2026 Korea-Canada Joint Call for Proposals in Quantum Science and Technology - fundsforNGOs

Deadline: 07-Oct-2026 The Korea-Canada Joint Quantum Science and Technology Program 2026 supports collaborative research between Korean and Canadian researchers to strengthen the competitiveness of quantum science and technology in both countries. The program provides up to KRW 300 million per year for Korean researchers and CAD 250,000 per year for Canadian researchers, with projects funded for three years from December 2026 to November 2029. What Is the Korea-Canada Joint Quantum Science and Technology Program? The program is a bilateral research initiative announced by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) to strengthen international cooperation between Korea and Canada in quantum science and technology. It is designed to bring together the complementary capabilities of Korean and Canadian research communities. The program supports collaborative projects that: Combine Korean and Canadian research expertise. Share complementary research capabilities and resources. Advance quantum science and technology. Strengthen international research networks. Improve the competitiveness of both countries. Generate meaningful scientific and technological outcomes. A strong proposal should therefore demonstrate a genuine bilateral research synergy, rather than simply involving researchers from both countries.

What Research Areas Are Supported? The 2026 call covers several major areas of quantum science and technology. Quantum Algorithms and Encryption Projects may address: Quantum algorithms. Quantum cryptography. Encryption technologies. Post-quantum cryptography. Security challenges associated with emerging quantum technologies.

Quantum Communications Research can focus on technologies and systems that enable secure or advanced communication using quantum principles.

Quantum Computing Projects may investigate areas related to: Quantum computing systems. Quantum computational methods. Quantum algorithms. Quantum hardware or related technologies. Applications of quantum computing.

Quantum Materials Research may focus on the development, characterization, and application of materials with properties relevant to quantum technologies.

Quantum Sensing Projects may explore advanced sensing technologies that use quantum phenomena to achieve improved sensitivity, accuracy, or performance. What Makes a Strong Quantum Research Proposal? The program emphasizes clear synergies and impactful bilateral cooperation. A strong proposal should demonstrate: Complementary expertise between Korean and Canadian researchers. A clearly defined quantum research problem. A strong scientific rationale. Specific contributions from both countries. Meaningful sharing of expertise or resources. Clearly defined research objectives. Potential scientific or technological impact. A realistic three-year research plan. Strong potential for continued Korea-Canada collaboration.

How Much Funding Is Available? Funding is provided separately by the Korean and Canadian sides.

Korean Research Funding Korean researchers can receive up to: KRW 300 million per year Canadian Research Funding Canadian researchers can receive up to: CAD 250,000 per year This is approximately US$185,000 per year for Canadian participants based on the information provided.

Project Duration Projects will run for three years: December 2026 to November 2029 The funding structure means that researchers on each side receive support through their respective national funding mechanisms.

Who Is Eligible to Apply? Eligibility applies to researchers and institutions in both participating countries.

Korean Lead Institutions For the Korean side, domestic universities in Korea can serve as lead institutions. Collaboration may also involve: National research institutes. Public research institutes. Government-funded research institutes.

Principal Investigators Principal investigators must be affiliated with organizations that are eligible to conduct national R&D programs in their respective countries. Applicants should therefore confirm that both the Korean and Canadian institutions meet the relevant national eligibility requirements before preparing the final proposal.

What Is Expected From the Korea-Canada Partnership? The program is based on international research cooperation. The Korean and Canadian teams should bring complementary capabilities to the project. For example, a collaboration could combine: Different technical expertise. Complementary research facilities. Specialized quantum research capabilities. Different approaches to solving a common research challenge. Research resources available in each country. The proposal should clearly explain why the research needs both Korean and Canadian participation.

Why Does This Program Matter? Quantum technologies are developing rapidly across areas such as computing, communications, cybersecurity, materials, and sensing. International collaboration can accelerate research by allowing scientists to combine specialized expertise, infrastructure, knowledge, and resources. The Korea-Canada program can help: Strengthen quantum research capabilities. Expand international research networks. Support advanced quantum technologies. Encourage knowledge exchange. Develop long-term research partnerships. Increase the competitiveness of Korean and Canadian quantum research communities. How to Develop a Competitive Proposal Applicants should build the proposal around a clearly defined bilateral research opportunity. Step 1: Identify a Relevant Quantum Research Area Select a research topic that fits one or more of the eligible areas: Quantum algorithms and encryption. Post-quantum cryptography. Quantum communications. Quantum computing. Quantum materials. Quantum sensing. Step 2: Establish the Korea-Canada Research Team Identify researchers with complementary expertise in Korea and Canada. Clearly define: The principal investigators. Research team members. Institutional roles. Technical responsibilities. Expected contributions from each country. Step 3: Demonstrate Bilateral Synergy Explain what each research team contributes and why collaboration provides an advantage over conducting the research independently. This is particularly important because the program is intended to support international cooperation and complementary capabilities. Step 4: Define the Research Objectives Set clear and measurable objectives for the three-year project. The proposal should explain: The research problem. The methodology. Key research activities. Expected outputs. Expected outcomes. Potential scientific or technological impact. Step 5: Develop the Three-Year Work Plan Organize the research into realistic stages covering December 2026 through November 2029. The work plan should show how activities will progress throughout the project period. Step 6: Prepare the National Funding Components Because funding is provided separately by the Korean and Canadian sides, applicants should ensure that each national team prepares the appropriate funding information and complies with the requirements applicable in its own country. Step 7: Verify Institutional Eligibility Before submission, confirm that: The Korean lead institution is an eligible domestic university. Participating institutions meet national R&D eligibility requirements. Principal investigators are affiliated with eligible organizations. Any participating research institutes meet applicable requirements. Tips for a Strong Application Applicants can strengthen their proposals by: Clearly identifying the quantum technology challenge. Demonstrating complementary expertise. Explaining the unique value of Korea-Canada collaboration. Avoiding unnecessary duplication between research teams. Establishing realistic research milestones. Connecting research activities to measurable outcomes. Demonstrating potential technological or scientific impact. Explaining how knowledge and resources will be shared. Developing a realistic three-year implementation plan. Clearly defining the roles of Korean and Canadian researchers. Common Mistakes to Avoid Applicants should avoid: Submitting research outside the eligible quantum technology fields. Treating the project as two separate national research projects. Failing to explain the benefit of bilateral collaboration. Providing unclear roles for Korean and Canadian researchers. Selecting institutions that do not meet national R&D eligibility requirements. Creating unrealistic three-year research objectives. Failing to distinguish between Korean and Canadian funding responsibilities. Overlooking institutional eligibility requirements. Focusing only on scientific activities without demonstrating potential impact or collaboration benefits. Key Facts at a Glance Program: Korea-Canada Joint Quantum Science and Technology Program Call: 2026 Lead ministry: Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Korea Countries: Korea and Canada Focus: Quantum science and technology Korean funding: Up to KRW 300 million per year Canadian funding: Up to CAD 250,000 per year Approximate Canadian funding in USD: US$185,000 per year Project duration: 3 years Project period: December 2026–November 2029 Research areas: Quantum algorithms and encryption, post-quantum cryptography, quantum communications, quantum computing, quantum materials, and quantum sensing Korean lead applicants: Domestic universities in Korea Potential Korean collaborators: National/public and government-funded research institutes Principal investigator requirement: Must be affiliated with an organization eligible to conduct national R&D programs Core requirement: Meaningful Korea-Canada research collaboration and clear project synergy Frequently Asked Questions What is the Korea-Canada Joint Quantum Science and Technology Program? It is a bilateral research funding program supporting collaboration between Korean and Canadian researchers in quantum science and technology. What research areas are eligible? The 2026 call supports quantum algorithms and encryption, including post-quantum cryptography, quantum communications, quantum computing, quantum materials, and quantum sensing. How much funding can Korean researchers receive? The Korean side can receive up to KRW 300 million per year for an eligible project. How much funding is available for Canadian researchers? Canadian researchers can receive up to CAD 250,000 per year, which is approximately US$185,000 per year based on the information provided. How long are funded projects? Projects will run for three years, from December 2026 through November 2029. Who can lead the Korean side of an application? Domestic universities in Korea can serve as lead institutions. Collaboration can also involve eligible national, public, or government-funded research institutes. What is the most important feature of the collaboration? The proposal should demonstrate clear scientific and technological synergies between Korean and Canadian research teams. Both sides should make meaningful and complementary contributions to the project.

Conclusion The Korea-Canada Joint Quantum Science and Technology Program 2026 provides a major bilateral research opportunity for advancing quantum technologies through international collaboration. With funding of up to KRW 300 million per year for Korean researchers and CAD 250,000 per year for Canadian researchers, the three-year program can support ambitious research in quantum computing, communications, sensing, materials, algorithms, and cybersecurity. Successful proposals should combine complementary expertise from both countries, demonstrate strong research potential, and clearly explain how bilateral cooperation will contribute to advances in quantum science and technology. For more information, visit NRF.