Deadline: 30-Jun-25
Applications are now being accepted for the ISPF Research Collaboration Grants Programme, an initiative designed to be adaptable and responsive to in-country needs. This program enables applicants to establish collaborations in specific areas aligned with a country’s priorities and development requirements.
It also encourages the involvement of relevant private and third-sector partners, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), technology transfer offices, and other not-for-profit entities.
The ISPF Research Collaboration grants offer small-scale seed funding to foster partnerships between the UK and participating ISPF countries. These grants aim to initiate new research and innovation collaborations between academic groups, departments, and institutions in partner countries and the UK, while also developing existing collaborations at these levels.
A key objective is to encourage these collaborations to work with non-academic organizations and individuals, supporting the exchange of research and innovation expertise and translating research knowledge into tangible benefits. Furthermore, the program seeks to establish local hubs for joint UK-partner country activities in specific areas, thereby enabling engagement from the wider research and innovation community.
The program’s themes are broadly categorized into four critical areas. Resilient Planet focuses on leading the green industrial revolution to protect the environment. Transformative Technologies is dedicated to developing responsible technologies that secure future advancements.
Healthy People, Animals and Plants involves research and innovation for secure and healthy populations. Finally, Tomorrow’s Talent aims to nurture talent to drive inclusion, research, and innovation.
Grants under the ISPF Fund Research Collaboration programme will support bilateral research and innovation collaborations aligned with these ISPF themes, with priorities determined in conjunction with partner countries and territories during the call design phase.
The call will also fund Global Challenges Research Grants, specifically designed to support and facilitate research that addresses worldwide challenges. Wherever feasible, Research Collaboration projects should demonstrate how they will benefit the broader research and innovation community within the partner country or territory. Collaborations may also lead to the establishment of UK-partner country/territory centres of excellence, based in the partner country/territory. These centers will function as resource hubs for the wider in-country research community and serve as focal points for other activities, such as seminars and technical training workshops.
A total of £1.9 million is available across six countries/territories, intended to fund up to 24 bilateral projects involving UK institutions. Typically, grants range from £80,000 up to £160,000 for a duration of up to two years, with the specific amount dependent on the partner country.
To be eligible for funding under this program, proposals must meet specific criteria. Each proposal must feature one Project Leader from the UK and one Project Leader from the specified Partner Country/Territory. Both Project Leaders must be classified as Leading Researchers or Established Researchers. UK Project Leaders are required to be permanent employees of either a not-for-profit higher education institution with the capacity for high-quality research (specifically those participating in the Research Excellence Framework and receiving recurrent annual funding from UK higher education funding bodies) or a not-for-profit research organization with the capacity to undertake high-quality research.
Importantly, Emeritus and Honorary Professors are not eligible to apply as lead investigators. Furthermore, the lead institutions of both Project Leaders must possess the necessary capacity to administer the grant. Individual departments within a single institution are permitted to submit multiple applications per call, provided that the proposed activities are distinctly different. While not-for-profit higher education institutions and publicly funded research organizations are eligible to apply as Lead Institutions, for-profit organizations and other not-for-profit organizations are not.
For more information, visit British Council.
