Deadline: 08-Apr-2026
The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) invites applications for its RSE Research Collaboration Grant Program, providing up to £10,000 over a two-year period to support interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research. The program aims to foster high-quality research, encourage academic innovation, and enable preliminary investigations that can evolve into larger projects.
What is the RSE Research Collaboration Grant Program?
This program supports collaborative research across disciplines and institutions, promoting innovation and the development of new knowledge. Grants are intended to fund defined research projects that demonstrate potential for significant academic impact and lay the groundwork for future larger-scale studies.
Program Objectives
- Encourage collaborations across disciplines and institutions
- Foster high-quality research and academic innovation
- Support preliminary investigations with potential for larger research projects
- Facilitate knowledge exchange and development of complementary expertise
Funding Details
- Maximum award: £10,000
- Duration: Up to 24 months
- Project start: Between 1 September 2026 and 28 February 2027
- Eligible costs: Directly related to the defined research project
- Funding is available across all academic disciplines and career stages
Who is Eligible?
- Principal Investigators must be full-time or part-time academics at higher education institutions, further education institutions, research institutions, or cultural institutions in Scotland
- Contracts must be tenured, salaried, open-ended, continuing, or fixed-term and extend at least three months beyond the project end date
- PhD candidates are not eligible
- Retired academics maintaining demonstrable links to Scottish institutions
- Practitioners or research-active staff in Scottish cultural institutions with teaching and research commitments
Collaborations
- Projects may include joint applications to combine complementary expertise
- Collaborators may be based in Scotland, the wider UK, or internationally
- Lead applicant must be based in Scotland and align with program principles
- Up to two co-applicants meeting the same eligibility criteria as the Principal Investigator
- Additional collaborators can contribute without meeting formal eligibility requirements
How to Apply
- Confirm Eligibility: Ensure lead applicant and co-applicants meet the program criteria
- Prepare Proposal: Include project objectives, methodology, budget, timeline, and potential impact
- Submit Application: Complete the online application form with supporting documentation
- Collaboration Details: List co-applicants and other collaborators as appropriate
- Funding Review: Applications are evaluated on quality, innovation, feasibility, and collaborative potential
- Award Notification: Successful applicants receive funding and guidance for project initiation
Why It Matters
- Encourages interdisciplinary research and academic innovation
- Supports preliminary projects that can develop into larger studies
- Strengthens collaboration between institutions in Scotland, the UK, and abroad
- Promotes the advancement of knowledge across disciplines
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Including PhD candidates as lead applicants
- Applying without ensuring contracts extend beyond the project end date
- Misrepresenting the scope or feasibility of the collaborative project
- Excluding required co-applicants or failing to provide evidence of institutional support
- Missing deadlines or submitting incomplete documentation
FAQs
1. Can PhD candidates apply? No, PhD students are not eligible.
2. Can retired academics apply? Yes, if they maintain demonstrable links with Scottish institutions.
3. Are international partners allowed? Yes, but the lead applicant must be based in Scotland.
4. How many co-applicants can join? Up to two, meeting the same eligibility criteria as the Principal Investigator.
5. What is the maximum funding amount? £10,000 per project.
6. How long can projects last? Up to 24 months.
7. When should projects start? Between 1 September 2026 and 28 February 2027.
Conclusion
The RSE Research Collaboration Grant Program promotes interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration, supporting high-quality research and academic innovation in Scotland. By funding preliminary projects with potential for larger studies, the program strengthens research networks, encourages complementary expertise, and fosters the advancement of knowledge across disciplines.
For more information, visit The Royal Society of Edinburgh.