2018 funding opportunities to support international partnerships

Kent staff are encouraged to consider whether their School or Professional Service Department’s existing European and international partnerships could form the basis on Erasmus+ funding bid. Erasmus+ Key Action II funding is available to support consortia to run collaborative projects aimed at improving higher education provision.

Acceptable project themes within Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships funding strand are broad within the overall objective of promoting innovation in higher education, and therefore this particular funding strand could be a useful means to develop existing work with partners.

Staff may also be interested in Erasmus+ Capacity Building project opportunities; Capacity Building projects must involve institutions from Erasmus+ Partner Countries (as opposed to Programme Countries). Capacity building projects typically focus on one of three main activities: curriculum development activities; modernisation of governance and management of HEIs and systems, and strengthening of relations between higher education and the wider economic and social environment

An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) funding bid could also be considered by Schools within well-developed consortia. (Approval for EMJMD bids need approval of the International Postgraduate Steering group chaired by the Dean of the Graduate School).

Key application deadlines:

  • Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships: 21st March 2018
  • Erasmus+ Capacity Building projects: 8th February 2018
  • Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees projects:  15th February 2018

Staff are advised to contact International Partnerships as soon as they start to consider a bid. Please see the following webpage for the internal approval procedure: https://www.kent.ac.uk/global/partnerships/kent-staff/funding-opportunities.html

Other opportunities:

  • Erasmus+ funding to support student and staff mobility.

International Partnerships already holds Key Action I funds to support student and staff mobility; please contact erasmus@kent.ac.uk for further information.

  • Rutherford Fund

UUKi launched the Rutherford Fund in November 2017; it provides funding for eligible UK higher education institutions to offer short-term fellowships that will build on and enhance global strategic partnerships. The fellowships are funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and institutions will be able to apply for up to £150,000 to deliver a dynamic programme of research fellowships for early career researchers. There isn’t a geographic focus and is therefore open to researchers from any countries; however priority countries have been identified for the scheme, and therefore applications to work with partners within these countries is particularly encouraged.

The closing date for calls is 12.30 (GMT) on Wednesday 10 January 2018 with institutions being notified of the outcome by Friday 26 January 2018.