The International Office is pleased to announce the launch of three partnership funds to support the University’s Vision 2015 strategy to develop partnerships with leading overseas institutions.

Applications are now open to the:

• International Partnership Fund
• Brazil Partnership Fund
• China Partnership Fund

The partnership funds seek to support new and early stage collaborations and will offer awards of up to £5k per year for up to two years.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Margot Finn, Chair of the Fund, said:

These funds are intended to pump-prime collaborations that will lead to externally-funded international collaborations. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the project’s potential, not only for innovative and creative research, but also for the incorporation of key partnership building activities such as; inter- and multi- disciplinary research, developing PhD exchange schemes, and building links with industry.

We are very pleased to announce this latest round of funding opportunities which we hope will build on the achievements of previous rounds, which have seen the development of key collaborations with leading institutions around the world. Past successes include for example the Chemistry Polymer Group, which since obtaining seed funding from the China Fellowship Fund in 2011 has developed its work in Shanghai incorporating research links with the Universities of Fudan, Tongji and Soochow, as well as developing student exchanges and links with industry including the Unilever Research Centre.

International Partnership Fund 2012-13

(previously the Strategic Partnership Fund)

In response to feedback from colleagues and the University’s International Committee, this fund is being launched for 2012-13 as the ‘International Partnership Fund’, with revised criteria.

This fund is open to applications for collaborations with leading institutions in any country, but in 2012-13 priority will be given to the following areas:

• Japan, South Korea, Singapore
• USA, Canada, Mexico
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Applications for collaborations with China and Brazil should instead be directed to the relevant fund indicated below.

Colleagues seeking funding for collaborations with Indian institutions should explore possibilities via the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI), which Warwick has had previous success in bidding to. Further information can be found on our internal UKIERI web page.

Colleagues seeking funding for collaborations with European institutions should explore possibilities for funding via the Research Development Fund or Institute of Advance Study European Frontiers Scheme.

Brazil Partnership Fund 2012-13

The Brazil Partnership Fund (funded by Santander) was launched in 2011 and made 6 awards, supporting collaborations with some of Brazil’s leading universities and research institutes including University of Sao Paulo (USP), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Federal University of Paraná, Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) and the National Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA).

In 2012-13 £30k of funding will be available for collaborations with Brazil’s leading universities and research institutes.

There are significant opportunities for external funding in Brazil due to the launch of the Brazilian Government scheme Science without Borders (Ciência Sem Fronteiras), which promotes international collaboration. Colleagues are encouraged to seek opportunities for external funding through this, and other Brazilian funding schemes. Further information can be found on the International Office web pages.

Colleagues considering applying to the Science without Borders ‘Young Talent’ and ‘Special Visiting Researcher’ schemes should note that the next deadline for applications is 16 June 2012, and the application must be submitted by the Brazilian host institution.

China Partnership Fund 2012-13

The aim of the China Partnership Fund is to support the development of research links with the ‘Top 20’ mainland Chinese Universities. This fund ran an extremely successful call in 2011-12 and made 13 awards supporting collaborations with some of China’s leading institutions including the Chinese Academy of Science, Fudan University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Sun Yat-sen University, Nanjing University and Beijing Normal University.

In 2012-13 £40k of funding will be available for collaborations with mainland China’s leading universities and research institutes.

Application

The deadline for application to the funds will be 5pm on Tuesday 12 June 2012.

Guidelines and application forms are on the International Office website.

Applications will be reviewed by an academic panel chaired by a Pro Vice Chancellor. Awards will be made up to the value of £5,000 per year for up to two years, and funds have to be spent before 31 July 2013 (or 31 July 2014 in the case of two year awards).

Further information

Further information on the above funding schemes can be obtained by contacting Sarah Patrick, Senior Liaison Officer, International Office: sarah dot patrick at warwick dot ac dot uk (ext 22647)

Colleagues considering making an application are advised to contact the International Office to discuss their proposal prior to submitting an application.