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International

Stellenbosch-Warwick Joint Seed Fund

Key information:

Application form and submission portal

Stellenbosch-Warwick Seed Fund GuidelinesLink opens in a new window

2024 Seed Fund outcomes

Key dates:

The Joint Seed Fund is currently closed for applications. The next round will open in spring 2025, with a likely deadline for submissions in April 2025.

Successful projects will have a maximum duration of 24 months. Projects from the spring 2025 round are expected to commence from 1 August 2025 and complete activities by 31 July 2027.

Objectives:

The Stellenbosch-Warwick Seed Fund is designed to flexibly support Stellenbosch and Warwick researchers and professional service staff to establish new links and advance existing collaborations, by enabling activities such as:

  • organisation of virtual, hybrid or in-person workshops, conferences, symposia;
  • preliminary research, experiments and pilot studies;
  • meetings to facilitate planning and development of external funding proposals;
  • reciprocal or non-reciprocal visits to establish new collaborations.

Proposals should address the following points:

  • Research projects should articulate the challenge the team is seeking to address, and how they are placed within the broader research landscape to do this;
  • Education projects should outline ways that the project will help to internationalise teaching and learning at Stellenbosch and Warwick
  • Clear definition of the objectives, outcomes and impact – including external funding targets;
  • Demonstrate why neither university could tackle the challenge alone – or the additionality achieved through collaboration;
  • Articulate what the funding will enable and why it is an appropriate funding source for the activity;
  • Be balanced in benefit and be of strategic interest to both Stellenbosch and Warwick;
  • Reflect the most efficient and effective means to achieve the project objectives.
Funding:

The Stellenbosch-Warwick Seed Fund provides funding of up to ZAR R100,000, for expenses incurred by Stellenbosch and GPB £5,000, for expenses incurred by Warwick.

We welcome proposals that offer most effective means of achieving the objectives, including those below the maximum funding threshold.

Examples of allowable expenditure include:

Eligible costs will typically include:

  • Reasonable travel and visa costs;
  • Accommodation and subsistence costs (it is expected that Stellenbosch staff participating in activities located at the University of Warwick will stay in on-campus accommodation. Warwick staff visiting Stellenbosch will be provided with a list of accommodation options on campus or in town.
  • Reasonable event/workshop costs (activities should be held on campus or justification provided for alternative locations);
  • Research/educational support (e.g. access charges, virtual platforms, consumables, transcription costs, research assistant hourly rates), not typically exceeding 20% of the total project budget.

The Seed Fund will not typically fund:

  • Infrastructure and equipment;
  • Overhead/central support charges;
  • Non-Stellenbosch or Warwick staff expenses (including travel and accommodation);
  • Salaries and honoraria of permanent and fixed term staff
  • Conference registrations and related travel/accommodation costs
  • Costs already incurred prior to submission of the proposal.
Eligibility:

The Stellenbosch-Warwick Seed Fund is open to staff from all academic departments and research units as well as all professional service staff.

Applicants must be permanent or fixed-term, full or part-time staff. For applicants on fixed-term contracts, the duration of contract must extend beyond the project completion date.

How to apply:

Please complete the electronic application at this link. Applications must include: