The Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and the National Science Foundation of the United States of America (NSF) are issuing a call for funding for research projects under a Memorandum of Understanding between the two entities aimed at further strengthening cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence, focusing on joint research, innovation and training activities.

The MOU provides for an international collaboration agreement under which U.S. researchers can receive funding from the NSF and Italian researchers can receive funding from the MUR. Through a "Lead Agency Opportunity," NSF and MUR will allow proposers from both countries to submit a single collaboration proposal that will undergo a single review process at NSF.

Project proposals are to be prepared based on the guidance contained in the joint "Dear Colleague letter" between MUR and NSF and submitted to NSF as specified in the aforementioned letter.

There is no deadline for submission of proposals to NSF, which can be submitted at any time. Italian partners must submit a national supplementary application to the MUR within one week of submitting the proposal to the NSF, via web here. This application should contain administrative and accounting data for the Italian partners only, the proposal identification code assigned by NSF, and a copy of the application transmitted to NSF.

Failure to submit the national application, duly signed by the legal representative or his/her delegate, is cause for ineligibility for funding.

Eligibility criteria valid for Italian partners (in addition to the international criteria valid for all partners) and funding arrangements can be found in the National Supplementary Notice.