Applications Invited for WUN Research Development Fund 2025

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About the Organization

The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is a global higher education and research network of 24 universities across 6 continents.

The most talented researchers and educators are ever more dispersed globally. Capitalizing on this, WUN brings together major universities that sit in widely diverse geographical and cultural contexts, forming a partnership that brings an unparalleled richness of talent and resources to bear on major research problems.

The purpose of WUN is to strengthen member universities, and their impact and prominence, by:

• Fostering distinctive international research collaborations directed at problems of global significance.
• Nurturing research talent, particularly of early career researchers.
• Promoting the development of global citizens through targeted programs for undergraduates.
• Informing institutional policy and practice through analysis and information exchange.
• Building partnerships with relevant national and international bodies.
• Communicating WUN’s strengths and achievements to ensure visibility and impact.

About the Grant

The WUN Research Development Fund (RDF) provides grants of up to £10,0001 , for one year to foster research collaborations among academic staff (faculty) at WUN member universities. Grants from the RDF are intended to help stimulate larger collaborative projects that will strengthen WUN and have impact, for example through giving rise to influential publications or making the collaborating partners competitive for major grants.

The RDF supports research projects directed at problems that lie within the network’s principal research theme of sustainable development, and on which a diverse team of collaborating partners confers distinct advantage. These will often be problems where comparative analysis is important.

WUN RDF 2025 focus:

In line with the WUN Strategic Plan 2023-2026, we encourage proposals that address problems in one or more of the following areas within the context of sustainable development:

• Social justice and human rights; inequality
• Sustainable world: cities and urbanization; energy transitions; water, and food security
• Mental health; child and maternal health; ageing
• Responsible and ethical applications of Artificial Intelligence

Eligibility

The RDF is open to academic staff (faculty members) at WUN member universities. Project teams. A project must engage at least three WUN member universities across at least two regions2 . Projects may include non-WUN universities and external partners but must have an active core of WUN member universities. Projects led by early career researchers are especially encouraged.3 Matching funds: In the past, awards made from the RDF required matching support from the applicants’ home universities. Matching cash contributions are encouraged but not required and will not factor in the review.

How to Apply

Applications must be approved for submission to WUN through an internal review at the principal investigator’s university. Your local WUN Coordinator will provide guidance on securing this approval. Each member university may submit up to two applications on which its academic staff (faculty) are principal investigators. There is no limit on the number of applications on which a member university or individual can be a co-investigator.

Applications, submitted online through the WUN online application portal, are due by Friday, 17 October 2025 at 21.00 UK time. Internal deadlines at many member universities will be earlier. Access to the online application portal will open on 13 June 2025.

Prospective applicants considering a submission should contact their local WUN Coordinator well before the application deadline. The WUN Coordinator will be able to provide advice about eligibility, preparing the application, internal deadlines, and the university’s internal review. Applications must be accompanied by:

• Program budget outlining key areas of expenditure (a common template will be provided).
• CV of the principal investigator (1 page maximum) with URL links to partner investigator CVs.

Applications that are incomplete or received after the closing time will not be considered. The outcome of the review will be announced on 15 December 2025. For successful applicants, award funds in GBP will be deposited in February 2026 via bank transfer to the principal investigator’s nominated university account after receipt of an invoice from the university, and the establishment of the project page on the WUN website.

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Tags Environment and Sustainability Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Research Others