This is a joint initiative between the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), United Kingdom Research and Innovation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UKRI-EPSRC), United States National Science Foundation (NSF) and NordForsk on behalf of the Innovation Fund Denmark, the Research Council of Finland, the Research Council of Norway and the Swedish Research Council. This funding opportunity will support bilateral or multilateral collaborative research projects on quantum science and technologies. 

Research Areas

Proposals may address any challenge in quantum science, but their thrust must aim to advance research in any of the following quantum technologies:

• quantum algorithms/encryption, including post-quantum cryptography

• quantum communications

• quantum computing

• quantum materials

• quantum sensing

Eligibility

The principal investigators on each side must be eligible to apply to their respective funding agency. Projects must include at least one researcher eligible to receive NSERC funds. Except for the duty to collaborate (DFG form 55.01(interner Link)) for researchers at non-university institutions, the regular eligibility rules(interner Link) for DFG funding apply. 

Proposal Preparation and Submission 

This multilateral call will be managed via a Lead Agency Procedure. NSERC will act as Lead Agency in this call, i.e. it will be responsible for conducting the review process and for organising the joint review panel.

The deadline for submitting proposals to NSERC is 24 September 2026, 8:00 pm (Eastern Time). Applicants from Germany have to submit the same document and additional information to the DFG via the elan portal(externer Link).

The full details of the call and the proposal submission procedure (including additional national requirements) are available on the website of NSERC(externer Link).

Equity and Diversity

The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.

Good Research Practice

According to a resolution of the DFG General Assembly, DFG funding may only be awarded to research institutions that have implemented the guidelines laid down in the Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Good Research Practice(externer Link) in their own regulations. The management of your institution is responsible for implementing the guidelines in a legally binding manner. In order to avoid delays in the disbursement of funding, please verify implementation within your institution in good time. For information regarding the implementation, please refer to the Research Integrity Portal(externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity team(externer Link) at the DFG Head Office. 

Further Information 

Please find detailed information on the full details of the call and the application procedure on the website of NSERC(externer Link).

Contact Persons at the DFG Head Office

Engineering Sciences: Dr. Ina Strauß(externer Link), Tel. +49 228 885-2523

Natural Sciences: Dr. Andreas Deschner(externer Link), Tel. +49 228 885-2959

Contact at NSERC

alliance_quantumquantique@nserc-crsng.gc.ca(externer Link)

Privacy Policy

We, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), take the protection of your personal data and its confidential treatment extremely seriously. Therefore, please refer to the DFG’s Privacy Policy(interner Link). If you intend to transmit personal data of third parties, please make sure to do so only if the necessary legitimation under data protection law exist. Before transmitting data of third parties to the DFG, please forward the DFG’s Data Protection Notice to the individuals affected (data subjects). If there is a legitimate interest not to inform individuals beforehand (e.g. for reasons of secrecy or in case of a nomination or candidate proposal), these individuals should be informed no later than at the time of publication.