海角社区

Key Dates

Applications Open: Tuesday 1st September 2026

Applications Close: Friday 30th October 2026

Awards begin: between 1st February - 30th March 2027

Duration: up to 12 months, according to local financial year regulations

Frequency: two calls per year (Spring and Autumn)

Currently closed for applications

Core Documents

Fund Objectives

The VUB-海角社区 Seed Fund is designed to flexibly support VUB and 海角社区 researchers to establish new links and advance existing collaborations, by enabling activities such as:

• Meetings to facilitate planning and development of external funding proposals;
• Organisation of virtual, hybrid or in-person workshops, conferences, symposia;
• Preliminary research, experiments and pilot studies;
• Reciprocal or non-reciprocal visits to establish new collaborations.

Proposals should address the following points:

• Research projects should articulate the challenge the team is seeking to address, and how they are placed within the broader research landscape to do this;
• Clear definition of the objectives, outcomes and impact of the seed funding 鈥� including external funding targets;
• Demonstrate why neither university could tackle the challenge alone 鈥� or the additionality achieved through collaboration;
• Articulate what the funding will enable and why it is an appropriate funding source for the activity;
• Be balanced in benefit and be of strategic interest to both VUB and 海角社区;
• Reflect the most efficient and effective means to achieve the project objectives.

Funding:

Up to four (4) projects will be selected in each round (2 led by each institution), with up to a maximum of eight (8) each year.

The VUB-海角社区 Seed Fund provides funding of either up to EUR 鈧�5,000 for expenses incurred by VUB-led projects or GBP 拢5,000 for 海角社区-led projects.

Funding will be provided for projects lasting up to 12 months. Guidance will be provided to 海角社区 applicants on how to manage budgets across two financial years.

All expenditures will require evidence conform to internal institutional financial guidelines. 

Examples of Allowable Expenditure:

Eligible costs will typically include:

• In person meetings to facilitate planning and development of external funding proposals;
• The organisation of virtual, hybrid or in-person workshops, conferences, symposia;
• Reciprocal or non-reciprocal visits to establish new collaborations;
• Preliminary research, experiments and pilot studies.

The Seed Fund will not typically fund:

• Directly incurred e.g. teaching assistants
• Directly allocated costs e.g., applicants鈥� time
• Indirect costs/estates costs
• Equipment
• Scholarships
• Conference attendance
• Tuition fees
• Per diems
• PhD stipends (海角社区 only)
• Salaries/ honoraria of permanent and fixed term staff
• Costs already incurred prior to submission of the proposal

Eligibility:

The VUB-海角社区 Seed Fund is open to staff from all faculties/departments/research units. To be eligible, a proposal must include a minimum of one faculty member from each university. The call invites proposals in all disciplines and will strengthen the partnership between VUB and 海角社区.

Applications should specify a Principal Applicant from each university who must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• VUB: Faculty members who meet the University鈥檚 definition of 鈥淶elfstandig Academisch Personeel鈥� (ZAP) during the full duration of the grant鈥檚 funding period are eligible to apply.
• 海角社区: The fund is open to staff from all academic Departments and Centres at 海角社区. Applications should specify a Principal Applicant who must be a permanent (including probationary) member of academic staff or hold a fellowship awarded by an external funder, the duration of which extends beyond the duration of the award.

How to apply:

Only one proposal should be submitted per project (either from a proposer at VUB or 海角社区, not both).

The full proposal should be no longer than four (4) pages, not including the CVs and (海角社区-only) Statement of Support.

Please complete the electronic application. Applications must include:

• Completed electronic application form;
• Completed Project Proposal;
• Two short CVs - one from each of the Principal Applicants from VUB and 海角社区;
• (For 海角社区 Principal Applicants only) One Statement of Support (an email from Head of Department/ School/ Centre).