NHMRC facilitates Australian researchers' participation in collaborative research projects with international researchers through both bilateral and multilateral arrangements.
We engage strategically with international funding agencies and participate in funding schemes that align with the NHMRC International Engagement Strategy 2023-2026.
To participate in these schemes, your personal information may need to be disclosed by NHMRC to overseas recipients, generally for the purposes of peer review of your grant application. You will be advised of this possibility at the time of making your application.
For further information on open grant opportunities with NHMRC's international partners, refer to Find Funding.
On this page:
- Bilateral arrangements
- Multilateral arrangements
Bilateral arrangements
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Canada's federal funding agency for health research. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system.
Current status
NHMRC is providing $3 million to support Australian researchers participating in the joint 2024 NHMRC-CIHR Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA): Indigenous Health Research Grant Opportunity. This Grant Opportunity will fund Canada-Australia joint research teams addressing any of the recognised forms of dementia in Indigenous populations.
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) is Japan's national body to promote integrated research and development in the field of medicine, from basic research to clinical trials.
Current status
NHMRC and AMED renewed a Memorandum of Cooperation in November 2022. NHMRC is working with AMED to advance the development of research cooperation in health and medical research between Japan and Australia.
AMED's Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for an Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) program is designed to foster the exchange of information and to encourage collaboration between Japan and partner countries.
NHMRC-AMED 2024 ASPIRE Collaborative Research Scheme
NHMRC and AMED collaborated on a joint funding call in 2024. The grant opportunity funded 3 large-scale collaborative joint research projects which will strengthen networks and relationships between Japan and Australia, promote international mobility and circulation, and contribute to long-term collaborative networks.
ASPIRE Alignment Call
The 2024 ASPIRE Alignment call is closed.
In this call, AMED accepted research proposals in which Japan-based research teams collaborate with already-funded researchers from partner countries where the research aligns with the aims of ASPIRE.
Further information is available from the AMED website.
Multilateral arrangements
e-ASIA Joint Research Program
The e-ASIA Joint Research Program (e-ASIA JRP) was established in 2012 to promote innovation and contribute to economic development in the East Asian region. e-ASIA aims to achieve this by supporting international joint research projects, through multilateral processes, as well as promoting researcher interaction through workshops.
NHMRC became a member organisation of the e-ASIA JRP on 2 November 2016.
Current status
NHMRC funded 9 Australian research projects through the NHMRC e-ASIA 2024 Joint Research Program Grant Opportunity in the Food and Health and Health Research streams.
NHMRC is participating in the 14th e-ASIA Joint Research Program grant opportunity in the Health Research stream on the topic of Infectious Disease and Immunology (including antimicrobial resistance).
For more information, visit the 2025 NHMRC e-ASIA JRP webpage or the e-ASIA website.
European Research Council
The European Research Council (ERC) is the premier European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. ERC's mission is to encourage the highest quality research in Europe through competitive funding and to support investigator-driven frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence.
NHMRC and ERC signed an Implementing Arrangement in October 2018. The arrangement aims to help NHMRC-funded researchers join ERC supported research teams in Europe (for a period when possible) or work remotely during their grant and enables the exchange of ideas and experiences in cutting-edge science.
Current status
Project abstracts are now available for the ERC Implementing Arrangements call for Expression of Interest 2024. NHMRC-funded researchers can apply to work with European research teams. For a list of the latest ERC opportunities available, email international@nhmrc.gov.au or contact ERC for further details.
For further information on the implementation Arrangement, see the FAQs.
If you take up this opportunity let us know by emailing the following details to international@nhmrc.gov.au
- ERC team you are collaborating with
- Project name
- Length of collaboration.
European Union Framework Programme – Horizon Europe
In 2021, the EU implemented its new funding instrument for funding research and development, Horizon Europe, succeeding Horizon 2020 as the EU Framework Programme. Horizon Europe facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation while tackling global challenges. The NHMRC‒European Union Collaborative Research Grants scheme supports Australian participation in leading international collaborative research under the EU Framework Programme.
Current status
NHMRC funded 2 Australian research projects through the NHMRC-EU Collaborative Research Grant Scheme 2024 Grant Opportunity.
NHMRC will advise whether any topics will be supported under the 2025 Horizon Europe Work Programme.
Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases
NHMRC is an Associate Member of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD), an alliance of international health research funding agencies that support joint grant opportunities and research capacity and capability building activities to address chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs). GACD’s mission is to reduce the burden of chronic NCDs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and in underserved groups such as Indigenous Populations facing conditions of inequity in high-income countries (HICs).
NHMRC's CEO is a member of the GACD Strategy Board and NHMRC’s former CEO served as Chair in 2019 and 2020.
Current status
NHMRC is supporting Australian researchers to participate in the 10th GACD Funding Call: Strengthening Health Systems. The objective of this grant opportunity is to fund implementation research addressing strategies for strengthening of health systems to improve equity in high quality care and health outcomes, and reduce the prevalence and impact of NCDs in LMICs and/or in underserved populations experiencing health disparities such as Indigenous Populations, in HICs. Find out more about NHMRC’s participation in the GACD Strengthening Health Systems grant opportunity on the 2025 Grant page and the GACD website.
The GACD has launched the Implementation Science e-Hub. The e-Hub is a free, virtual platform for knowledge and skill development in implementation research. For further information visit the GACD website.
UK Research and Innovation
The UK's Fund for International Collaboration aims to enhance excellence in research and innovation through global engagement. It focuses on bilateral and multilateral partnerships with global research and development leaders and is administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which includes the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
NHMRC and the MRC signed a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2019 to promote and encourage collaboration between Australia and the UK in world-leading prevention research seeking to address the shared burden of non-communicable diseases influenced by the built environment. This led to a joint funding call in 2019: UKRI-NHMRC Built Environment and Prevention Research 2019.
MRFF and NHMRC – Clinical Trials Activity Initiative
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and NHMRC – Clinical Trials Activity (CTA) Initiative – 2025 Australia-UK Platform Studies in Areas of Unmet Clinical Need Grant Opportunity will support new, adaptive platform trials (Phase 2 or 3) in areas of unmet clinical need. The platform must be internationally collaborative, with joint project leads based in Australia (for the Australian-based component of the trial) and the UK (for the UK-based component of the trial).
The anticipated outcome of the research is to invest in new, ambitious platform trials in areas of unmet clinical need that support increased access to high-quality, evidence-based and effective health care.
This grant opportunity is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) UK, the MRFF and the NHMRC to support research in shared areas of interest in Australia and the UK. MRFF and NHMRC funding is available to support the Australian-based arm of the proposed trial.
Current Status
Applications are expected to be open by Q2 (April to June) 2026. Further details on how to apply for the grant opportunities are on GrantConnect.
Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research
Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research (NEURON) was established under the European Research Area Networks (ERA-NET) scheme of the European Commission. The ERA-NET NEURON aims to coordinate and optimise research efforts and funding programmes of its partner countries in the field of mental, neurological, and sensory disorders. There are currently 35 research funding organisations and ministries from 28 countries that participate in this network to support basic, clinical and translational research.
Current status
NHMRC is participating in the 2025 Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research Grant Opportunity on the topic of Interdisciplinary approaches to the neuroscience of pain.
For further information, visit the ERA-NET NEURON website.
