Application deadline 2025-12-12, 14:00

Aim and scope

The aim of the call is to initiate collaboration between WACQT and WISE researchers in the areas of quantum technology for materials science or in the field of materials science for quantum technology. In both cases a focus on sustainability is required. Proposals shall be within both WACQT and WISE scientific areas. Project shall be based on a joint research plan, including one Principal Investigator (PI) at WACQT and one PI at WISE. Eligible applicants are defined under “Who can apply”.

Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology (WACQT, https://wacqt.se) is a 12-year, 1 billion SEK research effort that aims to take Sweden to the forefront of this very rapidly expanding area of quantum technology. WACQT is coordinated from Chalmers. Our main project is to develop a high-end quantum computer that can solve problems far beyond the reach of the best conventional supercomputers. Through an extensive research programme, we aim at developing and securing Swedish expertise within the main areas of quantum technologies: quantum computing and simulation, quantum communications and quantum sensing. Our vision is to build an open and interactive Swedish quantum technology community – an environment where people meet and where creativity and knowledge exchange is stimulated. Our main instruments to create this environment are our graduate school with PhD students from around Sweden, the guest researcher program that invites foreign researchers for stays in Sweden, and industrial partnerships for the exchange of ideas and knowledge between academia and industry.

Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE, https://wise-materials.org) is the largest-ever investment in materials science in Sweden and encompasses major efforts at Sweden’s leading universities over the course of (at least) 10 years. The aim is to create the conditions for a sustainable society by researching the next generation of ecofriendly materials and manufacturing processes. This will also facilitate better technology for energy systems of the future, and to combat climate change, pollution, and toxic emissions. Specifically, efforts will be devoted to identifying new or significantly improved materials, which provide a distinct advantage in physical, chemical, biological, or functional performance when compared to existing materials and technologies. This relates to materials that demand fewer resources, are less environmentally hazardous, and enable sound and efficient recycling processes. WISE will also explore materials that, when used in energy technology, generate less negative climate impact under operation, while offering high performance and efficiency when in action at large scales.

Who can apply?

This call is open for academic researchers at WACQT’s and WISE’s partner universities and Affiliated Groups of Excellence as specified below. A main applicant can only be involved in one application in this call.

The WISE main applicant must be employed by any of the seven partner universities, Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Linköping University, Uppsala University, Stockholm University, Lund University, and Luleå University of Technology, or with any of the affiliated groups of excellence at Göteborg University, Karlstad University, Umeå University, and Örebro University.

The WACQT main applicant must be employed by any of the WACQT partner universities, i.e. Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Linköping University, Stockholm University, Lund University, and Göteborg University.

Budget

The project budget can be a maximum of 1 MSEK, total budget (WACQT + WISE) for a project duration of 1 year. 5 projects are expected to be funded within the total budget for the call. Each proposal shall contain a project budget specifying the expected project costs, according to template. The distribution between the WACQT and WISE budgets shall be equal.

Use of funding

Use of funding is flexible but must be motivated and specified. Eligible costs according to KAW budget template.

The following applies to the WISE Program (KAW donation letter 2021.0312)

The eligible costs include a maximum compensation of up to 52,5% for social fees (lönekostnadspåslag/social fees) and a maximum of 5% surcharge for premises and a maximum of 20% surcharge for indirect costs.

The following applies to the WACQT funding (KAW donation letter 2024.0409):

Salaries can include a maximum of 52.5% LKP (lönekostnadspåslag/social fees)
Indirect costs are covered with a maximum compensation of 14% of salary costs. Facilities (premises) are covered by a maximum compensation of 50% of their costs although maximum 7.5% of salary costs.

Evaluation criteria

Projects will be evaluated considering scientific excellence and impact from a materials science for sustainability perspective as well as from a quantum technology perspective, alike. Specifically, the following criteria will be used:

Scientific quality
Novelty and originality
Relevance and potential impact of the proposed project’s contribution to sustainability (relate to sustainability considerations, the SDGs, or other relevant aspects, see “Sustainability considerations for excellent materials research conducted in WISE” and “UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from a materials science perspective”)
Scientific merits of the applicants, considering academic age
Synergies in the planned collaboration
Feasibility
Industrial and societal relevance

Important aspects that will be considered are:

Diversity of age and gender of the applicants
Open science and data sharing aspects
Impact on WACQT-WISE community

A project shall be jointly led by one principal investigator (PI) of the WACQT community that is eligible to apply for projects and one PI of the WISE community that is eligible to apply for projects. The synergy/interaction between the two PI’s competence in the project must be obvious for a successful project.

The WACQT and WISE programs aim to achieve an overall gender balanced outcome, and preferably also within each individual project. In cases where proposals are otherwise assessed as equivalent, gender balance may be considered as a factor in the funding decision. Nonetheless, a proposal of higher scientific quality shall always be ranked above others.

Proposal structure

The proposal must be composed in Times New Roman font, 11 pt, single-spaced text, margins 2,5 cm and be structured as follows:

Name of the project
Names and affiliations of the two main applicants
Project Summary (max ½ page) (for publication if funded)
Project plan (max 2 pages, excluding references) with clearly specified subject area and focus including:
- challenges
- work plan, including forms of collaborations
- expected results
- sustainability impact
Budget description and motivation of project costs
Project budget shall be made in KAW budget template and the summary page
(“1. Sammanställning”) for each program shall be submitted in the application. (https://kaw.wallenberg.org/anslagsguide/blankettarkiv)
Explanation of the collaborative benefits and the role of each of the main applicants and possible other participants (max 1 page)
Short CV and top publications for the two main applicants (max 2 pages each)
Commitment letter from hosting university, signed by the Head of the Department.

The ½ page Project Summary may be used for screening of proposals if necessary. The potential sustainability impact must be clearly described in the summary.

Submission

The proposal shall be submitted as a single PDF file to the submission portal https://www.lyyti.in/WACQT-WISE_Pilot_call_submission_portal no later than 2025-12-12, 14:00.

Important dates

2025-10-27 Call opens

2025-12-12 Call closes 14:00

Feb 2026 Decision of accepted projects communicated

2026-04-01 Desired project start

2026-06-01 Latest project start

Public access and confidentiality of applications

Both the applying university and Linköping University (LiU) are subject to the principle of public access to official documents, therefore research proposals submitted to LiU constitute official documents at both the submitting university and at LiU. Consequently, such proposals may be disclosed upon request. It is therefore essential that project descriptions do not contain detailed information that could, for example, compromise the novelty requirement for prospective patent applications. Secrecy in accordance with the Swedish Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400) may only be applied if a private party is involved, such as a company or another private legal or natural person.