Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and University of Warwick (Warwick) Joint Seed Fund

Key Dates

Application open: Monday 2 March 2026

Application closes: Sunday 3 May 2026

Awards begin: Saturday 1 August to Thursday 15 October 2026

Duration: up to 12 months, according to local financial year regulations

Frequency: two calls per year (March and September)

Core Documents

To be added once the call has opened (March 2026)

Fund Objectives:

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

• Meetings to facilitate planning and development of external funding proposals;
• Organisation of virtual, hybrid or in-person workshops, conferences, symposia;
• Preliminary research, experiments and pilot studies;
• 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;
• Clear definition of the objectives, outcomes and impact of the seed funding – 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 VUB and Warwick;
• Reflect the most efficient and effective means to achieve the project objectives.

Funding:

Up to four (4) projects will be selected in each round (2 led by each institution), with up to a maximum of eight (8) each year.

The VUB-Warwick Seed Fund provides funding of either up to EUR €5,000 for expenses incurred by VUB-led projects or GBP £5,000 for Warwick-led projects.

Funding will be provided for projects lasting up to 12 months. At Warwick, all costs must be incurred before 31 July 2027.

All expenditures will require evidence conform to internal institutional financial guidelines. 

Examples of Allowable Expenditure:

Eligible costs will typically include:

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

Eligibility:

The VUB-Warwick Seed Fund is open to staff from all faculties/departments/research units. To be eligible, a proposal must include a minimum of one faculty member from each university. The call invites proposals in all disciplines and will strengthen the partnership between VUB and Warwick.

Applications should specify a Principal Applicant from each university who must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• VUB: Faculty members who meet the University’s definition of “Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel” (ZAP) during the full duration of the grant’s funding period are eligible to apply. PIs must hold an appointment for the full duration of the grant’s funding period plus one year. Successful status-only PIs must hold grant funds at an account within the University.

• Warwick: The fund is open to staff from all academic Departments and Centres at Warwick. Applications should specify a Principal Applicant who must be a permanent (including probationary) member of academic staff or hold a fellowship awarded by an external funder, the duration of which extends beyond the duration of the award.

How to apply:

Only one proposal should be submitted per project (either from a proposer at VUB or Warwick, not both).

The full proposal should be no longer than four (4) pages, not including the CVs and (Warwick-only) Statement of Support.

Please complete the electronic application. Applications must include:

• Completed electronic application form;
• Completed Project Proposal;
• Two short CVs - one from each of the Principal Applicants from VUB and Warwick;
• (For Warwick Principal Applicants only) One Statement of Support (an email from Head of Department/ School/ Centre).