The Global Partnership Development Fund (GPDF) is a new LSE pilot scheme designed to encourage international activities and support academic collaborations.
This new scheme aims to enable faculty to further existing, or develop new academic partnerships with counterparts based at a partner institution. Applications should clearly demonstrate the potential benefits of the proposed activity in relation to their department’s international collaborations, such as Double Degree provision and new mobility partners.
The GPDF is designed to pump-prime the development of strategic, sustainable and mutually beneficial international partnership activities. These may include:
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New collaborative teaching programme development with existing academic partners
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New international partnership building between LSE and high-quality academic institutions worldwide*
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Projects and initiatives jointly delivered with LSE’s institutional partners in responses to calls and opportunities through alliances that LSE is a member of
Please refer to 'Examples of activities' below for the type of projects the GDPF seeks to support.
*Any new partnership initiative should be discussed with Global Academic Engagement's team (GAE) using the designated Partnership Initiation form (LSE staff log-in required) in the first instance, and it is subject to approval by relevant LSE Committee(s) such as SMC.
The deadline for the most recent round of Global Partnership Development Fund has now passed. We expect the scheme to run again in 2024-25. Further updates will be published on this webpage including information on how to apply. Get in touch with global@lse.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Funding for each application is up to £3,500 (up to £1,500 for European partners). Applicants are advised to investigate available funding through CIVICA in the first instance, when collaborating with CIVICA partners in Europe.
The GPDF usually requires minimum 20% match funding support (factored into the submitted budget) from Department, Centre or Institute at LSE.
All LSE faculty with a formal, full-time affiliation with at least one department, centre and institute are eligible to apply.
In principle, one applicant can only submit one application per year. However, unsuccessful applicants from a previous round are welcome to submit a revised application in the following round, pending funds availability.
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Visit or host a Double Degree partner to deepen the existing link, by carrying out a yearly review of the double degree programme with relevant faculty and professional service staff, including meeting academic colleagues teaching on the programme and current/prospective students, sitting on an exam board, giving a guest lecture, and/or contributing to a seminar/workshop.
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Visit to an existing partner to discuss a new Double Degree programme or collaborative PhD programme and exchange arrangements.
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Visit a potential new undergraduate exchange programme partner to conduct site assessment and meet with delivery partner to finalise agreement details.
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Visit to a potential new partner to explore new double-degree or other similar programme. Please note: this visit would only be possible after the proposed project has been reviewed and discussed with GAE, with completion of the designated initiation form.
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Develop an annual conference series between LSE and an institutional partner, with a build-in structure that demonstrates sustainability of this initiative through future non-GDPF funding.
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Visit or host collaborative partners for education or research projects who is also part of the same alliance/network that LSE is part of, to implement a concrete project leading to measurable outputs.
Please note:
1- the GPDF does not fund conference travel. However, it may be used as a top-up fund to extend an existing conference visit of the same/nearby location to conduct partnership-building activities.
2- Any changes to proposed activities resulting in allocated funds used elsewhere should be agreed with GAE in writing prior to the change taking place.
The Global Academic Engagement team also manages the Global Research Fund, which provides seed funding support for collaborative research initiatives.
Applicants with a research-focused proposal, such as research workshops or seminar, should consider applying for the Global Research Fund instead.
Applicants must apply for the fund using the downloadable GPDF application form. Applications will be assessed by a commitee chaired by the Director of GAE with oversight from the Vice President and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education).
In reaching decisions on which projects to fund, the panel will take into account:
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The expected strategic value of the proposal in establishing or deepening the relationship between LSE and the partner institution.
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The quality and feasibility of the proposed project and the accuracy of the proposed budget.
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The strength of supporting statements from the LSE Head of Department (or Institute/Centre Director) and from the key contact from partner institution (the lead academic and/or equivalent of the Head of Department).
Travel
Please note that the Global Academic Engagement team do not arrange travel or any accommodation. This will be the responsibility of each applicant. An application cannot be made retrospectively.
Please follow the latest University travel advice, review the School’s Travel Policy here and ensure all health and safety requirements and risk assessment have been completed prior to the proposed travel.
To enable flexibility in planning and travelling, GDPF operates on three rounds of funding call for 2023/24, with deadlines below:
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31 October 2023 (Autumn Term) 5pm
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26 February 2024 (Winter Term) 5pm
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29 April 2024 (Spring Term) 5pm
GAE will also review additional applications between these deadlines when there is a compelling case for urgent consideration. GAE reserve the right to close the funding calls early when there are no more funds available.