Funding opportunity

Pre-announcement: EPSRC UK-Japan collaboration in advanced functional materials

• Opportunity status: Upcoming
• Funders: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Co-funders: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
• Funding type: Grant
• Total fund: £5,000,000
• Publication date: 18 April 2024
• Opening date: To be confirmed
• Closing date: To be confirmed

This funding opportunity aims to enable international research collaborations between the UK and Japan in the field of advanced materials.

This programme is funded by the UK Government’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF). ISPF is managed by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and delivered by a consortium of the UK’s leading research and innovation bodies, including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

We will fund up to fifteen projects, to start December 2024. EPSRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC). Projects can be up to 36 months.

This is a pre-announcement and the information may change.

Who can apply

For support under this funding opportunity, applicants and organisations must be eligible to apply for funding from their respective country’s funding agency.

Applications will have a project lead (previously principal investigator) based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding and a project lead based at a Japanese research organisation eligible for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) funding.

The expectation is that the UK project lead and associated costs for UK research would be funded by EPSRC. The Japan-based project lead and associated costs for Japan-based research would be funded by JSPS.

Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.

EPSRC standard eligibility rules apply. For full details, visit EPSRC’s eligibility page.

What we're looking for

The funding opportunity is expected to open in May 2024. More information will be available on this page when the full opportunity is announced.

This funding opportunity aims to enable international research collaborations between the UK and Japan in the field of advanced materials.

Projects funded should exhibit the potential to tackle large scale global research challenges, through the sharing of our expertise and showcase their potential to support delivery of UN sustainability goals.

Applications should principally focus on the physical science or engineering of materials to deliver beneficial and enhanced properties. Their incorporation into devices or use in applications can be addressed but should not form the bulk of work proposed.

We envisage funding up to fifteen projects, starting December 2024. EPSRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects can be up to 36 months.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UKRI Funding Service. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.  We will publish full details on how to apply when the funding opportunity opens.

Contact details

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact Alex Broomsgrove (alexander.broomsgrove@epsrc.ukri.org) quoting ‘EPSRC-JSPS Advanced Materials’ in the subject line.

However, please note we will not be able to provide additional information about this funding opportunity in advance of its publication.