Funding Opportunities for
Shandong Researchers

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Funding Resources for Shandong Digitalization Researchers

This page is designed as a resource for researchers from Shandong. Here you can find the different funding agencies pages where calls will be published. Also on this page are opportunities for mobility funding, both incoming and outgoing, funding for training young researchers, and fellowship and scholarship opportunities for PhD students from Shandong who want to study in the other RLS regions.

Multilateral Funding

Horizon Europe | European Union
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Horizon Europe | European Union
Deadline: various, dependent on the specific call
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.  It creates jobs, fully engages the EU’s talent pool, boosts economic growth, promotes industrial competitiveness and optimises investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area. 

In Pillar II, researchers from Bavaria, Québec, Upper Austria, and Western Cape are eligible to receive funding. São Paulo researchers can receive funding from FAPESP if they are a co-PI. Western Cape partners can profit from the “Seed Funding Instrument” created by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). It supports South African researchers travelling to Europe or European researchers travelling to South Africa to initiate collaboration within Horizon Europe. Partners from Georgia or Shandong can participate in Horizon Europe either by providing a unique competence that cannot be found in the EU, or through bilateral agreements between their home countries and the European Union. Participation via own funding is always possible.

Visit the Horizon Europe website here.
Read about China and Horizon Europe here and find the Practical Guide for Chinese participation in Horizon Europe here.
DFG Scientific Networks │ DFG
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DFG Scientific Networks │ German Research Foundation
Deadline: Open
Value: up to three years, covering travel and maintenance costs for work meetings of network members and for thematically relevant guests, as well as coordination costs and publication costs

The aim of the program is to promote multi-year scientific exchange and cooperation on a topic area of choice across locations. Scientific networks offer researchers at all career stages the opportunity to engage in multi-year scientific exchange and cooperation on a topic area of their choice across locations, with the aim of achieving a specific outcome. The network must aim for a specific outcome, e.g. the preparation of joint research papers, a joint publication, impetus for the further development of research methods.

Scientific networks may be used:
-
To promote national and international networking between researchers at an early stage of their careers. Supporting early career researchers is especially important to the DFG.
- To promote networking between researchers who want to work on new interdisciplinary or strategic research questions in a results-focused approach and require a flexible organisational framework in which to do so.
- To promote networking between researchers who want to address topic areas of a strategic nature where the exchange of ideas at international level appear to be particularly productive.

A scientific network consists of a set group of 10 to 20 people, which may also include researchers working abroad. Since the objective is to promote the development of networks across locations, within Germany as well as internationally, members must not all belong to the same research institution; no more than half of the members may be based in research systems outside Germany.
 
Program website.

Bilateral Funding

Digital Technologies for Green - Bilateral Call with the Chinese Academy of Sciences | FFG and MOST (Closed)
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Digital Technologies for Green | FFG and MOST
Deadline: please note this call is currently closed
Value: 100.000 – 1.000.000€ for the Upper Austrian Partner, Shandong partners please consult with MOST
The objective of this call is to exploit the potential of digital technologies for sustainability, and to support the ecological transformation of the economy, especially with regard to climate and environmental protection. This involves the development, testing and use of digital platforms, tools, methods, business models, procurement models or standards. The call also aims to promote sustainable digital technologies, for example digital technologies that consume little energy resources. Innovative applications, services and integrated solutions must make a positive contribution to the energy transition, mobility transition, circular economy or climate-neutral city.

The bilateral call in cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences aims at establishing links to the Chinese innovation system, facilitating access to the Chinese market for Austrian companies, and expanding Austrian-Chinese cooperation in application-oriented research in the area of Digital Technologies for Green.

Link 

Unilateral Funding

FWF Principal Investigator Projects│FWF
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FWF Principal Investigator Projects│FWF
Deadline: open call
Value: dependent on project proposal

The Principal Investigator Project call for projects is a unilateral project funding program for researchers at all career levels and from all disciplines of basic research. The program aims at providing principal investigators and their research group with resources to focus on a clearly defined research question at an Austrian research institution. Grants will be provided by the Austrian Science Fund FWF for 48 months with funding for personnel and non-personnel costs depending on the proposed project.
The Austrian host institution is eligible for application in the funding programme. The granted project will be carried out under the auspices of the Austrian research institution by the principal investigator who may come from Austria or abroad. Principal investigators may come from any RLS-Sciences region.
 
Programme website
FWF ESPRIT│FWF
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FWF ESPRIT│FWF
Deadline: open call
Value: dependent on project proposal

The ESPRIT program (Early-Stage Program: Research – Innovation – Training) is a unilateral project funding program for early-career postdoc-level researchers from all disciplines. The grant aims at enabling them to lead an independent research project and foster their academic profile at an Austrian research institution. Grants will be provided by the Austrian Science Fund FWF for 36 months with funding for the principal investigator’s salary and certain project specific costs. 
The Austrian host institution is eligible for application in the funding programme. The granted project will be carried out under the auspices of the Austrian research institution by the principal investigator who may come from Austria or abroad. Principal investigators may come from any RLS-Sciences region.
Programme website

Incoming Mobility: Researchers
Bringing RLS-Sciences researchers to Shandong

São Paulo Researchers in International Cooperation (SPRINT) | FAPESP
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São Paulo Researchers in International Cooperation (SPRINT) | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Deadline: 23 February, 2026
Value: dependent on proposal, please see below
The objective of the SPRINT programme is to promote the engagement of researchers affiliated to institutions of higher education and research in the State of São Paulo in partnership with researchers abroad in order to: 1) further develop qualitatively the ongoing research projects; and 2) work cooperatively aiming at the elaboration of joint research projects of medium and long term, for submission to FAPESP, by researchers from the State of São Paulo, and to the research funding agencies in the countries of corresponding partners, by their colleagues.

SPRINT provides funding for the initial phase of international research collaborations with clear expectations that the next phase will be a presentation, by the researchers from the State of São Paulo, of research proposals in the regular funding lines of FAPESP aiming to continue the research started under SPRINT and the consequently consolidation of the partnership. Foreign partners must provide their own funding through the appropriate partner agencies. Selected projects must last between 12 and 24 months. Joint petitioners should submit their proposals in both countries, using the appropriate forms supplied by the respective agencies. Each proposal will initially be analyzed by the agency in the country of its origin.

Under SPRINT, projects are initially funded for 12 months, with a possible extension of up to an additional 24 months depending on the results obtained and the evolution of the collaboration. The proposals should provide for the mobility of the São Paulo research team to the institution abroad in the first year, but they can already foresee the subsequent stages, which are the arrival of the foreign partners to the institution in the state of São Paulo in the second year and the implementation of joint research in the third year, based on seed funding.
 
Researchers partners of any foreign institution can prove the financing of the missions by their own institution or of the development agency for which they have contemplated project. Therefore, it is not necessary that groups and institutions have agreements with FAPESP to participate. Nevertheless, interested foreign research institutions can create conditions for receiving proposals in collaboration and funding of their teams in scientific missions in research institutions in the state of São Paulo.

Review the SPRINT program webpage here.

Incoming Mobility: Students
Bringing RLS-Sciences students to Shandong

Programme to Increase the Mobility of German Students  |  DAAD (Closed)
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Programme to Increase the Mobility of German Students  |  German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Deadline: (Please note this call is currently closed, but reopens on 15 June, 2026)
​Value: please see below

This program provides stipends for visits abroad for a period of up to six months allowing for an increase in the mobility of German students, including doctoral candidates. This provides higher education institutes with the opportunity to prioritize international mobility of their students and to offer them a variety of mobility measures with fitting funding instruments. This program should also offer students the opportunity for a stay abroad which is outside of the framework of the structured DAAD funding programs.

During the period from January 1 - December 31 of the year following the application activities worldwide may be funded in the form of partial stipends (for study abroad), support for travel costs (for study tours), course fees and subsidies towards tuition and costs of living for:
  •   Study abroad (1 - 6 months)
  •  Internships (6 weeks - 6 months)
  •  Language courses (3 weeks - 6 months)
  •  Subject related coursework (up to 6 weeks)
  •  Study tours and travel to competitions (up to 12 days)

The institutes can apply for a one-time lump sum supervision grant of € 250 per supported scholar; the total of the supervision grants is not to exceed ten percent of the total funding.

Programme Website.
Mitacs Accelerate International | Mitacs 
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Mitacs Accelerate International | Mitacs
Deadline: Applications accepted at any time. Applicants should submit their applications approximately 16 weeks prior to the start of the project to ensure enough time for adjudication, filing of appropriate documentation, and travel and accommodation arrangements.
Value: $15,000 CAD for 16-24 weeks

*Please note, that only Québec students may apply to do an internship in Shandong


Mitacs Accelerate International supports bilateral research collaborations between interns, universities, and industry partners, both in Canada and abroad. Interns at Canadian universities can undertake projects in Mitacs’s partner countries. Interns from Mitacs's partner countries can undertake projects in Canada. Accelerate International projects can be undertaken in many Mitacs partner countries and regions, among others in the US, Brazil, China and Germany.

Mitacs Accelerate offers the following benefits to participating universities and students:
-Mitacs will award successful applicants $15,000 CAD in funding to cover the direct costs of research. Funding will be in the form of a research grant to the home university academic supervisor;
-All academic disciplines are eligible;
-Simple and quick application process with results typically announced in six weeks;
-Funding is provided to support the student’s research;
-Students and faculty gain real-world and international exposure: apply the latest tools and innovations to real issues; and
-International research collaborations are strengthened.
Mitacs Accelerate offers the following benefits to participating industry partners:
-Applications are peer reviewed to ensure high-quality research
-Increased innovation: participants gain novel solutions to research challenges
-Mitacs matches the $7,500 CAD industry partner contribution

Industry Partner Eligibility
The international industry partner for the Partnership Award must be a for-profit company in any country where the student can undertake the research project. Accelerate International projects can be undertaken in Brazil, China, Germany and the US (among others).

Visit the program website here.
Internationalization Program for Students (IPS) | Government of Upper Austria
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Internationalization Program for Students (IPS) | Government of Upper Austria
Deadline: applications must be submitted before the start of the stay abroad
Value: dependent upon destination (upper funding limit per applicant is 1480 EUR incl. travel allowance)

The Government of Upper Austria has created the Internationalization Program for Students as a successor programme to the Kepler Internationalization Program. Funding is provided for students and graduates of Upper Austria to complete study visits, courses or internships abroad in non-German speaking countries for a maximum of ten months.

Students who have had their main place of resident in Upper Austria for at least one year prior to submitting their application, and who have been admitted to regular studies at Johannes-Kepler-Universität, Fachhochschulen Oberösterreich, Pädagogischen Hochschule Oberösterreich, and Privaten Pädagogischen Hochschule der Diözese Linz or  at other universities and colleges in Upper Austria or with a successfully completed diploma or master's degree at the above-mentioned institutions can apply.   
 
Program website.

Outgoing Mobility: Researchers
Support for Shandong researchers to go abroad

Gastdozentenprogramm  |  DAAD  (Closed)
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Gastdozentenprogramm  |  German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Deadline: please note this call is currently closed, but reopens annually with a summer deadline
​Value: dependent on salary and length of stay- please see below

The Foreign Guest Lecturer Program ("Förderung ausländischer Gastdozenten zu Lehrtätigkeiten an deutschen Hochschulen") serves to enhance the internationalization of the German higher education institutes and improve the international dimension of teaching. The two models of this program differentiate between an agreement with an individual guest lecturer or with a Visiting Chair which contributes guest lectures on a consecutive basis. The cooperation should result in the internationalization of courses and, in the case of a Visiting Chair, more structural measures for sustainable internationalization, which could be embedded in the development of a study program.

The teaching commitment should approach but is not required to be the equivalent of a standard lecturer position at a German university. A financial contribution by the higher education institution to the salary of the guest lecturer is preconditioned. Additional financial support will be considered positively during the selection process. The remaining will be funded by DAAD. In addition, mobility support and funding towards conference participation is available. The salary for professors in Bavaria can be found in category W of the standardized tables for the public service.

Find further information or apply here.

 São Paulo Researchers in International Cooperation (SPRINT) | FAPESP
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São Paulo Researchers in International Cooperation (SPRINT) | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Deadline: 23 February, 2026
Value: dependent on proposal, please see below

The objective of the SPRINT programme is to promote the engagement of researchers affiliated to institutions of higher education and research in the State of São Paulo in partnership with researchers abroad in order to: 1) further develop qualitatively the ongoing research projects; and 2) work cooperatively aiming at the elaboration of joint research projects of medium and long term, for submission to FAPESP, by researchers from the State of São Paulo, and to the research funding agencies in the countries of corresponding partners, by their colleagues.

SPRINT provides funding for the initial phase of international research collaborations with clear expectations that the next phase will be a presentation, by the researchers from the State of São Paulo, of research proposals in the regular funding lines of FAPESP aiming to continue the research started under SPRINT and the consequently consolidation of the partnership. Foreign partners must provide their own funding through the appropriate partner agencies. Selected projects must last between 12 and 24 months. Joint petitioners should submit their proposals in both countries, using the appropriate forms supplied by the respective agencies. Each proposal will initially be analyzed by the agency in the country of its origin.

Under SPRINT, projects are initially funded for 12 months, with a possible extension of up to an additional 24 months depending on the results obtained and the evolution of the collaboration. The proposals should provide for the mobility of the São Paulo research team to the institution abroad in the first year, but they can already foresee the subsequent stages, which are the arrival of the foreign partners to the institution in the state of São Paulo in the second year and the implementation of joint research in the third year, based on seed funding.
 
Researchers partners of any foreign institution can prove the financing of the missions by their own institution or of the development agency for which they have contemplated project. Therefore, it is not necessary that groups and institutions have agreements with FAPESP to participate. Nevertheless, interested foreign research institutions can create conditions for receiving proposals in collaboration and funding of their teams in scientific missions in research institutions in the state of São Paulo.

Review the SPRINT program webpage here.
Visiting Researcher Program  | FAPESP
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Visiting Researcher Program  |  São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Ongoing Call
Value: for visits less than 30 days, please see this table; for visits longer than 30 days, please see this table


The Visiting Researcher Program offers full or partial support for the hosting of experienced investigators, associated with foreign research institutions, who will work in a research institution in the State of São Paulo for a period from 2 weeks to a maximum (non-extendable) period of 12 months. The visiting researcher must hold PhD degree and have an outstanding record of scientific accomplishments.

This program aims to promote collaboration between investigators in the State of São Paulo and their colleagues abroad for the development of ongoing research projects or for assisting the launching of new collaborations. Funds cannot be used for the development of a research project, but joint research efforts conducted by the Visiting Researcher and their host may enhance a proposal.

When the duration of the visit is less than 1 month, the maintenance will be supported in the form of per diem payments for the visitor to the threshold value of the monthly maintenance defined by FAPESP based on the visitor's curriculum. The aid does not include the payment of management fees. When the duration of the visit is more than 30 days, the monthly maintenance for the visitor will be supported in the form of aid Visiting Researcher with value defined by FAPESP based on the visitor's curriculum and other characteristics of the submitted proposal.

Visit the webpage here. (Português)
Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program | Government of Canada Tri-Agency Program (closed)
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Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program | Government of Canada Tri-Agency Program
Deadline: SSHRC September 11, CIHR September 17, NSERC October 17, 2025
Value: $70,000 per year

The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program provides funding to early-career postdoctoral national and international applicants who will positively contribute to Canada’s research ecosystem, economy and prosperity either at a Canadian institution or abroad. Eligible for application are both Canadian and foreign citizens in three areas of research (Health research, Natural sciences and/or engineering, Social sciences and/or humanities). The program is focused on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and has a duration of 24 months.
  • Up to 20% of Postdoctoral Awards are allocated to international applicants for their fellowship at a Canadian institution. Applicants who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada must be currently enrolled in or have completed a doctorate or health professional degree at a Canadian institution; or conducting postdoctoral research at a Canadian institution.
  • Up to 30% of Postdoctoral Awards are allocated to Canadian citizens, permanent residents or applicants who have completed a doctorate or health professional degree at a Canadian institution for their fellowship at an international institution outside of Canada.
 
Review the program website here.

Outgoing Mobility: Students
Support for Shandong students to go abroad

Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program | Government of Canada Tri-Agency Program (closed)
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Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program | Government of Canada Tri-Agency Program
Deadline: October 17, 2025 for applications directly to CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC; earlier deadlines when applying through a Canadian institution
Value: $40,000 per year

The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program provides funding to national and international doctoral students who will positively contribute to Canada’s research ecosystem, economy and prosperity either at a Canadian institution or abroad. Eligible for application are both Canadian and foreign citizens in three areas of research (Health research, Natural sciences and/or engineering, Social sciences and/or humanities). The program is focused on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and has a duration of 36 months.
  • Up to 15% of awards are allocated to scholarships at institutions in Canada; international applicants must be enrolled in a Canadian doctoral program.
  • Up to 20% of awards are allocated to scholarships at international institutions outside of Canada; applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or have completed at least one previous undergraduate or graduate degree at a Canadian institution.

Review the program website here.
Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students  |  FRQ-NT (Closed)
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Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students  |  Fonds de recherche du Québec-Nature et technologies
(Please note this call is now closed)
Value: please refer to the individual descriptions

The objective of the Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students (PBEEE) is to support the internationalization of research activities in Québec's institutions of higher education, to attract the best foreign researchers and students, and to promote Québec universities and College Centers for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT) abroad. The China Scholarship Council (CSC) will recommend at least 10 applicants for each of the competition's three components. The CSC must therefore take Québec's linguistic specificities into account.

Doctoral Research Component
Candidates are eligible for doctoral merit program scholarships from MEESR in the first nine sessions of their doctoral studies. All doctoral sessions, funded or unfunded, completed before the scholarship takes effect, are used in calculating the eligibility period. Doctoral research scholarship recipients must have a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Diversité et de l'Inclusion du Québec and a study permit issued by the Canadian Consulate valid for the entire duration of their scholarship.

The maximum duration of the scholarship is three years (nine sessions), with a possible extension of up to 12 months. The scholarship is valued at $25,000 / year.

Postdoctoral Component
Postdoctoral scholarships are intended for researchers who have obtained their degree no more than two years before the deadline of the competition or who submitted their dissertation by the deadline for the beginning of scholarship use. Postdoctoral research must be conducted in an institution other than the one that granted the Doctorate. The applicant's doctoral supervisors and co-supervisors may not act as his/her postdoctoral supervisor, even if they have changed institutions. Postdoctoral scholarship or short-term research or professional development scholarship recipients must have a work permit issued by the Canadian Consulate for the entire duration of their scholarship.

The duration of this scholarship is for up to one year. This scholarship is not renewable. The scholarship is valued at $35,000 for one year.
 
Short-Term Research or Professional Development Component
Short-term research or professional development scholarships are intended for technical and university students (option A) or researchers who have completed a doctorate no more than five years before the deadline for the competition (option B). The research or professional development must be conducted in an institution other than the one at which the student was enrolled when he or she applied.

The duration of this scholarship is for up to four months. The scholarship is not renewable. The scholarship is valued at $3,000/month.

Programme Website.
Mitacs Accelerate | Mitacs
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Mitacs Accelerate | Mitacs
Deadline: Applications accepted at any time. Applicants should submit their applications approximately 16 weeks prior to the start of the project to ensure enough time for adjudication, filing of appropriate documentation, and travel and accommodation arrangements.
Value: $15,000 CAD for 16-24 weeks


Mitacs Accelerate supports bilateral research collaborations between interns, universities, and industry partners.  Interns from Mitacs's partner countries can undertake projects in Canada. Accelerate projects can be undertaken in the RLS partner region of Québec.

Mitacs Accelerate offers the following benefits to participating universities and students:
-Mitacs will award successful applicants $15,000 CAD in funding to cover the direct costs of research. Funding will be in the form of a research grant to the home university academic supervisor;
-All academic disciplines are eligible;
-Simple and quick application process with results typically announced in six weeks;
-Funding is provided to support the student’s research;
-Students and faculty gain real-world and international exposure: apply the latest tools and innovations to real issues; and
-International research collaborations are strengthened.
Mitacs Accelerate offers the following benefits to participating industry partners:
-Applications are peer reviewed to ensure high-quality research
-Increased innovation: participants gain novel solutions to research challenges
-Mitacs matches the $7,500 CAD industry partner contribution

Visit the program website here.

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