Partner Funds

A number of funding streams are available to support joint projects between UCL academics and those at UCL's key global partner institutions.

Application windows for the 2025/26 calls will open in Spring 2025 with others becoming available in Autumn.

Global partners have matched the funds committed by UCL for the following funding streams, meaning larger overall pots of funding are available.

Please explore our partner funding streams by region (further down this page) for further information.

Please note that in order to increase the reach and breadth of access across UCL to the Global Engagement funding schemes (the Global Engagement Funds and Partner Funds) the following rules are in place:

You can submit a maximum of two proposals across these funding streams, either as a lead applicant or co-applicant. For example, you could submit 1 GEF proposal and 1 partner proposal, or 2 GEF proposals, or 2 partner proposals.
You can receive a maximum of 1 award per scheme as a lead applicant. For example, you could receive 1 GEF award and/or 1 partner award.
If you were the lead applicant of a proposal that received GE seed funding in 24/25, you cannot apply as a lead applicant for any 25/26 GE seed funding schemes, but you will be eligible for the 26/27 schemes. Please note: A special exception can be made where there is strong potential for significant impact and/or scaling up of collaboration with a global partner based on the outcomes of 24/25 project activity. Please contact us if you feel this applies to your activity.

Africa & Middle East

Funding stream	Application window	Description	Funding for	Link
UCL-Wits University Strategic Partner Funds	29 May - 29 June 2025	Up to six successful projects will receive funding. Up to £8000 may be awarded for projects with the funding allocated to the academics at each institution according to the partner contribution.	All UCL academic staff for activity with the University of Witwatersrand	Link

If you have any questions or want to be kept informed about funding streams in Africa and the Middle East, please contact Amanda Chukwudozie (Senior Global Engagement Manager).

East Asia

Funding stream	Application window	Description	Funding for	Link
UCL-Peking University Strategic Partner Funds	12 May - 13 June 2025	Awards of up to £20k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration in all areas.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Peking University	Link
UCL-Zhejiang University Strategic Partner Funds	Autumn 2025	This call is currently under discussion with the partner. Further details will be added soon.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Zhejiang University	Closed
UCL-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Strategic Partner Funds	12 May - 13 June 2025	Awards of up to £10k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration in all areas.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Link
UCL-Fudan University Strategic Partner Funds	12 May - 20 June 2025	Awards of up to £20k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration in all areas.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Fudan University.	Link
UCL - The Chinese University of Hong Kong Strategic Partner Funds	12 May - 13 June 2025	Awards of up to £20k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration.	All UCL academic staff for activity with The Chinese University of Hong Kong.	Link
UCL - UOsaka Strategic Partner Funds	15 April - 16 May 2025	Awards of up to £10k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration in all areas.	All UCL academic staff for activity with the University of Osaka	Closed
UCL-Tohoku University Strategic Partner Funds	Autumn 2025	This call is currently under discussion with the partner. Further details will be added soon.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Tohoku University	Closed
UCL-Korea University Strategic Partner Funds	12 May - 13 June 2025	Awards of up to £10k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Korea University.	Link
UCL - Yonsei University Strategic Partner Funds	12 May - 13 June 2025	Awards of up to £10k per project are available to support the development of research and education collaboration in all areas.	All UCL academic staff for activity with Yonsei University.	Link

If you have any questions or want to be kept informed about funding streams in Japan or Korea, please contact Keiko Tsunekawa (Global Engagement Manager) or for China, please contact Zhou Kuang (Global Engagement Manager).

South & Southeast Asia

Funding stream	Application window	Description	Funding for	Link
UCL-AIIMS Strategic Partner Funds	Autumn 2025	This call is currently under discussion with the partner. Further details will be added soon.	All UCL academic staff for activity with AIIMS	Closed
UCL-AIIMS-IITD trilateral call for collaborative research in medical technologies	28 Mar - 27 May 2025	Up to £5000 for one-year projects and up to £20,000 for two year projects as part of a new trilateral funding call between UCL, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.	All UCL academic staff for activity with AIIMS and IITD	Link
UCL - NUS Research and Innovation Collaboration Fund	21 May - 20 June 2025	Awards of up to £10k from UCL and S$17k from NUS to support the development of research and education collaboration.	All UCL academic staff for activity with National University of Singapore	Link

If you have any questions or want to be kept informed about funding streams in South Asia, please contact Dr Amit Khandelwal (Senior Global Engagement Manager).

Australasia

Funding stream	Application window	Description	Funding for	Link
UCL-University of Sydney Strategic Ignition Grants	TBC	This call is currently under discussion with the partner. Further details will be added soon.	All UCL academic staff for activity with the University of Sydney.	Closed

If you have any questions or want to be kept informed about funding streams in Australasia, please contact Siobhan O'Brien (Senior Global Engagement Manager).

Europe

Matched partner funds with European institutions are currently under discussion. Further details will be published here in the future so please keep an eye on this page or sign up to our mailing list.

Collaboration with European partners is supported by UCL’s Global Engagement Funds and applications for collaborations with European researchers and institutions have historically had high success rates. The next call for applications will open in Spring 2025. Visit our Global Engagement Funds page for more information on how and when to apply.

Examples of previous activities supported by UCL's Global Engagement Funds include:

Case studies

Seeking a mathematical method for tracking marine microplastics - Dr Kang Ren (UCL Mechanical Engineering), UCL-SJTU Strategic Partner Funds
Walking in unwalkable cities in Africa - Dr Daniel Oviedo (UCL Bartlett), UCL-Osaka University Strategic Partner Funds
Understanding how party foot soldiers impact voters in Zimbabwe - Dr Adam Harris (UCL Political Science), UCL-Wits University Strategic Partner Funds
Calculating how earthquakes and tsunami cause damage in Japan - Professor Tiziana Rossetto (UCL Engineering), UCL-Tohoku University Strategic Partner Funds
Protecting Indian migrant labour from underground economy train tickets - Dr Kartikeya Tripathi (UCL Engineering), UCL-IIT Delhi Strategic Partner Funds
Understanding and treating social functioning impairment in dementia - Dr Andrew Sommerlad and Professor Gill Livingston (UCL Psychiatry), UCL-Osaka University Strategic Partner Funds