Seed funding

Una Europa FU Berlin Starter Fund

Open to applications from lecturers and heads of departments at the University of Edinburgh to work on joint teaching and research projects, digitalisation or joint applications for research funding.

Maximum funding amount: 10,000€

The funding will be allocated and managed by the FU Berlin lead, but participating students and academics from Una partners will be able to use the funding for travel and accommodation expenses, guest activities etc. 

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Find out more about the Una Europa Starter Funds

Application period: June to September 2026
Project timeline: Projects are expected to begin in April 2027 for a duration of up to 18 months

Avanza UC is an international collaborative research fund from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC Chile) aimed at strengthening strategic global research partnerships.

The fund supports cutting-edge collaborative seed fund projects across all disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields, particularly those able to address major societal challenges with global projection. The program provides up to 35,000 US dollars per project to support the UC Chile research team, while partner institutions are expected to provide complementary funding for their own researchers.  

Please note that whilst there is no central University of Edinburgh funding available, researchers can explore Schools or Colleges funding and/or in-kind contributions including time. 

We would expect that interested academics can dedicate and agree with their line managers the necessary time for the proposed collaboration or perhaps negotiate within their departments any additional expenses for travel and the organisation of activities.

The call particularly welcomes:

• innovative and high-impact research ideas
• interdisciplinary collaboration
• projects with long-term strategic potential
• initiatives connecting local and global challenges

Express your interest in collaborating with this initiative:

Avanza UC co-funding partner expression of interest

For more information, contact Avanza UC at vrai.uc@uc.cl 

KU Leuven Global Seed Fund

The Global Seed Fund aims to initiate new and deepen existing collaborations with researchers from strategic partners, including the University of Edinburgh, to develop world-leading research.

Projects are funded from one year starting from January 2027, with up to 30,000 euros available per project. The Global Seed Fund is open to all scientific disciplines.

Applications must be submitted by the KU Leuven PI. You can connect with potential collaborators at KU Leuven through their research portal on the link below. If you need help finding collaborators for your project proposal, email una.europa@ed.ac.uk

Applications are open until 8 October 2026.

Learn about the Global Seed Fund and find research partners

The seed funding supports collaborative research between researchers at Lund University and selected partner universities. The initiative encourages collaboration across all academic disciplines that have the potential to lead to externally funded research projects and joint publications.

Researchers from strategic partner institutions, including Edinburgh, can connect with Lund University colleagues and apply for joint funding. The Lund University researcher must submit the application, but the funds support networking activities such as visits and meetings for researchers at both institutions.

Find a research partner at Lund: 
Visit the Lund University Research Portal

Apply by 20 October 2026

Find out about the funding, eligibility, and application process