Information für die Wissenschaft Nr. 19 | 7. März 2022

Joint Japanese-German Research Projects 2022 in Materials Science and Engineering for Energy Storage, Conversion, and Transport

JSPS-DFG 2022

JSPS-DFG 2022

As an expression of the long and fruitful scientific collaboration between their two countries, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) are pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for joint Japanese-German research proposals in the field of materials science and engineering for energy storage, conversion, and transport. The topics should correspond to the responsibility of the review boards (Fachkollegien) 405 and 406: Materials Science and Engineering.

This initiative provides funding for joint research projects carried out between excellent researchers in Japanese universities and institutes and their German counterparts. The joint proposals have to be based on a close interaction between the German and Japanese research teams and should present joint project goals and a joint work plan with balanced contributions from all project partners.

The collaborative projects selected to take part in the initiative will receive research funding for a period of three years. JSPS will fund the Japanese project components, whilst DFG will fund the components to be carried out in Germany. Based on written reviews, a joint panel will select up to eight projects for funding.

Research areas

The present initiative is open to joint research projects in the fields of materials science and engineering (DFG Review Boards 405 and 406) with the focus on materials science and engineering for energy storage, conversion, and transport.

Submission of project proposals

Applicants from Japan must submit a single joint application to JSPS on behalf of the combined Japanese and German research team, following all formal requirements and using the application form provided by JSPS. This joint application form includes a section to specify the budget requested from DFG. Applicants from Germany submit the same document (full application in accordance with the proposal preparation requirements of JSPS) to DFG. All documents must be written in English.

For more detailed information on the call please refer to the JSPS Application Guidelines (see below under “Further Information”). Proposals not fulfilling the national requirements will not be considered. No legal entitlement can be derived from the submission of a project description.

All proposals must be submitted by 8 June 2022.

Specific instructions for applicants from Germany

Applicants to be funded by the DFG are required to fulfil the eligibility requirements of DFG Research Grants. This includes the duty to cooperate (“Kooperationspflicht”) within Germany for members of non-university institutions with permanent positions. For more information see the corresponding guidelines for the Research Grants Programme, DFG form 50.01.

Together with the proposal submitted to the DFG, an academic curriculum vitae for all applicants from Germany and Japan must be submitted to complete the reviewers’ information. Furthermore, a supplement (max. 8 pages) must be prepared for the DFG. It must contain the information required in sections 4 and 5 of the DFG research grant project description – cf. DFG guidelines 53.01 and 54.01. This includes among other information the funds requested from DFG and JSPS, following the modules outlined in the DFG guidelines for the Research Grants Programme (DFG form 50.01). It is important to note that there are no separate funds available for these efforts; proposals must succeed on the strengths of their intellectual merit and teams in competition with all other proposals in the funding programme “Sachbeihilfe/Research Grants”.

All proposals to DFG must be submitted through DFG’s electronic proposal processing system (elan). After logging in, please use the link “Proposal for a Research Grant” in the Proposal Forms column (Proposal Submission > New Project > Individual Grants Programme > Proposal for a Research Grant). Please select “Japan-JSPS-DFG 2022” to tag your proposal for this specific call.

If you are using the elan system for the first time, please note that you need to register yourself and your institutional addresses before you are able to submit a proposal. Also, if you are planning to move to a different institution, you need to register the new institutional address beforehand. Please make sure that all applicants for your project (if there is more than one) start their registration no later than 1 June 2022. The registration requests are handled manually by the DFG staff.

Notification of results

Applicants will be informed in writing of the results of the review and, where applicable, of the subsequent administrative steps according to the respective national regulations. The selection of the projects will be completed by end of 2022.

Please note the DFG’s data protection notice on research funding. If necessary, please also forward this information to those persons whose data the DFG processes because they are involved in your project.

Further Information

JSPS Application Guidelines:

DFG forms 50.01, 53.01 and 54.01 can be downloaded at:

General information for German applicants on Research Grants:

The DFG’s electronic portal “elan” can be found at:

Further general information on elan:

Please note the DFG’s data protection notice on research funding:

Contact information for Germany:

Subject-related inquiries:

Inquiries related to international affairs:

Contact information for Japan:

  • International Research Cooperation Division II
    International Program Department
    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
    Tel. +81 3 3263-1724/1918
    Fax +81 3 3234-3700