The NSFC has initiated application for NSFC-NRF joint research program 2021. Details of requirements are as follows:

1. Funding fields

This  Major  Research  Plan  consists  of  two  subcategories: Key Program and Integrated Program.

※ For details of research areas, please refer to Annex 1-Guide.

2. Eligibility of applicants

Applicants shall meet the following qualifications:

(1) With the experience of undertaking basic research projects;

(2) Have senior academic title;

(3) In-site post-doctoral researchers or graduate students aren’t allowed to apply for this program.

3. Funding amount and duration

For Key Program, the funding will be 2.5 million RMB per project (direct cost) for 4 years (the start time should be 1 Jan. 2022 and finish time should be 31 Dec. 2025) .

For Integrated Program, the funding will be 7 million RMB per project (direct cost) for 4 years (the start time should be 1 Jan. 2022 and finish time should be 31 Dec. 2025) .

4. Procedure of application

Online application

Applicants shall fill out application forms in Chinese online via the application system ( https://isisn.nsfc.gov.cn/egrantweb/  ). When filling in the application form, applicants shall follow: for “funding category”, select“重大研究计划”; for “subclass introduction”, select “集成项目”or“重点支持项目” ; for “annotation”, select “共融机器人基础理论与关键技术研究”.

※ For applicants who have no application account, please send your name, academic title, email address, telephone number to kevingao@cuhk.edu.cn by Aug. 25, 2021 to open account.

Paperless submission

In the stage of submission, applicants shall only submit online application, without submitting any hard copies.

5. Other requirements

A. This Major Research Plan(excluding  Integrated  Program) will be counted to the total number limit for researchers with a senior academic rank (title);

B. Grantees of the Major Research Plan program are not allowed to apply for this program in the following year, excluding  Integrated  Program  and Strategic Research Program;

C. For Key  Program  project,  the collaborative institutions involved shall not exceed 2 in number; The number of collaborative  institutions  involved  in  one  Integrated  Program  project  shall  not exceed 4;

D. Applicants shall first read Annex 1 carefully before application.

6. Deadline

Applicant shall submit application form online by 12:00 on Sep. 16, 2021, without submitting any hard copies.

Contact information

Gao Shang      kevingao@cuhk.edu.cn