GRA Quantum: Franco-Canadian call for applications for doctoral students in quantum technologies

Call for projects International
March 7, 2024 - December 31, 2024
To support the Canadian government's National Quantum Strategy, the Canadian organisation Mitacs is launching the GRA Quantum campaign, a call for proposals for doctoral students. The Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA) is taking part in this campaign because quantum sciences are a priority for the Grenoble site. It is also a priority for scientific dialogue between France and Canada, as demonstrated by the recent creation of the Canada-France Quantum Alliance (CAFQA), of which UGA is a member.
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Within the UGA, the Quantum GRA campaign is implemented jointly by the department of international and territorial development and by the QuantAlps research federation.

What is the objective of the GRA Quantum campaign ?

Globalink Research Award (GRA) programs, managed by Mitacs, contribute to develop scientific partnerships between the UGA and Canada, in particular by funding scholarships enabling master's, doctoral and post-doctoral students to carry out joint research projects.

The GRA Quantum program aims to promote sustainable scientific cooperation between UGA and Canada in the field of quantum science and technology. It should enable UGA academic structures - notably laboratories and doctoral schools - to consolidate their cooperation networks with Canada, while ensuring a balance and reciprocity in exchanges to and from Canada.

What is a GRA project?

  • A GRA project is initiated by a tandem of researchers: a UGA researcher/professor and a professor from a Canadian university, who act as "project supervisors".
  • Each project provides funding for a UGA or Canadian doctoral student to travel to or from Canada.

What is the amount of the award and the duration of the stay?

Projects must last between 12 and 36 weeks. The amount of the GRA Quantum grant depends on the duration of the stay in Canada:
  • CAD $9,000 for projects lasting 12 to 24 weeks
  • CAD $15,000 for projects lasting 24 to 36 weeks

More information about : Eligibility criteria - Application - Evaluation - Departure - Final report
 

What are the eligibility criteria?

All candidates - UGA supervisor, Canadian supervisor and PhD student - must meet all the eligibility criteria required by Mitacs. See the Mitacs website.

In addition, the following criteria must be met by UGA candidates:
  • Doctoral students: must be enrolled in a UGA doctoral school for the entire duration of the stay and project.
  • UGA supervisor: must be the thesis director, supervisor or co-supervisor of the mobility candidate.

How to apply

This pilot campaign will fund 2 projects (2 grants) in line with Mitacs' "first-come, first-served" principle. Projects can be submitted all year to Mitacs.

1/ Please read carefully the conditions on the Mitacs website. 2/ The project must first be submitted by the Canadian supervisor via the Mitacs GRA platform. Evaluation sessions are announced on the Mitacs website.
  • On the Mitacs GRA platform, you must systematically add to the list of participants the Mitacs contact point at UGA: Zoraida Martinez with her email address zoraida.martinez-racini@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
3/  Once the application has been submitted to Mitacs, the UGA project supervisor must submit to the UGA, via the UGA GRA platform, no later than 48 hours after the project has been filed with Mitacs:
  • A copy of the GRA application submitted to Mitacs, signed by all parties.
  • A copy of the GRA research proposal
  • Letter of the director of the applicant's Doctoral School (1 page). See template
  • Letter of the director of the applicant's laboratory (1 page). See template
  • Letter of support from the project's UGA supervisor
  • Short CVs (3 pages) of supervisors and candidate

Evaluation process

Projects will be evaluated by Mitacs and the QuantAlps' governing board according to the following criteria:
  • Quality of application
- Quality of CV
- Consistency of the proposal with the applicant's academic and scientific project
- Benefits for the applicant's academic career and/or career development
  • Quality of the research proposal
- Scientific relevance for the laboratory
- Quality of project proposal in terms of expected results
  • Quality of supervision
- Level of commitment and support from supervisors in Canada and Grenoble
- Potential for training doctoral students as a result of the project
  • Strategic dimension
- Interest of the project in supporting UGA's cooperation with Canada

Once the applications have been validated

  • Mitacs will inform candidates of the results of their application by mail.
  • The candidate must complete and return to Mitacs the Code of Ethics and the International Pre-Departure Form.
  • Once all documents have been submitted, Mitacs will send a Letter of Award. Participants may not travel until Mitacs has sent a Letter of Result and a Letter of Award.
  • Travel must take place within 12 months of receipt of the Letter of Award.
  • Support in preparing for the trip is provided
    • by the Canadian host university for Grenoble-to-Canada projects
    • by the UGA laboratory for mobilities from Canada to Grenoble.
  • To prepare for your stay in Canada :
    • Confirm project dates with your supervisors.
    • Contact and follow the Canadian university's immigration and travel guidelines.
    • On arrival in Canada, follow the host university's instructions for setting up a Canadian bank account and receiving funding.
  • To prepare for your stay in Grenoble:
    • Contact your Grenoble supervisor.
    • Hosting in certain UGA laboratories is subject to validation by the Fonctionnaire Sécurité Défense (French system for the protection of scientific and technical potential). This process is handled by the host laboratory. A delay is to be expected.

Final reports

  • Doctoral students must send a report presenting the concrete results of the GRA project no later than 1 month after the end of the project.
  • UGA supervisors must send a brief note (1 page) presenting the benefits and prospects for the UGA structures involved (laboratory, doctoral school).
Published on  March 7, 2024
Updated on  March 12, 2024