Shanghai Sci-Tech Co-Research Program

Shanghai Sci-Tech Co-Research Program

Supports internationally based scientists in Shanghai through co-research funding with local host institutions.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Shanghai Sci-Tech Co-Research Program (上海市国际科技合作计划合作研究计划), administered by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission (STCSM), funds 24-month collaborative research projects between foreign-national scientists based at overseas institutions and Shanghai-registered host organisations. Each project carries a fixed award of CNY 400,000, with no variation by discipline or project scope. The 2025 intake ran from 14 October to 7 November 2025 with a project period of 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2027; the 2026 cycle is expected to follow the same October–November application window.

Eligibility for the Principal Investigator is strictly defined: the PI must be a foreign national (Chinese nationals are explicitly excluded), hold a PhD from a world-class institution, maintain an active position at an overseas university or research facility, be under 45 years of age as of 1 January of the application year, and not be employed full-time in China or lead any Chinese-registered enterprise. A presence requirement applies: the PI must spend at least six cumulative months in Shanghai during the project period, including one continuous block of at least three months. PIs may not concurrently lead two or more STCSM-funded projects.

All applications must be submitted through a Shanghai-registered legal entity acting as the host organisation. The research topic is investigator-driven with no stated sectoral restriction, though the programme historically attracts projects in life sciences, materials, engineering, and information technology. Applications are submitted via the STCSM portal. Prospective 2026 applicants should monitor the STCSM official website (stcsm.sh.gov.cn) for the annual call announcement, typically released in October.