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Office of Global Engagement

Nagoya University Collaborative Seed Grants

The partnership between North Carolina State University (NC State) and Nagoya University (NU) marks its 40th anniversary this year in 2025 as the first academic exchange agreement was signed in 1985. To celebrate this milestone and to foster new research collaborations between the two institutions, NC State and NU are now accepting proposals for the Joint NC State-NU Research Collaboration Seed Grant Program. The grants will support new projects that have a great potential for a long-term collaboration with significant socio-academic impacts.

This program is designed to catalyze new research collaborations, with the expectation that the projects will lead to more substantive engagement beyond the initial funding period. Key objectives for the Seed Grant program are:

  • Facilitate high quality and long-term research collaboration between NC State and NU researchers in areas of strategic importance to both institutions
  • Co-publish high quality research papers
  • Leverage seed grant projects for future external funding applications, academic-industry collaborations and/or opportunities for student and postdoctoral scholar support. Examples include: Outline of Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE), Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP), and Fulbright student and scholar programs.  

Research Priorities

Based on the strategic goals of NC State and NU, this opportunity is focused on projects that align with the following interdisciplinary research themes:

  • Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Examples of research areas include machine learning, advanced computing, statistics, management, behavioral sciences, linguistics, or data governance.
  • New Materials & Quantum Technology: Examples of research areas include physics, semiconductors, low-temperature plasma, or innovative applications in a wide range of fields.
  • Future of Food: Examples of research areas include chemistry, plant/animal science, food security, or social perspectives on food and nutrition.
  • Climate and Stability: Examples of research areas include astro/space science, earth science, public policy, and climate.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to take an interdisciplinary approach to their research questions and project plans.

Project Period

Projects should be completed by June 30, 2026, and a joint final report should be submitted within one month after the formal completion date. Please note that the funds must be spent by the end of the fiscal year of each institution: March 31, 2026, for NU and June 30, 2026, for NC State.

Eligibility

For NC State University Applicants:

Applicants must be permanent, full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty and research professionals (those who comply with Sponsored Programs eligibility requirements) at NC State University.

For Nagoya University Applicants:

  • Applicants must be full-time faculty members at Nagoya University
  • Faculty members holding cross-appointments are also eligible if Nagoya University is their primary institution
  • Visiting faculty and other part-time faculty members at Nagoya University are not eligible to apply

Funding

Up to two collaborative projects will be selected for this program. Funding up to $7,000 USD by NC State and 1,000,000 JPY by NU will be made available to each project. Planned expenditures should be in line with the financial policies of each institution.

Funding may support travel and subsistence costs associated with researchers spending time at the partner institution, as well as related workshops, guest lectures, and/or seminars. Funds may not be used for staff salaries or the laboratory/research facilities of the partner institutions. 

Application Process

  • Please download the application form for research team to complete and please limit applications to 5 pages total, not including diagrams or schematics.
  • Please download the budget template for research team to complete.
  • Collect the CVs of all project team members. CVs can be long-form, or in the style of a 2 page NSF biosketch.
  • Rename your files with a brief project title.
  • Email your completed application, team member CVs, and budget sheet to these 2 addresses:
    1. lpeck2@ncsu.edu
    2. gc_ncstate@t.mail.nagoya-u.ac.jp 

Application Deadline: 17:00 EDT on Friday, June 20, 2025 

Proposals will be reviewed at NC State and NU with notification of award decision in late July, 2025.

Proposal Content:

  • Research Focus. What is the focus of your proposed project? How does it align with the seed grant program’s research priorities?
  • Project Description. Please provide a description of your project, including the primary objectives of the collaboration and the roles and strengths of each collaborator. If applicable, elaborate the interdisciplinary components of your project.
  • Implementation Plan. Please outline your plan for implementing the proposed project, including an estimated timeline for key steps within the plan. 
  • Budget Justification. Briefly describe how the requested funds will be used to implement your project.
  • Expected Impact. What deliverables or outcomes do you envision for this project? What impact would these outcomes have within the research community? How might they strengthen capacity at NU and/or NC State? If applicable, please describe any practical applications you might foresee in the future.
  • Sustainability. Describe any plans to sustain the project beyond the grant period, including ideas for additional funding or support.

Supporting Documents (Application Attachments)

  • Budget sheet that includes estimated expenditures at each institution (1 page)
  • CVs of each project team member

Contacts

For questions regarding this funding, please contact: