JST-DFG 2026: Japanese-German Joint Call for Proposals on “Advanced Fundamental Research toward the Establishment of Next-Generation Energy Technologies”
This call is launched jointly by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation). With this joint call, JST and the DFG are working together to foster cooperative efforts in scientific research between Japan and Germany. This call for proposals aims at bilateral research projects in “Advanced Fundamental Research toward the Establishment of Next-Generation Energy Technologies”.
Proposals submitted to JST and the DFG will be evaluated jointly and adopted projects will be respectively supported by both agencies. Japan-based research teams will be supported by JST through the ASPIRE (Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem) programme; Germany-based research teams will be supported by the DFG via a standard research grant (“Sachbeihilfe”).
Research Areas
The present call is open to joint research projects regarding “Advanced Fundamental Research toward the Establishment of Next-Generation Energy Technologies”. The research scope for German applicants is limited to the DFG review boards FK 4.22 (Fluid Mechanics, Technical Thermodynamics and Thermal Energy Engineering) and FK 4.32 (Materials Science).
The call applies to research topics such as:
Elucidation of degradation mechanisms in energy conversion and energy storage devices
Understanding and control of charge, heat, and mass transport and conversion processes for improving the efficiency and safety of energy storage devices
Submission of Project Proposals
Please note that the eligibility to submit a joint proposal follows the regulations for the JST and DFG programmes. If in doubt, researchers are strongly encouraged to contact the corresponding programme officers. The standard DFG eligibility rules apply to all applicants from Germany, including the duty to cooperate for non-university researchers which can only be fulfilled through cooperation with a partner at a German university.
Each proposal must have at least one research team in each country.
The Japanese and German teams will need to submit their proposal by parallel submission. The designated (externer Link) is used to draft a joint proposal which is submitted by each team to the proposal submission websites of their respective funding organisation. Each research team in each country needs to be led by a PI who also must submit all required consortium proposal documents on behalf of the consortium to JST or the DFG.
In addition, a compulsory “(Download)” must be submitted to the DFG. It includes, among other information, a detailed breakdown of the funding requested from the DFG for the first 36 months. The DFG allows a maximum funding period of 36 months for new proposals. To align with the five-year duration of JST ASPIRE projects, a renewal proposal may be submitted to the DFG. Funding for the remaining 24 months must be applied for in a renewal proposal six months before the start of the fourth year.
In addition, a CV of each German partner must be submitted for the eligibility check, using (interner Link)
In order to submit a proposal to the DFG, it is necessary to have an elan account. Applicants from Germany who are not yet registered in elan have to register by 7 January 2027. Also, if you are planning to move to a different institution, you need to register the new institutional address beforehand. You will normally receive confirmation of your registration by the next working day. Please note that the registration has to be confirmed before submitting.
All proposals must be submitted to JST by 14 January 2027 17:00 JST. In addition, the same proposal and accompanying documents must be submitted by the principal investigator in Germany to the DFG via elan by 14 January 2027 (before 17:00 CET). After logging in, please use the link “Proposal for a Research Grant” and select “Japan-JST-DFG-Energy Systems 2026” to tag your proposal for this specific call. The submission to the DFG must contain the original proposal submitted to JST and the documents mentioned above. In elan, the Japanese principal investigator should be appointed as Cooperation Partner.
Notification of Results
The decision-making process regarding funding for the projects is expected to be completed approximately in June 2027. Applicants will be informed in writing of the results of the review and, where applicable, of the subsequent administrative steps according to the respective national regulations. Funding will be provided according to the funding rules (incl. reporting) of the respective funding organisation. Funding can only be granted if both JST and the DFG arrive at a positive decision.
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 (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 (externer Link). If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the (externer Link) at the DFG Head Office.
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.
Further Information
General information for German applicants under the (interner Link).
The DFG’s electronic portal “(externer Link)”.
Please note the (interner Link) on research funding and for reviewers.
As part of the assessment procedure, the necessary personal data must be exchanged between the organisations involved. This requires the transfer of personal data between Japan (JST) and Germany (DFG). Further information can be found in the data protection notices of the respective organisations (JST – (externer Link)). If necessary, please also forward this information to those persons whose data the DFG processes because they are involved in your project.
Contact information for Germany:
Inquiries related to this call:
(externer Link), Fluid Mechanics, Technical Thermodynamics and Thermal Energy Engineering, Tel. +49 228 885-2238
(externer Link), Materials Science and Engineering, Tel. +49 228 885-2271
Inquiries related to general questions on Japanese-German cooperation:
(externer Link), Tel. +49 228 885-2245
Contact information for Japan:
(externer Link), Department of International Affairs