King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)
Three international research grants for 2026 are now open

Three international research grants for 2026 are now open

Three international research grants for 2026 are now open:
1. NEF Commemorative Grant Fund for Capacity Building of Young Scientists (CGF) (Deadline: 31 Jul 2026)
2. Schmidt Marine Technology Partners Funding Program for Ocean Innovation (Deadline: 31 Jul 2026)
3. Young Talents Exchange and Capacity Development Program (Japan and ASEAN) (Deadline: 31 Jul 2026)
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1. NEF Commemorative Grant Fund for Capacity Building of Young Scientists (CGF)
 
The NEF Commemorative Grant Fund for Capacity Building of Young Scientists (CGF) Programme aims to support the development of young scientists in developing countries across the Asia-Pacific region, helping them become world-class researchers in the fields of wildlife and ecosystem conservation. Each project is to be led by a young researcher, serving as the Project Scientist (PS), under the mentorship and guidance of a Project Coordinator (PC) with a distinguished record of scientific achievement. Projects may be conducted either in the PS’s home country (or other target countries) or in Japan, particularly for those currently pursuing studies in Japan.
 
Funding Organization: Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (NEF)
 
Research Scope: Nature conservation
 
Eligibility:
The target countries in the Asia-Pacific region include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
 
The Project Scientist (PS) must:
• be a national of target countries, under 40 years olf, and fall under any of the following conditions:
o (Qualification A) a researcher who works in a university or research institution in one of the target countries and has a PhD or Doctor’s degree (or having at least 3 years of research experience and corresponding research achievements).
o (Qualification B) a student who enrolled in or a prospective applicant for admission to a doctor (PhD) course of a university in Japan.
• not have another ongoing NEF-funded project nor have another application to the NEF at the time of application submission; AND
 
Conditions and roles of Project Coordinator (PC):
1） For Qualification A of PS: The Project Coordinator (PC) is requested to meet all of the following conditions:
• having teach and/or work experience in a Japanese university or research institution as a scientist, as a general rule,
• understanding the content of PS research project,
• supporting and collaborating with the PS throughout the project proposed, while keeping close contact with not only the PS but also the CGF Management Committee (MC) and the Secretariat of the NEF.
2） For Qualification B of PS: The Project Coordinator (PC) must be a main or co-supervisor of the PS; if the PC is the latter, approval from the former is required. In addition, the PC is requested to keep close contact with the CGF Management Committee (MC) and the Secretariat of the NEF.
 
A proposed research project must:
• be planned by the PS with advice/support of the PC, and be implemented by the PS as the principal investigator, in a field survey as well,
• in case of the Qualification A of PS, be fieldwork-based research in the target countries and be approved by the head of department, to which the PS belongs, and
• in case of the Qualification B of PS, be related to the doctoral dissertation and be fieldwork-based research in one of PS’s home country (or target countries) or in Japan.
 
Maximum Award: The maximum grant size varied from 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 Japanese yen per project.
 
Application Process: Application documents, i.e., “CGF Application Form for PS” and
“CGF Application Form for PC,” should be submitted to the NEF Secretariat by e-mail (cgf@nagaofoundation.or.jp).
 
Application Deadline : 31 July 2026
 
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2. Schmidt Marine Technology Partners Funding Program for Ocean Innovation
 
The Schmidt Marine Technology Partners Funding Program supports the development and deployment of innovative ocean technologies that advance marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, habitat restoration, and ocean observation.
 
Funding Organization: Schmidt Marine Technology Partners
 
Focus Areas:
• Sustainable fisheries: Technologies that reduce bycatch, reduce ghost gear, survey fish populations, increase seafood supply-chain transparency, increase transparency at sea, redesign gear for increased sustainability, monitor protected marine areas, and improve enforcement, along with any other technology that increases the sustainability of the world’s wild-caught fisheries.
• Ocean observing: Technologies that significantly expand ocean monitoring capabilities for restoration work or related research. This includes novel sensor technologies, technologies for ocean data collection, processing, and sharing, or any other technology that allows researchers to do their work more cheaply, longer, or over a larger geographic scope.
• Habitat health: Technologies that restore balance to ocean ecosystems. This includes technologies for the restoration and/or protection of key marine species, such as seaweed, seagrass, shellfish, and coral, as well as technologies that monitor, mitigate, or prevent coastal pollution or reduce the harm caused by invasive species.
• Network support: Groups building services and tools to support the operational backbone of the marine tech community. This includes ocean challenges and competitions, incubators, accelerators, community infrastructure, and more. The program also funds certain community groups that are deploying new technologies to address ocean conservation issues within their region.
 
Eligibility: Applications are open to universities, non-profit organizations, or start-up companies. The program typically supports projects at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 2–7.
 
Maximum Award: Most grants are between $100,000 and $400,000.
 
Application Process: Initial proposals must be submitted online through the proposal portal https://schmidtmarine.org/proposals/
 
Application Deadline : 31 July 2026
 
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3. Young Talents Exchange and Capacity Development Program (Japan and ASEAN)
 
The Young Talents Exchange and Capacity Development Program (Y-tec) is a part of the Networked Exchange, United Strength for Stronger Partnerships between Japan and ASEAN (NEXUS). The program aims to accelerate the international brain circulation between Japan and ASEAN countries.
 
Funding Organization: Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
 
Scope: All science and technology fields, with priority given to
• Water Security, Smart Agriculture
• AI, Quantum
• Green Technology, Biotechnology
• Green Technology, Advanced Materials
• Bio-manufacturing
• Semiconductors
 
Types of Exchange
 
Young Talents Exchange Course
Purpose • Cultivate young talent.
• Expand the pool of personnel who can undertake future international collaborative research.
Participant • High school students and above, 40 years old or younger
Exchange period The maximum duration of invitations from ASEAN and dispatches from Japan is
• 1 year per person for Young Talents Exchange Course
• 90 days per person for Leadership Exchange Course.
Combined with online exchanges, exchanges lasting up to one year are possible.
Flexible arrangements are possible such as group-based exchange for a few weeks as well as long-term residential exchanges for a few Early-Career researchers
No. of Participants  •  2 to 15 people
Budget size • Up to 7 million yen
Leadership Exchange Course
Purpose • Enhance the educational and research leadership capabilities of faculty members at higher education institutions.
• Improve their research skills and mentoring abilities for young talents.
Participant • Postdoc., teachers, S&T professionals No age requirement.
Exchange period The maximum duration of invitations from ASEAN and dispatches from Japan is
• 1 year per person for Young Talents Exchange Course
• 90 days per person for Leadership Exchange Course.
Combined with online exchanges, exchanges lasting up to one year are possible.
Flexible arrangements are possible such as group-based exchange for a few weeks as well as long-term residential exchanges for a few Early-Career researchers
No. of Participants • Up to 2 people
Budget size • Up to 3 million yen
 
Application Process: Applications must be submitted by the Japanese Lead Implementer via the application portal https://jst.iscw.jp/aspire/nexus/y-tec/en/opencall.html.
 
Application Deadline: 31 July 2026
 
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For more information, please contact
Ms. Panida Suwannatheerak and Ms. Mananchaya Pissaparn
Tel. 02 470 9654
Email: researchfollowup@kmutt.ac.th
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