The U.S. National Science Foundation has allotted funding for collaborative American and Italian research projects on artificial intelligence under a memorandum of understanding signed with Italy’s Ministry of Universities and Research.
The MOU, which the NSF announced on Tuesday, outlines the framework for U.S. researchers to secure funding from the foundation and for their Italian partners to access MUR funds.
Funding applications will be processed via a lead agency opportunity, enabling U.S. researchers and their Italian partners to submit a single proposal to the NSF for review.
According to the foundation, funding proposals will be accepted under the small projects category of its Computer and Information Science and Engineering Core Programs effort. The allocation per program on the NSF side is up to $600,000 and $543,000 for the MUR counterpart.
All proposals will be evaluated under the NSF’s review on intellectual merit and broader impacts.
The NSF’s Italian collaboration follows a similar partnership arrangement with the French National Research Agency on quantum information science and engineering research.