Canada-France call for proposals on artificial intelligence

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Overview

Canada and France enjoy a long-standing cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

In support of priority areas identified by the Canada-France Joint Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, NSERC, in partnership with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), in collaboration with IVADO, is partnering with the French National Research Agency (ANR) to fund collaborative research projects on artificial intelligence (AI).

This call for research proposals aims to foster scientific collaborations and knowledge exchange between leading-edge researchers in Canada and France, driving advancements in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Specifically, this call will support collaborative multi- and interdisciplinary research projects that address generative AI and the security and safety of embedded AI. Through these joint projects, the funding partners aim to leverage the unique expertise and resources of both Canadian and French academic research excellence.

Multi- and interdisciplinary projects based on new methods and innovative concepts that incorporate both theoretical and practical approaches are strongly encouraged. These projects should span across the fields of natural sciences, engineering, humanities, social sciences, and health while also addressing ethical considerations. The Generic call for proposals 2025 (AAPG 2025) research theme open to the bilateral collaboration with Canada is E.2: Artificial intelligence and data science.

The project proposal must correspond to the scientific research theme E.2 of the Generic call for 2025 (AAPG 2025), and the research areas identified by the Canadian funding partners. Please refer to Research Topics for additional information.

NSERC will fund research primarily in the natural sciences and engineering fields; SSHRC will fund research primarily in the social sciences and humanities fields; and CIHR will fund research primarily in the health fields relevant to CIHR research areas noted below. IVADO may provide additional support to research activities aligned with its mandate to develop and implement a robust, reasoning and responsible artificial intelligence (R³AI).

Note: CIHR funding will be reserved for project proposals related to cancer and project proposals related to improving preparedness for and/or response to pandemics and infectious health emergencies through AI-based approaches to (a) surveillance, (b) predictive modeling and/or (c) genomic tools to help guide the development of interventions, including pathogen genomics and/or genomic characterization of host response.

France- and Canada-based researchers must prepare a single joint scientific proposal. Teams from each country must appoint a national scientific coordinator; for Canada, this would be a Principal Applicant (PA), and for France, a Principal Investigator (PI). The France-based coordinator (PI) will submit a single joint scientific proposal to ANR on behalf of the Canadian and French research teams. The project proposals will be evaluated by ANR, the lead agency. On behalf of the Canadian team, the Canada-based PA is responsible for submitting a single, simplified application along with all required documentation, by the application deadline to NSERC via its online system. For further details, please consult the Apply section. France-based researchers should consult the Generic call for proposals – AAPG 2025, available on the ANR website, for more information.

Important: To be eligible to submit a proposal to this call, the France-based coordinator (PI) must have registered their intention to submit an International Collaborative Research Project (PRCI) on ANR’s submission website by October 15, 2024. The Canada-based PA must be clearly identified in the online form. Proposals that are not registered will not be accepted. The name of the PA and members of the Canadian team are permitted to change between the registration and full proposal stages.

Successful Canada-based participants will receive funding from NSERC, SSHRC, and/or CIHR and may receive a supplement from IVADO. ANR will support eligible France-based participants.

Research Security

To ensure that the Canadian research ecosystem is as open as possible and as safeguarded as necessary, the Government of Canada has introduced the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC Policy) and the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP).

For more information about research security at the granting agencies, refer to the Tri-agency guidance on research security.

Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern

The STRAC Policy addresses risks related to sensitive technology research areas performed with research organizations and institutions that pose the highest risk to Canada’s national security. The STRAC Policy applies to this funding opportunity.

Applicants must identify whether the grant application aims to advance a sensitive technology research area. If so, the submission of attestation forms will be required from researchers with named roles (applicants, co-applicants, and collaborators) to certify that they are not currently affiliated with, nor are in receipt of funding or in-kind support from, a Named Research Organization (NRO).

The Tri-agency guidance on the STRAC Policy provides more information on applicable procedures and requirements, including new responsibilities of researchers and institutions.

National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships

As NSERC’s funding will be provided via an NSERC Alliance grant, Canada’s National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships apply to NSERC-funded applications that involve one or more partner organizations from the private sector, including when they participate alongside other partner organizations from the public and/or not-for-profit sectors. These guidelines provide a framework through which researchers, research institutions and Canada’s granting agencies can undertake consistent, risk-targeted due diligence to identify and mitigate potential national security risks linked to research partnerships.

For such partnerships, you and your post-secondary institution are required to complete a risk assessment form for your research project and submit it as an integral part of your application.

The Tri-agency guidance on the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) provides more information on applicable procedures and requirements.

At all times, Canadian researchers are encouraged to exercise appropriate levels of due diligence when managing their research and establishing and/or continuing partnerships with national, international and multinational partners. Resources to do so are provided by the Government of Canada on the Safeguarding Your Research portal. NSERC reserves the right to request additional information, as needed, before making a final funding decision.

Who can apply?

The Canada-based Principal Applicant must be:

• A Canadian university researcher eligible to receive NSERC or SSHRC funds

OR

• An independent researcher appointed at a CIHR eligible institution (see Institutional Eligibility Requirements for the eligibility process and associated timelines). In this case, at least one co-applicant on the Canadian team must meet NSERC’s eligibility criteria.

For administrative purposes only, the Canada-based PA must be the Canadian investigator co-leading the team in the ANR application.

Canada-based researchers can participate on only one proposal as a PA but may be a co-applicant or collaborator on multiple proposals. To be an applicant or co-applicant, you must work in a research area supported by NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR. Researchers from colleges who meet NSERC’s eligibility requirements may participate as co-applicants or collaborators.

Canada-based researchers must collaborate with at least one France-based academic researcher who meets ANR’s eligibility requirements. They will act as the France-based PI on the ANR proposal. ANR will review the eligibility of the France-based researchers, and NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR will internally review the eligibility of Canada-based researchers. Each agency decides on the eligibility of a project per its own rules.

The single joint scientific proposal (ANR) and the single, simplified application (NSERC) must be submitted to the appropriate agency by the specified deadlines (to be confirmed). A proposal or application submitted to only one agency will be rejected. For this collaboration, each participating Canadian team can only submit one application to NSERC. Registration to ANR is mandatory, while registration to NSERC is not. For any application requirements for French collaborators, please consult with ANR.

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