UBBI - UNICAMP Seed Fund

The UBBI-UNICAMP Seed Fund supports collaborative engagement between UoB and UNICAMP with the following priorities:

Implementation Grants to support and strengthen existing faculty-faculty relationships leading to clearly defined outputs.

Priority will be given to activities that have the potential to:

1. Progress joint research priorities;
2. Connect world-leading researchers;
3. Enhance our institutional research profiles through collaborative publications;
4. Build productive, impactful relationships with leading academic, scientific, cultural and policy communities in the region;
5. Evolve into jointly-submitted proposals to external funding agencies for sustained support of collaborative research activities.

Initiation Grants to encourage wider faculty involvement and expand institutional engagement. We invite funding applications from colleagues interested in developing new research relationships. Priority will be given to:

1. Applicants who can clearly demonstrate that they have established a potential area of collaboration with UoB/UNICAMP counterparts;
2. Activities with the potential to extend beyond individual links to wider – i.e., ‘research group to research group’ – collaborations;
3. Projects with the potential for sustained and enlarged collaborative activity.

There are no restrictions on the forms of activity undertaken with UBBI-UNICAMP funding, providing they meet the criteria outlined above.

The fund is available to support planning visits, workshops and exchanges with the partner institution for the purpose of developing the strategic partnership. The fund may also support meetings in third party locations where there is potential to develop and/or showcase collaboration.

Activities may include, but are not limited to:

1. Academic projects to extend UoB-UNICAMP academic networks and research outputs, joint conferences, workshops, symposia, collaborative experiments and co-authored publications;
2. Curriculum innovation and development of joint teaching and learning initiatives;
3. Civic and cultural relationship-building to enhance our status as ‘engaged’ universities;
4. Trilateral activities that link research projects into wider UoB-UNICAMP strategic regions – including, for example, countries in Africa, Latin America, China, India, and Europe.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for reciprocal visit funding in order to broaden networks and cement engagement.

Applications that can demonstrate potential for relationships to become sustainable beyond the proposed project and initial seed funding term are strongly encouraged, whether through faculty and department commitment or the likelihood of externally leveraged grants and awards.

UBBI seed funding will be allocated locally, with UoB paying the travel and accommodation costs of UoB staff travelling to UNICAMP, and the costs of projects occurring at UoB; and UNICAMP paying the travel and accommodation costs of UNICAMP staff travelling to UoB, and the costs of projects occurring at UNICAMP.

UBBI-UNICAMP seed funding will be subject to the travel reimbursement and other relevant financial policies of the institution providing the funding to its faculty or units.

Requests of support for non-standard costs such as research equipment costs or research assistant staffing will need particularly clear justification.

The maximum funding available per project will be up to £15,000 in total, with half coming from each partner.

The maximum funding available per call will be £50,000 in total, with half coming from each partner.

Applications must be made using the UBBI-UNICAMP Strategic Collaboration Seed Fund Application Form and provide the following information:

1. Identified UoB and UNICAMP Principal Investigators.
2. Purpose and timescale of visit/programme activity.
3. Anticipated total cost and itemised budget for the proposed activities.
4. Academic rationale for support:
   1. What is the strategic importance or added academic value of the collaboration for your home department and University?
   2. What are the anticipated shared outcomes and benefits for the collaboration?
5. Anticipated means of sustaining the collaboration:
   1. What funding is available from other sources ?
   2. What potential is there for future external investment?
   3. f) Executive Officer of the Unit / Head of College approval. Email confirmation of this support will suffice, and should be saved in PDF format and attached with the application.

All proposals to UNICAMP must be submitted through the FAEPEX system using the form. All proposals to Birmingham must be submitted through the google form found here: https://forms.gle/CRowDa6QtKtoooueA. Submissions by any other means, or after the deadline specified in item 7 below, will not be accepted.

Further information can be found by contacting Mary Elliston, Global Partnerships Manager, at the University of Birmingham (m.e.elliston@bham.ac.uk) or by contacting the Research Office, at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (faepex@unicamp.br).

Further information can be found by contacting Mary Elliston, Global Partnerships Manager, at the University of Birmingham (m.e.elliston@bham.ac.uk) or by contacting faepex@unicamp.br and mbrocchi@unicamp.br. at the University of Campinas.

Assessment and reporting

The grant review panels at UoB and UNICAMP will liaise to jointly determine which projects will be funded.

Grant recipients will be asked to provide project report highlighting their visit or activity for which the award was made and will be asked to present at the UBBI Steering Group, and other appropriate forums (e.g., departmental/College presentations) as requested. Grant recipients will later be asked to provide an update two years after the visit to ensure that longer term outcomes of the engagement can be measured that would not have become apparent in the first-year report.

Application Timeline 2025/26

• Applications open: January 2025
• Applications close: Monday 19 May 2025
• Successful awards announced: Monday 1 July 2025
• Funding available to complete project activity: 1 August 2025 – 31 July 2026

1. What is the UBBI-UNICAMP Strategic Collaboration Seed Fund?

This fund is designed to support collaborative projects between UoB and UNICAMP. It provides financial assistance for activities that:

• Strengthen existing faculty relationships.
• Foster new research collaborations.
• Build networks for joint research, education, and strategic institutional engagement.

2. Who is eligible to apply for the Seed Fund?

Permanent members of teaching and research staff at both UoB and UNICAMP are eligible to apply. Applications should be submitted jointly by staff from both institutions.

UNICAMP and UoB applicants must be active professors of the permanent staff of the University; Post-doctoral researchers and doctoral students may be added to the proposed project team list, but are not eligible for funding.

3. What activities are eligible for funding?

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

• Planning visits, workshops, and exchanges.
• Joint academic projects such as conferences, symposia, or experiments.
• Curriculum innovation and joint teaching initiatives.
• Relationship-building with academic, cultural, or policy communities.
• Trilateral activities involving other strategic regions.

4. What is the maximum funding available per project?

Up to £15,000 in total per project, with funding shared equally between UoB and UNICAMP.

The maximum funding available per call is £50,000 (or equivalent in local currency), also shared equally.

5. How are funds allocated?

Funds are allocated locally by each institution:

• UoB covers travel and accommodation costs for UoB staff visiting UNICAMP and UoB-based project expenses.
• UNICAMP covers travel and accommodation costs for UNICAMP staff visiting UoB and UNICAMP-based project expenses.

6. Are there any restrictions on funding use?

There are no restrictions as long as activities meet the stated criteria. However, non-standard costs such as research equipment or staffing require strong justification.

7. How do I apply? (item 5)

Applications must be submitted using the UBBI-UNICAMP Strategic Collaboration Seed Fund Application Form (Annex I) and include:

• Identified UoB and UNICAMP Principal Investigators.
• Purpose, timeline, and budget of the activity.
• Academic rationale and anticipated outcomes.
• Plans for sustaining the collaboration.
• Approval from the Executive Officer/Head of College (email confirmation suffices).

8. Where do I submit my application? (item 5)

• UoB applicants: Submit online using the UBBI-UNICAMP application form : https://forms.gle/CRowDa6QtKtoooueA
• UNICAMP applicants: Submit via the FAEPEX system (https://sistcorp.unicamp.br/faepex/login.jsp) as per Annex I instructions Applications submitted by other means or after the deadline will not be accepted.

9. What is the timeline for the application process? (item 7)

2025 Cycle

• Applications open: January 2025.
• Applications close: Monday, 19 May 2025.
• Awards announced: Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
• Funding available: 1 August 2025 – 31 July 2026.

10. How will applications be assessed?

Grant review panels at both UoB and UNICAMP will jointly decide which projects to fund. Priority will be given to proposals that demonstrate:

• Clear academic value.
• Potential for sustained collaboration.
• Alignment with institutional strategic priorities.

11. Who can I contact for more information?

• At UoB:
  • Mary Elliston, Global Partnerships Manager: m.e.elliston@bham.ac.uk. 
  • Erica Arthur, Head of Global Partnerships: e.d.arthur@bham.ac.uk

• At UNICAMP:
  • Research Office: faepex@unicamp.br