2025 MOST National Key R&D Plan "Inter-governmental International Science & Technology Innovation Cooperation" Key Specialized Programs (Second Round)
2025年度科技部国家重点研发计划“政府间国际科技创新合作” 第二批重点专项项目
April 30, 2025
The Official Announcement in Chinese
Sponsor: Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
About:
The 2025 MOST “Inter-governmental International Science & Technology Innovation Cooperation” Key Specialized Program (Second Round) are now open for application.
Please refer to the Official Announcement in Chinese for more details.
Funding Information:
For the 2025 MOST “Inter-governmental International Science & Technology Innovation Cooperation” Key Specialized Program (Second Round), there are 17 research directions that will allow researchers to collaborate with 14 countries, regions, and international organizations, such as New Zealand, Egypt, South Korea, Italy, European Union, etc. MOST aims to support 169 research projects with a total funding amount of about 303.9 million RMB.
Research Directions/Topics:
1.1 China–New Zealand Intergovernmental S&T Cooperation Projects
- Focus Areas: Health and biomedicine; environmental sciences (including clean/renewable energy, climate adaptation/mitigation, CO₂ capture/conversion, and new technologies for in vivo pollutant degradation/excretion).
- Expected Funded Projects: 6
- Total Funding: RMB 10.8 million
1.2 China–Egypt Intergovernmental Joint Research Projects
- Focus Areas: Water; food and agriculture; health; ICT; advanced manufacturing.
- Expected Funded Projects: 15 (3 per field)
- Total Funding: RMB 15 million
1.3 China–Egypt Intergovernmental Flagship Research Projects
- Focus Areas: Renewable energy; artificial intelligence.
- Expected Funded Projects: 5 (2 in renewable energy, 3 in AI)
- Total Funding: RMB 12.5 million
1.4 China–Egypt Joint Laboratory Projects
- Focus Areas: Sustainable technologies (e.g. waste management, green energy, low-carbon); poverty alleviation (e.g. smart agriculture); AI and advanced robotics.
- Expected Funded Projects: 3
- Total Funding: RMB 9 million
1.5 China–Arab States Joint Laboratory Projects
- Focus Areas: Life and health sciences; AI; green and low-carbon technologies; modern agriculture; space information.
- Expected Funded Projects: Up to 5 (max 1 per partner country)
- Total Funding: RMB 10 million
1.6 China–Africa Joint Laboratory Projects
- Focus Areas: Open to all fields
- Expected Funded Projects: Up to 10 (max 1 per country)
- Total Funding: RMB 20 million
1.7 China–South Africa Intergovernmental Joint Research Projects
- Focus Areas: ICT; life sciences; mining and metallurgy; space and astronomy; agriculture; energy; marine technology.
- Expected Funded Projects: Up to 30
- Total Funding: RMB 60 million
1.8 China–South Africa Intergovernmental Flagship Projects
- Focus Areas: Transportation technology; satellite technology.
- Expected Funded Projects: Up to 2
- Total Funding: RMB 6 million
1.9 China–Israel Industrial R&D Cooperation Projects
- Focus Areas: Open to all fields
- Expected Funded Projects: Up to 10
- Total Funding: RMB 20 million
2.0 China–South Korea Intergovernmental Joint Research Projects
- Focus Areas: Biotechnology; ICT; renewable energy; healthcare; aerospace; climate change.
- Expected Funded Projects: 6
- Total Funding: RMB 6 million
2.1 China–Europe Joint Laboratory Cooperation Projects
- Focus Areas: Environment (incl. climate change & carbon neutrality); health; agriculture/food/biotech; basic science; cultural heritage; aerospace; AI; advanced materials; ICT; marine/maritime tech; smart cities; intelligent manufacturing; clean energy.
- Expected Funded Projects: 15
- Total Funding: RMB 30 million
2.2 China–EU S&T Cooperation Projects (General Joint Innovation Projects)
- Focus Areas: Food/agriculture/biotech and related areas; climate change/biodiversity and related areas.
- Expected Funded Projects: Around 10
- Total Funding: Approx. RMB 30 million
2.3 China–Italy Intergovernmental Joint Research Projects
- Focus Areas: Biodiversity (incl. polar science); health (medical treatments and devices).
- Expected Funded Projects: Up to 4
- Total Funding: RMB 1.6 million
2.4 China–Malta Intergovernmental Joint Research Projects
- Focus Areas: Health (focus: cancer, cell therapy, drug development, TCM, digital healthcare tools); green & blue economy (renewables, sustainable transport, smart manufacturing, marine tech); digital technologies.
- Expected Funded Projects: Around 6
- Total Funding: RMB 9 million
2.5 China–Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Joint R&D Projects
- Focus Areas: Cell and molecular biotech; medical genetics and physiological ecology; energy-saving automation; materials science and construction; food science and processing; renewable energy; applied research in math, physics, astronomy; geology and mining; disease mechanisms and drug development; modern agriculture.
- Expected Funded Projects: 30
- Total Funding: RMB 30 million
2.6 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Multilateral Projects
- Focus Areas:
- Climate: Environmental protection, sustainable resource use
- Life sciences: Preventive medicine, epidemic control, longevity tech
- Agri-tech: New varieties, hybrid breeding, pest control, biodiversity
- Nanotech & new materials: Applied frontiers
- ICT: AI in telecom/transport, microelectronics, photonics
- Energy: Efficient energy tech, renewables, nuclear/laser/quantum research
- Earth sciences: Soil monitoring, disaster risk reduction
- Biomedicine: New medical equipment, biotech drugs, industrial applications
- Expected Funded Projects: 10
- Total Funding: RMB 30 million
2.7 China–Hungary Joint Laboratory Projects
- Focus Areas: Life and health sciences; renewable energy.
- Expected Funded Projects: 2
- Total Funding: RMB 4 million
Please refer to the attachments for more details about each research direction/topic.
Application Process:
- All applicants need to apply via MOST’s online system.
- The application portal will open at 8:00 AM on May 6, 2025.
Application Eligibility:
- The applicant (lead PIs and sub-project (课题) PIs) must have a senior professional title or a doctoral degree, and be born on or after January 1, 1965.
- Both lead PIs and sub-project PIs should commit to working at least SIX months per year on the proposed project.
- Each applicant can only apply for ONE project.
- The lead PI (PIs of sub-projects are excluded) of an ongoing National Major Research Plan, and National Science & Technology Major Program (including the Science & Technology Innovation 2030 – Major program), CANNOT lead or participate in the application. PIs of sub-projects can participate in the application. Please refer to the original announcement for more details or contact the Research Grants Office for more information.
- Foreign scientists (non-Chinese citizens) and scientists from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan regions can be PIs of the project; if they are full-time employed by the host institution, they need to submit valid labor contracts. If they are part-time employed, applicants should provide valid labor contracts with two employers. The labor contract should be submitted as part of the application materials.
- Once the project is funded, the host institution and the PI cannot be changed.
- The lead PI must sign a cooperation agreement with the foreign partner for the project application.
- Foreign project leaders shall NOT collaborate with multiple Chinese institutions to submit applications on the same research direction and technical route. The total number of projects they can apply for or participate in an ongoing project as foreign project leaders shall not exceed TWO. Those who have already been employed by a Chinese institution and are participating in ongoing projects (or sub-projects) under the national key R&D plan or the Science and Technology Innovation 2030-Major Project CANNOT apply as the foreign partners in this project.
- Please refer to the official announcement for further requirements.
Important Dates:
| DATES (Shanghai Time) | TO BE COMPLETED |
|---|---|
| By May 16, 2025 | Faculty who intend to apply should notify us at shanghai.researchgrants@nyu.edu. |
| By June 13, 2025 | Please send your application to us for an institutional review. |
| By 4PM June 20, 2025 | Applicants submit the final version of their applications online. |