Alliance International Collaboration Quantum grants

Eligibility

If you are a Canadian university researcher who is eligible to receive NSERC funds, you can apply on your own or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers. You and any Canadian co-applicants must have an active NSERC peer-reviewed grant, as primary applicant, at the time of application.

For this call, you are limited to one application as either applicant or co-applicant. This limit applies to Alliance International Catalyst Quantum grants and does not count against application limits for other Alliance International grants or calls.

You can apply at any time up until January 31, 2024. As this is a continuous intake process, applications will be assessed upon receipt and funding decisions will be communicated within 5 to 9 weeks from the date NSERC receives the complete application.

Summary

Alliance International Collaboration Quantum grants are intended to fund joint international projects that have been peer-reviewed and awarded by the national funding agency of the international academic collaborator(s). If the international project has been awarded a four- or five-year grant, it must be made clear in the international proposal, that the Canadian team will only be involved for up to the first three years. Upon receiving an Alliance International Collaboration Quantum grants application, NSERC will undertake an administrative assessment to ensure the application is complete and that it complies with all requirements. Once the administrative assessment is satisfactorily completed, NSERC proceeds with the merit assessment of the application. For this international collaborative call, collaborators and organizations from outside academia are not permitted. For collaborative research projects involving organizations in the public, private or not-for-profit sectors, please refer to the Alliance Quantum grants or the Alliance Consortia Quantum grants.

Proposals may address any challenges in quantum science, but their thrust must aim to advance one or more of the  NQS missions  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 synergistically couple any of these quantum technology thrusts to other research topics in the natural sciences and engineering. Proposals that do not address one or more of the NQS missions  may be removed from consideration; see the Important note below for additional information on what to include in your proposal.

Submission Process

This competition will be run through Research Management System (RMS).

1. Complete your application in the NSERC On-line system. Once the application is complete (including required attachments and your CCV), verify each section, and then press "Submit". Your application will be sent to the Research Services Office. Please ensure your application is final and complete; Research Services will not review drafts, and, once received, your application may be submitted to NSERC without further notice. 

 2. Complete the Pre-Award record in RMS (login at https://research.ucalgary.ca/rms) and “Submit for academic approvals” (Under Save & Progress) in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the Research Services deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.  

• Please note, your application will not be considered submitted and will not be reviewed until both the application is submitted in the Research Portal (a paper copy is not required) and the RMS Approvals have been received. As Alliance is a rolling intake, once we have received both the completed RMS record and the NSERC application in the NSERC portal, please indicate if you would like a basic (allowable turnaround time is 3 days) review or a detailed (allowable turnaround time is 2 weeks) review.

• The detailed review includes a detailed review of the application, checking for eligibility and UofC commitments and risk, compliance with program guidelines, completeness of application, and the opportunity for feedback to improve the application.

• The basic administrative review involves a minimal check of the application for eligibility and any UofC commitment or risk.

Resources

• Alliance International grants terms and conditions of applying for applicants
• Alliance grants terms and conditions of award
• Presentation on Alliance Quantum grants and Alliance Consortia Quantum grants: slides
• Presentation on Alliance Quantum grants and Alliance Consortia Quantum grants: slides with notes
• proposal template
• Alliance International application checklist
• Equity, diversity and inclusion in your training plan
• Safeguarding Your Research portal

Overhead

No overhead

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

NSERC is acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the Tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Applicants are encouraged to consider sex, gender and diversity in the project’s research design. Diversity and gender equity should also be considered when developing the research team and considering how to promote and support a variety of forms of mentoring to ensure trainees’ equitable participation and growth. Applicants should refer to the NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research for more information.