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The Office of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) funds projects across a wide range of UCL activities. Find more information on how to apply below.
The Office of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) - VP RIGE - seeks to maximise UCL's positive research and innovation impact on the world through maximising income, optimising professional support for research, innovation and impact, creating cutting-edge institutional infrastructures and enabling a positive research and innovation culture.
As part of this support applications are invited from UCL-based staff to secure seed funding across a number of RIGE areas, these opportunities include support for: developing overseas collaborations; cross-disciplinary collaborations that address societal problems; building links with industry and public sector services; working towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, fostering engagement between research and policy; and enhancing public and community engagement within UCL. Please see further details on each area in the sections below.
RIGE Funding Q&A
- Which RIGE funding call should I apply to for my project?
- For projects collaborating with a global partner see the Global Engagement Funding section in the first instance below.
- For cross-disciplinary projects see the Grand Challenges section.
- For innovation and enterprise focused projects see the the Innovation and Enterprise section.
- For projects related to SDGs see the SDGI section.
- For policy related projects see the Public Policy section.
- For public and community engagement see the Public Engagement section.
Your project may have more than one element and thus be eligible for more than one call, i.e. it may be both cross-disciplinary and a collaboration with a global partner. If you are unsure which call to apply for please consult with any of the contacts provided for each section, they will help you identify and choose which scheme would be best for your project. RIGE colleagues will also review applications upon submission and if it would stand a better chance of being funded under a different RIGE scheme they will consult you about diverting the submission on your behalf.
- When is the next round of funding calls, and when can my project take place?
Currently each RIGE funding call runs once per year. Where possible the application windows for RIGE calls will be aligned to run concurrently in Term 3. This aligned window will normally open in May and close in June (exact dates tbc each year) for proposals on project activity taking place in the following academic year (or following multiple years in the case of some I&E calls) - this allows award recipients to have funding in place for a full year of activity. Please note the timings of some individual funding calls may need to differ year to year, for example matched funding schemes with partner institutions often need to align with a partners financial year. It is therefore important to check the individual timings for each call below.
The next aligned RIGE funding window will open for applications on 22 May 2023 and close on 16 June 2023 for projects taking place in the 2023/24 academic year. See which calls will run during this window below.
- Am I eligible to apply?
In general, most RIGE funding calls allow academic staff at post-doc level or above and all professional service/VP office staff to apply for funding - providing their period of
employment with UCL covers the period of the project activity. Students can often be involved in projects as co-applicants. However, eligibility criteria can sometime differ across calls due to the source of funding e.g. external funded calls or matched partner calls - so please be sure to check the criteria of a call before submitting an application.
- How much can I apply for?
Funding amounts vary across RIGE calls as they are aimed at supporting different types of projects. Most calls range from £1k to £10k, however I&E provide some opportunities up to £30k and £100k. Please see the sections below for further details on how much is available for each call.
Global Engagement
These funding schemes support UCL staff from all disciplines and departments to develop collaborations with international partners. The 'Global Engagement Funds' small grants call supports UCL staff activity with any global partner, while 'Strategic Partner Funds' support joint projects between UCL staff and colleagues based at UCL's key global partner institutions. For more details about each of these calls see below or visit the GE funding page. To discuss which funding scheme is appropriate for your project, and for help with applying contact UCLglobalengagement@ucl.ac.uk
- Global Engagement Funds (GEF)
Up to £5,000 is available per project to help support UCL staff collaborate with colleagues in any other country around the world. The 2022/23 funding call now closed, further details on the 2023/24 call will be updated here. Further details can be found on the GEF funding page.
- Cities Partnerships Programme Funds
Funds of up to £5,000 per project to support UCL staff activity involving one or more UCL individuals and a partner based in Paris and/or Stockholm. TThe 2022/23 funding call now closed, further details on the 2023/24 call will be updated here. Further details can be found on the Cities funding page.
- Partner Funds
A number of funding streams are available to support joint projects between academics based at UCL and those based at UCL's key global partner institutions. In most cases funds funding of up to £10k is available per project, UCL and its relevant partner will contribute matched funds meaning a bigger overall pot of funding is available. Please check here for opening dates and deadlines for each of the individual partner funds.
UCL will run partner calls for activity in 2022-23 with these partners: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, IIT Delhi, Osaka University, Peking University, Tohoku University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Sydney, University of Toronto, Wits University, Zhejiang University
Grand Challenges
UCL Grand Challenges funding supports cross-disciplinary collaborations that address societal problems. Through strategic funding and 'seed corn' funding opportunities, support is available for novel ideas, collaborations, and activities that support community building, societal impacts, and engagement beyond UCL. For more details about each of these calls, visit the Grand Challenges funding page. To discuss which funding scheme is appropriate for your project, and for help with applying contact grand-challenges@ucl.ac.uk
- Small Grants
Up to £5,000 is available for research-informed, societally relevant, cross-disciplinary/cross-boundary activities. This scheme is now closed. Find out more here.
- Doctoral Students Small Grants
The call for Grand Challenges Doctoral Students’ small grant proposals, for awards of up to £2,500 is now closed. Find out more here.
Innovation & Enterprise
Innovation and enterprise funding is used to support projects from all disciplines and departments to exchange expertise and accelerate the impact of research, by building links with industry, public sector services and the wider public. Whether you want to arrange a secondment, test an idea, set up a partnership, or kick-start a business, your journey begins here. To discuss which funding scheme is appropriate for your project, and for help with applying contact knowledge.exchange@ucl.ac.uk
- Applying Research in Industry
Work with an industry partner to move your research towards use or commercialisation. Apply for up to £100,000 Discovery-to-use funding for projects linked to EPSRC-funded research.Applications are currently closed. The next call will likely open in May/June 2023. Dates will be published here when confirmed. Find out more here.
- Early Stage Commercialisation
Test, de-risk or show the potential of your commercial idea. Apply for up to £30,000. Applications are currently closed. The next call will likely open in May/June 2023. Dates will be published here when confirmed. Find out more here.
- Knowledge Exchange Initiatives
Exchange ideas and experience with people outside academia for the benefit society or the economy. Applications are currently closed. The next call will likely open in May/June 2023. Dates will be published here when confirmed Find out more here.
- Innovation Networks
Establish an innovation network to engage with multiple external stakeholders, nurture partnerships, and form an interdisciplinary community. Apply for up to £30,000. Applications are currently closed. The next call will likely open in May/June 2023. Dates will be published here when confirmed. Find out more here.
- Outward Secondments
Put your research into practice outside the academic sector with a secondment. Apply for up to £15,000 for projects linked to EPSRC-funded research. Applications are currently closed. The next call will likely open in May/June 2023. Dates will be published here when confirmed. Find out more here.
- Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
We can help you apply for funding to collaborate with a business on a complex strategic project through the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme. Find out more here.
- EPSRC doctoral student internship support and impact projects
Access funding for an internship with a non-academic organisation or, if you've completed your doctoral studies, a short post at UCL to engage in impact-focused activities. Apply for up to £7,000. Applications are currently closed. The next call will likely open in May/June 2023. Dates will be published here when confirmed. Find out more here.
UCL SDGs Initiative
The UCL SDGs Initiative was established to maximise the university’s impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across its teaching, research, operations and student extra-curricular activities. To discuss which funding scheme is appropriate for your project, and for help with applying contact s.knowles@ucl.ac.uk
- SDGs: Pathways to Achievement
Run in partnership with UCL Grand Challenges and UCL Global Engagement, awards of up to £10,000 are available to staff and students for collaborative activities that help to address the UN SDGs. Find out more here
Public Engagement
These funding schemes support projects that advance the practice and culture of public and community engagement within UCL, that are creative, inclusive and enables UCL and external communities to work together to bring about meaningful change and mutual benefit. To discuss which funding scheme is appropriate for your project, and for help with applying contact publicengagement@ucl.ac.uk
- Beacon Bursaries
UCL Beacon Bursaries have funded outstanding engagement projects and project teams since 2009. Up to £2,000 is available per project for staff and postgraduate research students who want to connect their research and teaching with people outside UCL. Find out more here.
- Train and Engage
Train and Engage is UCL Public Engagement’s flagship training and funding programme for UCL postgraduate research students. This series of sessions is tailored to support UCL postgraduate research students interested in developing and applying their public engagement knowledge and skills. Those who have completed the program can apply for up to £1000 to implement public engagement ideas. Funded projects are supported by the UCL Engagement Team with advice, experience and resources to help as you design, develop, deliver and evaluate your project. This scheme is currently closed. Find out more here.
Public Policy
- Rapid Response Policy Advisory Scheme (EPSRC IAA)
The scheme awards expert engagement grants to enable the development/delivery of urgent short-term policy work in response to policy demand. Up to £10,000 is available throughout the year to UCL researchers from all subject disciplines. Funding available: up to £10,000. Open call with a rolling deadline. Find out more here.
- Policy Dialogues Funding (EPSRC IAA)
UCL Public Policy offers funding and support for EPSRC projects to organise and deliver 'Policy Dialogues': knowledge transfer activities and events designed to foster engagement between research and policy. A Policy Dialogue can be a meeting/series of meetings to allow for academics, policy makers, and policy practitioners to come together to discuss current priorities and proposals for future work. These activities are meant to be multidisciplinary, wider than the UCL community, and are not just meant for knowledge transfer but to build communities to share best practice, and built on a current policy need and support by a policy partner. Funding available: up to £5,000. Open call with a rolling deadline. Find out more here.
Where possible and time permitting, applications that may be relevant to other schemes will be shared across RIGE to identify the most appropriate source of funding.
Additional funding schemes from RIGE will be added to this page in due course.