INSF and CAS Launch 10th Silk Road Science Fund

Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have jointly announced the 10th call for proposals of the Silk Road Science Fund (SRSF). The program aims to support up to 6 joint research projects.

It is highly recommended that applicant design and implement their research proposals in a way that fosters scientific networking among institutions, organizations, universities, and experts in relevant fields. Proposals that leverage these networks to promote scientific synergy and inter-institutional collaboration in line with the project’s research objectives will receive higher funding priority.

Call Priority Areas

1. Water Science:

• Ecological economics of water consumption
• Agricultural water management
• Sustainable management of natural water resources
• Water treatment, purification, and desalination
• etc.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Basics, Fundamentals, and Development:

• Trustworthy AI
• Reinforced deep learning
• Recognitive models
• Generative AI
• Large language models
• Novel learning algorithms
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KRR)
• New architectures for deep neural networks
• etc.

Eligibility

• Iranian applicants must be full-time faculty members at Iranian universities or research institutions.
• Proposals must be jointly prepared with Chinese counterparts and submitted via the INSF Research Management System.
• In addition to uploading the joint English proposal form, Iranian applicants must complete the online Persian form and upload all required documents, including an updated CV and official academic appointment letter.

Researchers are advised to thoroughly review the eligibility requirements and general terms and conditions of participation before submitting their proposals.

Files for Download

• Joint Research Proposal Form (English)
• Terms and Conditions for Proposal Submission (Persian)

Timeline

• Call Opens: July 28, 2025
• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 30, 2025
• Final Results Announcement: December 21, 2025
• Project Start Date: January 2026

Funding

Maximum funding for the Iranian side is 40 billion IRR per project, for a maximum of three years.

Proposal Submission Process

To register, applicants must visit the INSF Research Management System and access the "Applicants/Researchers" section. If you do not have a profile yet, please register first. Then, log in using your email and assigned password.

After logging in, navigate to the “Submit New Proposal” section and select the International Projects / Silk Road Call tab to submit your application.

Contact Information

INSF (for Iranian researchers):

After reviewing the full call and relevant guidelines on the INSF portal, researchers with questions about the application process, eligibility, or scientific content of the call may submit a ticket through their INSF Research Management System profile, directed to the International Affairs Unit (Dr. Somayeh Moradhaseli) or contact:
email: moradhaseli.s@insf.org
Telephone:  +98 21 8216 1112

Chinese Academy of Sciences (for CAS-affiliated researchers only):

Mr. Haitao Chen
Telephone: +86-10-68597480
email: htchen@cashq.ac.cn