QuantERA, a new European Research Area Network (ERA-NET) Cofund initiative launched its first joint transnational call (Call 2017) for proposals worth € 34 M in support of transnational research in the field of Quantum Information and Communication Sciences and Technologies (Q-ICST) on January 13th, 2017. Thirty research funding organisations from 26 countries throughout take part in the Call that has a deadline for pre-proposals on the 15th of March 2015.

The Call covers six main topics in the Q-ICST field:
1. Quantum communication
2. Quantum simulation
3. Quantum computation
4. Quantum information sciences
5. Quantum metrology sensing and imaging
6. Novel ideas and applications in quantum science and technologies

A networking event will be organized by the QuantERA consortium on February 16th, 2017 in Malta to allow researchers to exchange ideas in order to form/strengthen consortia for project proposals. QuantERA will give a detailed presentation of the Call 2017 during this networking event. Interested researchers and stakeholders can register for the event here: http://quantera.eu/co-funded-call/proposers-day-malta

Submitted proposals are expected to contribute to the development of the emerging field of Quantum Technologies research in Europe and should explore collaborative advanced multidisciplinary science and/or cutting-edge engineering with the potential to initiate or foster new lines of quantum technologies and allow Europe to take leadership early on in those promising future technology areas. In addition, QuantERA aims at spreading research excellence across the European Research Area by encouraging consortia to include partners from the widening countries participating in the call: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Turkey.

Call 2017 follows a two-stage evaluation and selection process. During the first stage, consortia are invited to submit a pre-proposal giving an outline of the project to be performed. The deadline for this submission is set on the 15th of March 2017. The pre-proposals will undergo an independent evaluation procedure after which the QuantERA consortium will invite the best consortia to submit a full proposal. An independent international evaluation panel composed of eminent scientists will assess the proposals with the help of external experts. The final selection of funded projects will be based on the proposal ranking and available funding.

To learn more about topics of the call, participating funding organisations, eligibility and evaluation criteria, please consult the official announcement of the call at quantera.eu.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 731473.