awards is 15. The estimated number of awards and anticipated funding level are subject to the availability of funds.

Maximum Project Value

Canadian research team (NSERC): $20,000 CAD to $100,000 CAD per year

French research team (ANR): €200,000 over 3 years

In the budget justification section of your proposal (form 101), you must also include information on the support requested by your French collaborator(s) from ANR, with a breakdown of each category and a detailed justification for spending in each category. Provide sufficient information to allow reviewers to assess whether the resources requested are appropriate. The collaboration should ensure an adequate balance and significance for both research teams, with no more than 75% of the project budget contributed by either NSERC or ANR.

Indirect Costs

0%

Project Duration

1 to 3 years

Special Notes

NSERC and ANR will jointly determine recommendation outcomes.

NSERC and ANR will jointly fund each selected Canada-France project to support the activities of eligible researchers in their respective countries. NSERC’s contribution will be awarded as one Alliance International Collaboration Quantum grant per successful application, to be administered by the Canadian principal applicant’s institution. NSERC’s funding is intended to support the activities of the eligible Canadian researchers and must be used in accordance with the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration. Only Canadian applicants are eligible to receive funding from NSERC.

Transfer of funds and start date
Your award letter will indicate the start date of your project. NSERC will normally transfer your grant funds to your university within 30 days of that start date. NSERC and ANR intend to coordinate award timing where possible. However, because each agency may have different funding cycles, it is possible that some projects will have different start and end dates.

How to Apply

A complete application includes:

• An application for a grant (form 101); 
• A personal data form with a common CV attachment (form 100A) for each Canadian applicant and co-applicant;
• A common research plan developed jointly by applicants in Canada and France (maximum 7 pages, free form; see below for details);
• Annual funding to be requested from ANR (€EUR, with a breakdown of each category and a detailed justification for spending in each category);
• A two-page biosketch for each French collaborator.

To start your application:

Canadian researchers must submit a modified* Alliance International Collaboration grant application to NSERC by the application deadline.

• Log in to NSERC’s online system and choose 'Create a new form 101';
• Select 'Research partnerships programs', then 'Alliance grants';
• For the Proposal type field, select 'Full proposal';
• For the Type of call field, select 'International-Collaboration-ANR-Quantum' from the drop-down menu;
• The project title must be preceded by “Canada-France QUANTUM:”;
• Following the instructions for completing an Alliance International application, fill out the proposal template** and complete the other sections of your application.

Note: Since NSERC is the lead agency for this call, you do not need to attach a copy of the proposal prepared by your French collaborator(s) or confirmation that the proposal has been funded.

Your application must also include, as separate documents:

• Annual funding to be requested from ANR (€EUR).
• A common research plan (maximum 7 pages, free form) developed jointly by Canadian and French researchers to provide context for external peer reviewers who will assess each proposal using merit criteria. The common research plan must include the following headers:
  • Background – Relate the proposal to current scientific, technical and commercial developments in the field of quantum science, referring to the current literature and market conditions, if applicable. Describe the background research on which the project is built.
  • Detailed proposal – Discuss the scientific issues, research problems or technical complexities and describe the research methodology and theoretical or experimental design proposed to explain or resolve them.
  • Team expertise – Describe the appropriateness of the academic researchers’ expertise from both countries for carrying out the planned research activities and mentoring trainees.
  • Research management – Provide a project management plan for day-to-day direction, scientific leadership and communication between the university research groups.

Information For Co-applicants

You are limited to one application as either a Canadian principal applicant or co-applicant.